Thermal management (electronics)

"Heat dissipation" redirects here. For passive heat dissipation in buildings, see passive cooling.

60×60×10 mm straight-finned heat sink with a thermal profile and swirling animated forced convection flow trajectories from a tubeaxial fan, predicted using a CFD analysis package.
Radial Heat Sink with Thermal Profile and Swirling Forced Convection Flow Trajectories (using CFD analysis)
Pin Fin Heat Sink with Thermal Profile and Dione Convection Flow Trajectories (using CFD analysis)
Heat sink in a workstation computer
An artist's impression of a motherboard heat sink, rendered using POV-Ray
Free convection thermoelectric cooler (Peltier cooler) with heat sink surface temperature contours, and rising warmer air and falling cooler air flow trajectories, predicted using a CFD analysis package.
CPU heat sink with fan attached
A heat sink (aluminium) incorporating a heat pipe (copper)

All electronic devices and circuitry generate excess heat and thus require thermal management to improve reliability and prevent premature failure. The amount of heat output is equal to the power input, if there are no other energy interactions.[1] There are several techniques for cooling including various styles of heat sinks, thermoelectric coolers, forced air systems and fans, heat pipes, and others. In cases of extreme low environmental temperatures, it may actually be necessary to heat the electronic components to achieve satisfactory operation.[2]

  1. ^ Cengel, Yunus; Ghajar, Afshin (2015). Heat and Mass Transfer: Fundamentals and Applications (PDF). McGraw Hill. pp. Chapter 15. ISBN 978-0073398181.
  2. ^ "OSHA Technical Manual (OTM) - Section III: Chapter 4 - Heat Stress - Occupational Safety and Health Administration". www.osha.gov.