Electronics Cooling and Packaging


The electronic components and devices can operate safely and reliably in specified temperature ranges only. When exceeding the specified temperature limits, the components may be damaged irreversibly, or do not function properly. In addition, operating in relatively high temperature levels shortens the components´ life time drastically. A proper cooling concept will guarantee the full, sustained and safe function of your electronic device or system.

To cope with the continuously rising number of the features and increasing complexity of the applications, more and more powerful hardware are implemented in the electronic devices, giving rise to heat dissipation rates. In addition, the units get smaller and compacter, and are mounted in narrow and well isolated spaces. Therefore, cooling of the electronic devices get more and more challenging.

It is advantageous to conceive the cooling of the units in very early development phases. Later on, as the Layout and mechanical design works progress, any major modification in the design would be very difficult, if not practically impossible.


The cooling of the electronic devices are conceived by considering the estimated heat dissipation rates, all requirements and limitations, as well as operating conditions and boundary conditions. Numerical simulation is the most adequate way to conceive, optimize and finalize electronics cooling. CFD simulations shorten the development time and cut the number of sample phases and the necessary temperature measurements to optimize and validate the cooling concept.

The cooling concept is inevitably and immediately connected with packaging of the unit. The casing design and the used materials have direct impact on cooling of the unit. Therefore, when conceiving the cooling, not only the thermal aspects, but also packaging, costs, size and weight of the unit, as well as EMI and fan noise are considered and optimized. 

 


1. Necessary Data


Following information is needed to conceive a proper cooling:

  • Mechanical design (CAD-model, drafts or sketches)
  • Used or foreseen materials
  • HW layout or placement of the important components
  • Estimated heat dissipation rates and the specified temperature limits for the important components
  • Number of copper layers and their thicknesses in PCBs
  • Properties of the proposed fans or blowers
  • Operating conditions and scenarios
  • Requirements, limitations and boundary conditions


Thermally important, and for the cooling concept relevant are the components with not negligible heat dissipation rates, geometrically large components which are relevant for air flow and heat conduction, as well as thermally sensitive components, even those without considerable heat dissipation rate.



2. Technical advantages of the simulations

 

  • Gaining basic understanding (cause and effect)
  • Identification of important parameters
  • Simple and fast parameter studies
  • Results are available in complete computational domain
  • No distortion of the results by measurement apparatus
  • Extreme conditions can be studied without destructing anything

 

 

3. Commercial advantages of the simulations

 

  • Already in the early quotation phase it could be possible to form the concepts on the basis of simulation results, and estimate the bill of materials with a higher accuracy
  • The cooling can be conceived and optimized before starting layout and mechanical design works. Later on, as the Layout and mechanical design works progress, any major modification in the design would be very difficult, if not practically impossible.
  • Cost and weight can be saved using detailed optimizations.
  • The actual development and design can start on the basis of the simulation results. This shortens the development time, reduces the number of sample phases and saves costs. Finally, only a few validations tests and measurements would be necessary.
  • Measurements and tests are often only in late development phases possible. Any detected problem will then result in delays and extra costs.
  • Simulations are in general faster and cost less than measurements and tests.