TDK-EPC, a group company of TDK Corporation, has developed snap-in aluminum electrolytic capacitors from EPCOS that enable optimal contact to heat sinks. This permits link circuit capacitors to be efficiently cooled, significantly increasing their ripple current capability and operating life. As a result, the new capacitors are especially suited for applications in frequency … [Read more...]
Thermal Capacitance
When time enters the equations, the ability of a material to store or release heat becomes a crucial parameter. This issue's technical data column is devoted to a basic understanding of thermal capacitance. Thermal capacity (or heat capacity) is defined as: Cth = V � � cp [J/K] where: V =Volume (m3) = Density (kg/m3) cp = Specific heat (J/kgK) at constant pressure (the … [Read more...]
Simplified Transient Model for IC Packages
Previous installments of this column have all dealt with situations in which the die temperature was assumed to be at a constant temperature after the system had achieved the steady state. However, there are many times in which it is useful to know how rapidly the temperature of the chip changes when the applied power changes abruptly. This month's column presents a simple … [Read more...]