Synthesis of CFD Analyses and Experiments in Developing a Thermal Network Model of a Simulated Heat Spreader Panel

The object of the present study is a simulated heat spreader panel (80 × 100 × 0.8 mm3) which carries five distributed heat sources and a finned heat sink near one of its corners. The panel thickness is designed to minimize temperature variation over the heat sources. The panel and the wrapping insulation possess geometric and thermal characteristics commonly found in thin electronic products. Thin configuration increases the sensitivity of internal temperature to the variation of external thermal environment; that is, a significant level of uncertainties should be expected in the thermal design of such systems. The present study aims at the development of a methodology for thermal analysis of such thin systems. Uncertainties in the thermal environment demand the coverage of a wide range of relevant parameters by the analysis, and computations can be performed most efficiently with a thermal network model. To achieve the stated goal we performed CFD simulations and the experiments, and reduced the results into a thermal network model.Copyright © 2008 by ASME