Thermal analysis and control of electronic equipment

The application of thermal control techniques to the cooling of electronic components is examined from theoretical and practical points of view. The electronic-thermal-control (ETC) problem and the physical and conceptual restraints on its solution are characterized, with a focus on the goal of system reliability. The fundamentals of heat transfer and fluid mechanics are discussed, including steady-state and transient conduction, convection, radiation, phase-change processes, contact resistance, heat exchangers, air handling, and dimensional analysis. Mathematical models and empirical correlations are explored for such ETC techniques as direct air cooling, extended surfaces, cold plates, immersion cooling, heat pipes, and thermoelectric coolers. Specific ETC applications to inertial equipment, transistors, vacuum tubes, microwave equipment, microelectronics, and printed-circuit boards are considered.