With the seamless advancements in modern electronics and shrinking thermal real estate, a number of candidate thermal technologies have been developed. As system designers evaluate these methods, they require unambiguous comparisons in order to properly assess the positives and negatives of advanced solutions. The most commonly used metrics, particularly thermal resistance, are limited in their applicability, especially because they account for only for single factors like the temperature of the heated device. To improve these comparisons, a new volumetric enhancement factor, EFv, is proposed, which can be justified based on lumped capacitance arguments. When coupled with the thermodynamic coefficient of performance, EFv allows a simple comparison that relates thermal performance, system input needs, and system size simultaneously. Using these metrics, several advanced technologies are compared, demonstrating that liquid cooling using microchannels can be in excess of 1000 times more effective than air cooling methods.
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September 2011
Research Papers
System-Level Metrics for Thermal Management Technology
Stephen A. Solovitz,
Stephen A. Solovitz
Washington State University
, 14204 NE Salmon Creek Avenue, VELS 130F, Vancouver
, WA 98686 e-mail:
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Mehmet Arik
Mehmet Arik
General Electric Global Research
, One Research Circle, Niskayuna
, NY 12309 e-mail:
Search for other works by this author on:
Stephen A. Solovitz
Washington State University
, 14204 NE Salmon Creek Avenue, VELS 130F, Vancouver
, WA 98686 e-mail:
Mehmet Arik
General Electric Global Research
, One Research Circle, Niskayuna
, NY 12309 e-mail: J. Thermal Sci. Eng. Appl. Sep 2011, 3(3): 031009 (12 pages)
Published Online: August 12, 2011
Article history
Received:
January 7, 2011
Revised:
June 27, 2011
Online:
August 12, 2011
Published:
August 12, 2011
Citation
Solovitz, S. A., and Arik, M. (August 12, 2011). "System-Level Metrics for Thermal Management Technology." ASME. J. Thermal Sci. Eng. Appl. September 2011; 3(3): 031009. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4004486
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