By Jack Shaw, senior writer, Modded.com January 6, 2025
Electronic devices have become smaller and more efficient while energy density has increased. How are manufacturers accomplishing this feat? Modular heat sinks make electronic assembly more manageable for companies because of their enhanced cooling and power capacities. heat sink thermal conductivity
With modular heat sinks, researchers have solved problems like power dissipation and assembly issues. Gallium nitride (GaN) converters and PDMS-graphene oxide (GO) nanocomposite-based microfluidic heat sinks are only some innovations creating higher density. Here are the modular heat sink innovations that electronic engineers should know.
PDMS has evolved into widespread use across manufacturing. Industry professionals use this polymer for medical devices, implants, cosmetics and food additives. In electronic assembly, companies use it to produce microfluidic chips. When used as a protective coating, electronic devices are safer and more effective. The elasticity of PDMS makes it absorb shocks and vibrations better than other materials.
Flexibility also makes PDMS excellent for thermal management in contemporary electronic devices. However, a 2022 Applied Thermal Engineering study found PDMS had poor thermal conductivity and was challenging to implement for flexible electronics. Solving this problem required the researchers to use GO to shore up the conductivity. With the PDMS-GO nanocomposite, thermal conductivity more than doubled.
Adding GO also increased the PDMS’s elasticity, as the researchers found that flexibility tripled. The oxidized form of graphene strengthens interfacial bonds and evenly distributes stress, leading to increased flexibility. Overall, the PDMS-GO heat sinks outperformed the traditional heat sinks and proved their efficacy in electronic assembly. The researchers say it could be a practical solution for batteries, microfluidic chip cooling and other applications.
GaN is an excellent semiconductor for electronic assembly, and some technology experts say it could be better than silicon parts. This compound has a wider band gap than silicon, thus making it more efficient in power conversion. With GaN chips, manufacturers also get increased speeds, less resistance and reduced production costs. Companies with environmental initiatives can benefit from leveraging GaN technology.
A 2021 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign paper examined GaN power converters for electrothermal codesign and modular approaches. During the experiment, the researchers placed gap pads between the printed circuit boards and the heat sinks and found poor heat transfer. However, the GaN converter reduced the device temperature by 8 degrees Celsius and heat sink volume by 54%.
The benefits of GaN extended to thermal performance, with the modular heat sink increasing specific power density by 73% and volumetric power density by 22%. These results stemmed from GaN’s stellar breakdown voltage, which lets it handle more energy inside smaller devices. Another benefit of the compound is its low on-resistance, which minimizes voltage drops. With these attributes, GaN has equalled or surpassed silicon in numerous applications.
While GaN could overtake silicon, the latter still has a place in technology and electronic assembly. This metal is prominent because of its high thermal conductivity, thus lessening the chance of overheating during heat transfer. Silicon is also among Earth’s most abundant metals, making it an accessible option for electronics manufacturers. Researchers have examined its efficacy, especially with electric vehicles (EVs) and their associated pressure drops.
Heat sinks are integral to EVs because of the car’s battery management system. With an increased reliance on electric motors, these vehicles must have proper thermal management to optimize range and capacity. Heat sinks with PCB designs solve heat dissipation and cooling issues, aiding manufacturers in EV assembly. Thermal management may be more manageable in electric cars when using a silicon-carbide power module.
A 2024 Journal of Electronic Packaging study proposed a thermal management system for automotive power electronics. The researchers developed a lightweight, low-cost plastic system to produce jets over the heat sinks. Compared to the 2015 BMW i3, the direct-bonded copper (DBC) substrate reduced thermal resistance by up to 85%. Therefore, the system has superior thermal performance while achieving low pumping power and reliability standards.
If space is an issue, electronics manufacturers could rely on remote modular heat sinks because they are separate from the individual components. This increased flexibility makes design and packaging more accessible. Remote versions also allow for scalability, one of the hallmark features of modular systems. The customization lets companies determine what they need for their cooling requirements.
While remote heat sinks can be helpful, researchers have suggested they have risks because of the dynamic stress. At the IEE Intersociety Conference, electronics industry experts designed a 1U server chassis to investigate the structural disadvantages. The finite element analysis included analyses of the various remote heat sink designs and the shock tests. This design makes remote systems comparable to conventional heat sinks on CPU packages.
Modular heat sinks provide advantages like optimized thermal management and design flexibility. Separating the heat sink from the electronic components means manufacturers have more design flexibility. However, the concept comes with challenges. For example, this newer technology could lead to more expensive components that exceed research budgets. Another potential drawback is heat transfer efficiency, which long distances could compromise.
3D printing is another relatively new concept in manufacturing, health care and other critical industries. This method makes customization more manageable in electronics assembly and cooling optimization. Efficiency increases because designers can quickly develop prototypes and produce ideas. Therefore, companies can focus less on development and more on other priorities. 3D-printed modular heat sinks can leverage intricate geometric designs for the best products.
With additive manufacturing, researchers can quickly scale their electronic components to fit their assemblies. 3D printing also lets industry experts take advantage of supercritical CO2 in microchannel heat sinks. A 2023 Applied Thermal Engineering study examined the performance of these systems and compared them to conventional integral fin heatsinks. In this study, the researchers focused on periodic lattices and their effect on thermal management.
Ultimately, the study found the 3D-printed heat sinks significantly outperformed the conventional systems because of their superior geometric design. Therefore, electronics manufacturers should consider these mechanisms for compact and efficient heat removal systems. The researchers found the flow rate was 4.45 times higher when using the supercritical CO2 design and water as a coolant. With supercritical CO2, the heat capacity increases while the pumping power requirements decrease.
Heat sink design is critical to electronic manufacturers, especially as devices shrink. New technology demands better heat dissipation mechanisms, so industry experts have leveraged modular design. With modular heat sinks, manufacturers can scale and adapt to their needs and increase efficiency. PDMS-GO, remote design and silicon-carbide power modules are excellent examples of modern innovations for electronics assembly.
Jack Shaw is a senior writer at Modded.com
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