First of all, the jet array looks Fantastic, definitely the next step in WB technology.
But I just don't get the cups.
I read through all of BB2K's thread that Cathar gave credit to as an influence, and it seems the primary influence on the cups or dimples idea is ease of manufacture, all you need is a drill press.
Now I realize every design needs to take into account manufacturing complexity and manufacturing costs, but considering the reputation Cathar's Machinists have for breaking new ground, the simplicity of the cups just seems to me like a letdown.
I do have to concede that the results Cathar has reported are impressive, and whatever works, works. Maybe I don't like the cups, just because they're too unconventional. (Unlike the Whitewater, which was the first WB I'd ever seen that looked like it had any real thought in the design, based on the success of fins for cooling dating back to the dawn of the industrial age)
It seems to me the ideal thing to put under those jets would be an array of Pin Fins. Take for example, a comparison between a baseplate with cups, and the exact negative of that - replace every cup with a pin of equal length and diameter. You would have the exact same surface area, and the exact same impingement effect on the baseplate and on the base of the pins.
I was just about to say you would have more area of thin Base Plate between the pins than you would at the bottom of cups - but have just realized that would depend on the dimension & density of your pins/cups. It would be true for the geometry of the BP you posted - It just looks like there's too much copper to me.
Hmmm, that realization has kind of killed my focus - As I consider different geometries, I'm no longer quite so doubtful of the cups. Instead, I can see the potential of the fins formed by the material between the cups.
Oh well, so much for doubting Cathar - now I'm just looking forward to the results of the different prototypes.
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