August 2010

Passive Thermal Technology: Small Solutions for Big Challenges
It’s no secret that electronics systems have provided exponential increases in power and capabilities, along with steady decreases in size and footprint, for designers in applications such as power control systems, industrial drives, radar systems, avionics and many other semiconductor-based systems. Revolutionary increases in power and control have made possible ultra-precise performance in semiconductor devices such as thyristors, insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs), symmetric gate commutated turn-off thyristors (SCGTs), silicon controlled rectifiers (SCRs) and intelligent power modules (IPMs). Perhaps the most impressive and demanding arena for modern electronics is the world of military applications, where electronics must not only operate flawlessly in harsh environments but also meet demanding size, weight and power (SWaP) constraints in current and future generation equipment.

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AccuSense F333, Configurable Air Velocity Sensor for Embedded Applications
Degree Controls, Inc. has released the AccuSense F333 air velocity sensor for embedded applications. Utilizing constant deltaT architecture, the AccuSense F333 is a series of airflow sensors designed for field systems. Manufactured with RoHS compliant, rugged construction, the AccuSense F333 is aimed at ducting applications, fume hoods and biological safety cabinets. Additional applications include industrial process equipment and packaged electronics such as data communications chassis and rack equipment.
 
The AccuSense F333 provides air velocity measurements within the range of 0.2 m/s to 10 m/s (40 to 2,000 fpm) while maintaining better than ±10 percent accuracy across a temperature range of 15°C to 60°C with a 2 percent or better repeatability of reading.  Accuracy is further improved as the user constrains the operating temperature range.

With a user configurable, linear voltage output including 0 to 5 V or 0 to 10 V, the user can integrate the sensor into a control system, instrument panel or interface to other equipment management devices. A dedicated open drain alarm pin is available and offers fully configurable temperature-based or velocity-based set points. The AccuSense F333 provides a UART or I2C interface for the user to access specific memory locations for more complex algorithms and equipment implementations. 

Laird Technologies Releases Enhanced Cascade Series Thermoelectric Assemblies
Laird Technologies, Inc. has released its enhanced Cascade Series Thermoelectric Assemblies (TEAs). The Cascade Series TEAs are custom designed cooling assemblies that use multistage Thermoelectric Modules (TEMs) to achieve a high temperature differential from ambient. This product series can produce up to a 40 percent higher cooling capacity at cold temperatures, surpassing standard product offerings with similar form factors.

The key benefits of the Cascade Series TEA are its compact size, solid-state construction and ability to be located directly onto the actual device requiring cooling. Direct placement of the TEA reduces the need in many low temperature applications to use a conventional compressor-based cooling system, which generally cannot be integrated into the end user’s devices due to its size.

Two standard configurations are available. The standard configurations include air-air (AA) convection cooling method where heat is absorbed and dissipated by high-density heat exchangers equipped with air-ducted shrouds and fans. Products in this series include AAC-050-24-22-00-00. The direct-air (DA), conduction cooling unit uses a method where heat is absorbed through a cold plate and dissipated by high-density heat exchangers equipped with air-ducted shrouds and fans. Products in this series include DAC-035-12-02-00-00 and DAC-060-24-02-00-00.

Shin-Etsu Develops Thermally Conductive Soft-Pad Silicones for Electronic Device Applications
Developed to countermeasure against heat emanation generated by electronic devices, Shin-Etsu Silicones of America, Inc. has launched its TC-CA series. Comprised of Shin-Etsu’s polymer and thermally conductive filler composite material technologies, the low-hardness silicone soft pad series of products have both high thermal conductivity and electrical insulation properties.

The TC-CA series also offers cost-performance that meets the growing need for thinner and lighter weight electronic device applications such as those mounted in notebook PCs, LED lighting, hybrid cars and electric cars. Additionally, the soft pad materials allow better line-to-line contact between the heat sink and the heat generating component which means more heat transfer, which equates to longer life parts.
 
These heat-dissipating thermal interface materials are thermally conductive compounds fitted between the heat-generating unit, such as a computer’s CPU and the heat sink. Depending on the application, it is possible to meet diverse heat-dissipation requirements as each product in the series offers a combination of unique properties from which customers can choose the most appropriate product based on specific application or usage conditions.

Thermal Gap Fillers Combine High Performance And Low Pricing
New TP-S30 thermal interface pads from MH&W International provide 3 W/mK of thermal conductivity between hot components and heat sinks at lower costs than competing gap filler materials. Pads of TP-S30 thermal gap fillers are soft and compliant for easy compression and filling of air gaps between mounting surfaces to optimize heat transfer. Applications for these gap fillers include alternative energy, consumer electronics, telecommunications, power supplies, flat panel displays and portable electronics.

Pricing for standard TP-S30 gap filler material starts at $0.07 (0.5 mm thick) per square inch. Lower pricing is available for TP-S materials with lower thermal conductivities, i.e. 2 and 1 W/mK (TP-S20 and TP-S10). A low silicone content version, TP-S30LS, has less than 50 parts per million silicone content for applications where silicone-based outgassing can lead to contamination problems or oily silicone residues can hamper assembly. 

