One of the “fairy tales” that I see as a trend in thermal engineers performing electronics cooling is that they become dependent on the capabilities and methodology of the particular software they use. If the help guide or our mentor showed us how to solve a particular problem with our software tool and it worked, we may not have a reason to change even if the method is not the … [Read more...]
Editorial: Archival Value
Shortly after beginning to work in the electronics cooling field (1985), I heard about visions of a paperless engineering environment. The benefits were obvious, especially when faced with what to do with desktop-sized plots and drawings. For the most part, the vision has been realized. We store information electronically and routinely collaborate across geographic boundaries … [Read more...]
Thermal Facts and Fairy Tales: Fixed Temperature and Infinite Heatsinking
In keeping with the name of this column, the fact worth reminding is that a fixed temperature boundary condition in a thermal simulation represents an infinite heat sink. The systems that thermal engineers model and simulate have boundaries and thus require some type of specification, usually known as boundary conditions. Related to the other part of the name of this column, … [Read more...]
Thermal Facts and Fairy Tales: Uncertainty is Assured
Do you know the thermal conductivity of paper? This was the start of a phone call a few years ago. The conversation continued and the reason for the question became apparent. A thermal analysis of a printed circuit board had determined that a thermal interface material was needed under some hotter components to provide a better conduction path. The circuit card was edge cooled … [Read more...]
