Thermal analysis of electronics is one of the most common applications for SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation. Flow Simulation’s user friendly approach to CFD makes it easy to gain design insight and improve cooling performance. If you currently use or are considering Flow Simulation for electronics cooling analysis, you may be wondering, “Do I need the Electronics Cooling Module?”
SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation is a versatile tool and can provide valuable information for a wide range of electronics cooling scenarios without the Electronics Cooling Module. However, the add-in extends the software’s ability to accurately model specific situations with several enhancements. Let’s take a look at what these situations look like without and with the Electronics Cooling Module.
Printed Circuit Boards
Printed circuit boards are notable from a thermal standpoint because they exhibit anisotropic material behavior. The layered structure results different thermal conductivities within the plane and through the thickness of the board.
Chip Packages
Accurate thermal representation of chip packages is critical in an analysis, as they are usually the main sources of heat. Creating true-to-life models of components is very rarely feasible as packages are complex, involving many different parts and materials, and internal details are not available from chip manufacturers. Therefore, simplified models are used.
Heat Pipes
Heat pipes use the phase change properties of a working fluid to achieve very high effective thermal conductivities.
Joule Heating
Heat is generated as electric current passes through a conductor. This is commonly known as resistive heating or Joule heating.
Beyond these features, the add-in also includes an enriched engineering database with a wide range of component, fan, and material information so that you can spend less time sourcing information from manufacturers. It’s all about convenience!
Hopefully this feature breakdown has helped you figure out whether or not the Electronics Cooling Module will help you with your analyses. Check out this video on our YouTube channel to see the features in action.
And for more information:
- Visit the Flow Simulation product page on our website
- Get a copy of our Simulation Buyer’s Guide
- Or simply leave a comment
