a paper published on azo materials by rutronik elektronische bauelemente, a german distributor of electronic components, emphasizes the importance of thermal management in the reliability and lifespan of electronic devices and explores innovative methods for dissipating heat.
thermal management is critical to the proper design of electronics. (wikimedia commons)
the paper discusses varied applications from mobile devices that need ultra-thin thermal solutions, such as a conductive gap pad produced by panasonic that pulls heat from components to the outer case, and the numerous heat sink designs that have been developed for convection cooling.
it also noted that thermal interface materials are important additions to enhance the heat transfer from the component to a heat sink and improve thermal spreading to take advantage of the extra surface area that the heat sink provides.
“when it comes to applications such as switch cabinet installations, drive systems, frequency inverters, power supplies or welding machines, fans are still unbeatable as their use boosts the fresh air throughput considerably, therefore forcing convection,” the article added. “the service life of fans is increasing due to enhanced bearings.”
the critical piece that the paper puts forward is that thermal management needs to be a part of the design process.
it concluded, “since the choice is influenced by several factors, one-size-fits-all solution cannot answer the question regarding the best heat dissipation strategy. however, one rule does apply: the earlier in the development cycle heat management is taken into account, the wider-ranging and easier to implement the possibilities will be.”
read the full article at https://www.azom.com/article.aspx?articleid=14431.
|