Electronic packaging cabinets simplified modeling, simulation, and experimental validation for systems engineering

Abstract

A simplified three-dimensional mathematical model for electronic packaging cabinets was derived from physical laws. Tridimensionality resulted from the domain division in volume elements (VEs) with uniform properties, each with one temperature, and empirical and theoretical correlations allowed for modeling their energetic interaction, thus producing ordinary differential equations (ODEs) temperatures versus time system. The cabinet (2048 mm × 1974 mm × 850 mm) thermal response with one heat source was measured. Data set 1 with a 1.6-kW power source was used for model adjustment by solving an inverse problem of parameter estimation (IPPE) having the cabinet internal average air velocities as adjustment parameters. Data set 2 obtained with a 3-kW power source validated model results. The converged mesh had a total of 7500 VE. The steady-state solution took between 16 and 19 s of CPU time to reach convergence and less than 3 min to obtain the 6500-s cabinet dynamic response under variable loading conditions, in an Intel CORE i7 computer. After validation, the model was used to study the impact of heat source height on system thermal response. Fundamentally, a sharp minimum junction temperature Tjct,min = 98.5 °C was obtained in the system hot spot at an optimal heat source height, which was 25.7 °C less than the highest calculated value within the investigated range (0.1 m < zjct < 1.66 m) for the 1.6-kW power setting, which characterizes the novelty of the research, and is worth to be pursued, no matter how complex the actual cabinet design may be.