Thermomagnetic Siphoning on a Bundle of Current-Carrying Wires

J.C. Boulware, and S. Jensen
Space Dynamics Laboratory, North Logan, UT, USA
Veröffentlicht in 2010

Using COMSOL Multiphysics, studies were performed showing that thermomagnetic siphoning (TMS) is a sufficient manner of regulating the temperature of a bundle of current-carrying wires wrapped with a magnetorheological fluid (MRF) jacket. Because of Curie’s Law, the cooler MRF on the outside of the jacket is drawn towards the wires due to the induced magnetic field. The process continually pushes out the warm MRF; thereby enhancing heat rejection from the wires. Assuming a 293 K jacket remained isothermal at its outer diameter of 6 mm, and the 32-gauge wires each carried 1-3 A and bundled to a 1 mm diameter, COMSOL’s tools for the modeling of fluid flow, heat transfer and magnetostatics showed a significant reduction in the temperature change of the wires. The passive thermal management method would be beneficial to computer or space applications where temperature regulation is a concern.