As the industry tends to put more electronic components into a smaller space, thermal management has become one of the key factors in designing the new generation of computers and many other electronic devices. CFD can be utilized to perform thermal analysis on a system level to help determine hot spots in the systems.

The thermal cooling of a 14 – pin electronic chip used for high performance microprocessors has been simulated using CFD2000. The heat generated in the die of the chip is dissipated out with the help of a Pin Fin Heat Sink and fan-blown air. Heat generation of 10W is modeled using a volumetric heat source in the die region. The length scale of the model is approximately 1mm. The temperature and velocity field due to the forced removal of thermal energy from the chip is computed in the surrounding regions.

In electronics design, a power system must deliver electric power in the most efficient, economic and safe way possible. Capacitors are an essential element of the power system and are used to improve the power factor, thereby increasing the efficiency of the system. However, capacitors are also known to be a heat source during energization, and to dissipate heat during de-energization. Knowing how much heat is being dissipated to the surrounding area is essential information for the modular design of an efficient power system. This has significant benefits in terms of avoiding power losses., maintaining the KVAR at an elevated temperature, and extending the life of the capacitor.

CFD was used to model the thermal characteristics of a twin diode.  The model consisted of a primary heat sink, twin diode modules, a copper bases for the diodes, and insulated magnetic modules.

Heat removal by natural convection from a transistor microprocessor chip surface in a portable computer is a common design practice. In a compact electronics assembly system sere space and power source are limiting factors, it may be difficult to implement a forced cooling system such as adding fans. The situation leaves no choice for a designer but to optimize the thermal arrangement via natural convection. Better thermal management and proper material selection to shield electronics components can result in increased performance efficiency and on extended life cycle.