Global Market for Thermal Management to be Worth $10.2 Billion by 2015
According to a new technical market research report, The Market for Thermal Management Technologies, from BCC Research, the value of the global market for thermal management technologies is an estimated $7.5 billion in 2010, but is expected to increase to $10.2 billion in 2015, for a five year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.4 percent.

Thermal management technologies are an important part of the electronics industries’ drive to develop ever higher-performance applications. This report examines the entire range of thermal management products and solutions in the market today or likely to enter the market in the next five years.
Although the financial and economic crisis that has afflicted much of the world since 2008 has had a significant impact on most sectors that use electronics thermal management technology, there are signs that the worst of the crisis is generally past.

In recent years, there has been tremendous progress, technologically and in terms of demand, in electronic devices and systems. The technological progress has come on two main fronts, increased functionality on a single device unit and miniaturization of each unit. Both of these developments have increased the need for thermal management technology.

Management of the thermal properties of a system, and designing an optimal solution to cater to modern power dissipation, are the cornerstones of thermal management today. This study is about the market for components of electronic devices and systems that aid in the dissipation of excess thermal energy.
Thermal management hardware (fans and blowers, heat sinks, etc.) accounts for about 84 percent of the total thermal management market. The other main thermal management product segments (software, interface materials, and substrates) each account for between about 4 percent and 6 percent of the market.

Thermacore Acquires PMT and Expands Thermal Capabilities
Thermacore has completed its acquisition of Pittsburgh Materials Technology (PMT). As a result of this acquisition, Thermacore gains a range of in-house materials fabrication capabilities and materials expertise to add to their existing thermal management products and services. 

Focusing on solutions for many of the same industrial, aerospace, and military applications as Thermacore, PMT specializes in complex material joining, refractory metal alloy development and characterization, mechanical testing to 2,000°C and above, and most recently, cryomilling of aluminum to achieve dramatically higher material strengths.

Among the capabilities that PMT will add to Thermacore’s existing strengths is vacuum brazing of complex aluminum cold plates and heat exchangers used in electronic systems. Specifically, the key elements of PMT’s vacuum brazing capabilities include a number of vacuum braze furnaces for applications with temperatures ranging from 600°C to 1,900°C, complex joint design and assembly, helium leak testing and post braze heat treatment.

In addition, PMT offers the engineering expertise to apply high and ultra-high vacuum technology to material processing and testing. More recently, PMT’s material processing experience has enabled them to participate in an innovative Department of Defense project that strengthens an aluminum composite alloy fivefold. 

Nextreme Expands Engineering Consulting Services
Nextreme Thermal Solutions has expanded its services offerings to include materials evaluation and characterization services. Equipped with a full range of thermal modeling, design and engineering consulting services, Nextreme's team of engineers can accelerate the development of new applications that are currently thermally constrained.

With recent advances in materials sciences and nanotechnology, new materials are being developed that exhibit thermoelectric properties. The assessment of thermoelectric materials is a challenge, particularly when investigating them over significant temperature ranges. Nextreme has capabilities to conduct measurements across a range of temperatures ranging below 200K to above 700K. Properties that can be measured include Seebeck coefficient, electrical resistivity and thermal conductivity.

In addition to the evaluation of materials, Nextreme offers thermal modeling, design and engineering services to deliver fully optimized thermal management solutions. Nextreme routinely conducts analytical and numerical thermal modeling at all design levels from component to module to subsystem.  Design services range from rudimentary analysis such as 1 dimensional and 3-D modeling to more complex analyses that may involve the use of passive heat rejection systems, such as heat sinks and exchangers, or the use of active devices such as thermoelectric coolers to solve the overall thermal problem.

Advancements In Thermal Management 2010
August 19th is your last chance to save $300 off of your Advancements in Thermal Mangament 2010 (Oct. 19th, 2010 • Dallas, Tx) conference registration. This one of a kind event focuses on latest advancements in thermal management and thermal technology for electronics packaging and cooling, temperature sensing and control, thermal materials, systems design and management for optimizing thermal properties.

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To Learn More about Our Educational Program Click Here: www.thermalnews.com/program.php

August
1 - 5 SPIE Optics + Photonics 2010, San Diego, CA

September
8-10 SEMICON Taiwan 2010
21-23 Atlantic Manufacturing Technology Show (AMTS), Halifax, Nova Scotia
28-30 Design & Manufacturing Midwest, Rosemont, Ill.

October
19-20 Advancements in Thermal Management Symposium 2010, Dallas, Texas
18-20 Electrical Manufacturing & Coil Winding Expo, Grapevine, Texas
19-20 Battery Power 2010, Dallas, Texas
19-20 Remote 2010 Conference & Expo, Dallas, Texas
20-21 Manufacturing Innovations – Aerospace/Defense, Orlando, Fla.

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