Articles from November 2003 Issue

Cooling Technology Options, Part 2

November 1st, 2003

(Editor’s Note: Part 1 of this article appeared in the August 2003 issue of ElectronicsCooling. Illustration references in this part begin with Figure 5.)  Cooling electronic systems is one of the major focal points of…read more

Prediction of Thermal Contact Resistance

November 1st, 2003

All engineering surfaces exhibit some level of microscopic roughness. The resistance to heat flow through a contact interface occurs because only a small portion (usually 1-2%) [1] of the nominal surface area is actually in…read more

Problems with Thermal Interface Material Measurements: Suggestions for Improvement

November 1st, 2003

Preface Increasingly it is apparent that measuring the thermal properties of Thermal Interface Materials (TIMs) causes much irritation for vendors and users alike. This article focuses on various measurement and standardization aspects and offers a…read more

The 45° Heat Spreading Angle – An Urban Legend?

November 1st, 2003

Ever hear about the 45° heat spreading angle? Most of us have. However, no one I’ve talked to seems to know where it came from. Is it an urban legend, such as alligators in the…read more

The Thermal Conductivity of Moist Air

November 1st, 2003

In the Tech Data series on thermal conductivity, gases – especially air – have been the subject of a few contributions. So far, the influence of two important parameters has been covered: temperature and pressure.…read more

Thermal Interface Materials

November 1st, 2003

It doesn’t take long for an electronics assembler to realize that a thermal interface material (TIM) is essential when two or more solid surfaces are in the heat path. Standard machined surfaces are rough and…read more