Thermal Testing and System Reliability: Transferring Thermal Interactions by Heat Conduction through a Peltier-Based Thermal Coupling System

Abstract

Testing and reliability assessment are crucial aspects when considering the thermal domain’s influence on the overall system. Thermal interactions occur between all subsystems, and their separation can disrupt internal thermal interactions, altering temperature profiles. Evaluating functional system reliability requires accounting for the thermal domain’s impact on temperature-dependent performance and thermal damage limits. However, testing faces challenges due to the lack of a suitable thermal coupling system capable of transferring thermal interactions by heat conduction between spatially separated subsystems. To address this issue, this paper introduces a thermal coupling system that focuses on the control system and its validation through experimental studies. Two scenarios were investigated: (I) the original assembly situation with direct heat transfer between two subsystems, and (II) a spatially separated scenario utilizing the thermal coupling system to establish heat transfer between the subsystems. The evaluation variables are the temperature curves and the deviations between the two scenarios. Two different tests with a different amount of heat flows are carried out. The thermal coupling system utilizes thermal actuators, specifically Peltier devices, to ensure a zero temperature difference between the original contact points. The control system employs both closed-loop and open-loop control to regulate the heat flow and achieve energy conservation between the spatially separated subsystems. The results demonstrate that the described thermal coupling system yields only slight deviations in temperature curves, indicating its applicability for early evaluation of functional system reliability. This research contributes to a better understanding of thermal interactions in complex systems and provides a valuable tool for enhancing overall system reliability through thermal testing and validation.