Abstract
Biomimetics is a school of design based on taking inspiration from nature to solve complex problems. This is done with the assumption that the natural world already has solutions to many engineering problems that have been refined through trial and error—an example of the constructal law. In this study, biomimicry is used to investigate the impact of the shape of an extended surface for mixed convection cooling within the context of the cavity problem. This is a simplified two-dimensional case that aims to develop new heat dispersal ideas for use in electronics, power generation, and industrial applications. A numerical model is developed and solved using ANSYS Fluent and the results were examined for varying Reynolds, Rayleigh, and Richardson numbers with the goal of maximizing heat transfer. The results show that the alveolus-inspired fin design provides better heat transfer compared with the design based on a rectangular fin in a cavity.