Thermal Management in Electronics using Advanced Technologies for Heat Transfer

Abstract

Electronic devices are rapidly evolving upon an era of unprecedented computational power and functionality. However, this progress comes with a significant challenge: getting control of heat given by more and more compact and strong components. The demand for sophisticated thermal management solutions continues to rise, as electronics evolve. Using these technologies, this article explores the advanced physics of heat transfer technologies that are reshaping thermal management in the electronics industry. With electronic devices getting smaller, yet packing more performance onto them, heat dissipation has become a defining issue for engineers and designers. Effective thermal management is crucial for several reasons. Excessive heat can greatly shorten the life of electronic components reducing the lifespan of the devices to premature failure and way higher maintenance cost. Thermal throttling can occur on high temperatures, where devices cut their performance down to avoid overheating, playing havoc with the user experience. Safety risks of overheating are especially great in sensitive applications such as medical devices or aerospace systems. Thermal management can play a role as a means to overall energy savings if cooling system power can be reduced.