Considering that CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) is an advanced mathematical method for predicting fluid flow and heat transfer using a computational software approach I find it paradoxical that it is often as much an art as it is a science. A model by its very definition is a representation of something. A computer model is a virtual representation of a system (e.g. … [Read more...]

Electronics cooling involves ensuring that IC package temperatures do not exceed maximum rated values. If they do the probability of thermo-mechanical related failure increases dramatically. The accuracy of any electronics thermal simulation will be determined by how well the IC package is represented in the solution. These are simple and evident truths. As the leading supplier … [Read more...]

Computational Fluid Dynamics, CFD, is a simulation technology that provides 3D predictions of fluid flow and heat transfer for a modelled system. Be it an electronics enclosure or a building, insights into the often complex air flow patterns can help designers better understand the physical behaviour of their design. Communication of such insights helps others to appreciate the … [Read more...]

Heatsinks aren’t a novel energy efficient type of washing bowl, they are parts that are placed on high powered IC packages to help remove the heat more effectively and thus lower the operating temperature of the package which in turn increases reliability, can improve performance etc.  etc. Such approaches are observed in nature, from Elephants ears to the low sun … [Read more...]

The ability of FloTHERM to resolve a massive disparity in geometric length scale in a single model is for me its greatest strength. By not having to make simplifying assumptions to ignore either extremely small or truncate extremely large geometric parts and features, simulation accuracy can be better assured. The ‘die in a city’ model in the previous blog resolved … [Read more...]