Thermal management in Electronics What

Why
Thermal Management –Challenges Challenges

• Thermal management is the ability to control the temperature level of a

system by means of technology based on thermodynamics and heat
transfer.

• Junction temperature of the chip must be maintained below the

allowable limit specified by the component manufacture for both
performance and reliability.

• Advancements in the electronics industry have greater miniaturization

and ongoing performance enhancements contribute exponentially to
increased power consumption and heat generation within the system.

• This led to an increased need for innovative thermal management

technologies to improve the system performance and reliability by
removing high heat flux generated in the electronic devices.

• Reliability is defined as the probability that a device will perform its

required function under Harsh environments conditions for a specific
period.
 Thermal Solutions – Basic principle

The latest thermal management technologies function around basic

heat transfer modes – i.e., conduction, convection, and radiation
• Conduction: Conduction through a solid or a stationary fluid
Q = -kA(ΔT/Δx)
• Convection: Convection from a surface to a moving fluid
Q = hAΔT
• Radiation heat exchange between two surfaces.
Q = εσA (Thot4 -Tcold4)

• Airflow and heat transfer are governed by the following equations

(Navier-Stokes Equations) :
• Conservation of Mass (continuity)
• Conservation of Momentum
• Conservation of Energy

• Simulation software uses the numerical technique methods and

valuable tool in engineering.
• It allows to simulate projects early on, how temperature affects
circuit performance, but it also helps to neutralize adverse
temperature effects before committing to fabrication. Thereby
mitigation of manpower, money and time
Thermal Simulation - Capgemini Capability

For electronics cooling: Flotherm and Icepak

Currently in Capgemini we have capability with two simulation software

• FloTHERM

• FloEFD

Over cap of FloTHERM and FloEFD are two completely different products, with different application and capabilities.

• FloTHERM is specifically for electronics cooling and uses Cartesian mesh

o It has detailed electronics modeling such as Delphi models.
o It has capability to import EMN and EMP files.
o It has capability to import ODB++ file for traces.

• FloEFD is a general purpose CFD tool that has some capabilities in electronics cooling but not as sophisticated as FloTHERM, FloEFD is similar like Catia, ProE/Creo
or Siemens NX environment and it does not include detailed electronics cooling.
o it has 2-Resistor models capacity, It does not have detailed electronics modeling such as Delphi models.
o Phase change like Cavitation, boiling and evaporation can be handled.
 Thermal solution
Thermal solution are basically two type solution,

Passive cooling- Passive control systems don't require any need for a power supply. Passive cooling is  a system that uses natural conduction, convection and radiation to
cool the temperature.

Eg: Heatsink, heat spreaders, heat pipes, thermal interface materials (TIM)

Active cooling- Active cooling rely on the external power supply to heat transfer. Through active cooling technologies uses a fan to circulate air or a pump to move water in
order to cool electronic components.

Eg: fan, blower, forced liquid, and thermoelectric coolers (TECs)