THERMAL DESIGN SERVICES
CFD (Computation Fluid Dynamics) is the method used for predicting the performance of mechanical systems. Cofan specifically uses CFD as a Service (CFDaaS) to predict both the thermal performance (airflow, temperature and heat trasfer) values in electronic assemblies/enclosures systems and components (Integrated Circuit (IC) Packages, Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) and power electronics).
By applying CFD in the early design stages, Cofan is able to assist company design engineers in reducing the required number of physical protopes and expensive testing but to also optimize the design for maximum system (thermal) performance from both the componenet to system level.
By contracting with CFDaaS with Cofan, our customers receive the benefits >40 years of heatsink design and manufacturing experience support the entire process from concept through production.
By applying CFD in the early design stages, Cofan is able to assist company design engineers in reducing the required number of physical protopes and expensive testing but to also optimize the design for maximum system (thermal) performance from both the componenet to system level.
By contracting with CFDaaS with Cofan, our customers receive the benefits >40 years of heatsink design and manufacturing experience support the entire process from concept through production.
SYSTEM LEVEL FLOW MODELING AND THERMAL SIMULATION ANALYSIS
System-level CFD analysis involves simulating the entire system or a significant portion of it, capturing interactions between multiple components, and understanding how fluid dynamics affect overall system performance. System-level CFD analysis is particularly useful for understanding interactions between various components, optimizing designs for efficiency and thermal performance, and predicting how changes to one part of the system affect the overall behavior.
- Workstations
- Servers
- Laptops
- Routers
- Switches
- Storage Products
- EV Chargers & Systems
- Traction Drives
- Optical Connectors
- Telecommunication Cabinets
- Data Centers / Servers
- Avionics, ARINC & ATR
PCB THERMAL DESIGN LAYOUT AND ANALYSIS
LED Light Source Products,
Video Cards, PCIe Products,
PCB's (Metal Core & Single Board Computers,
Memory Cards,
Conduction Cooling,
Heatpipes & Vapor Chambers,
Graphic Cards, . . . and more
Thermal analysis of printed circuit boards (PCBs) is a crucial aspect of electronic designs. PCBs generate heat components such as microprocessors, power electronics, and other active elements. Excessive heat can lead to component failure, reduced performance, and even complete system malfunction. Our CFD analysis identifies potential hotspots on the PCB and test / optimize dissipation solutions to ensure reliable operation
Cofan's CFDaaS process identifies hotspot (regions with elevated temperatures) overall temperature distributions, heat fluxes, and airflow patterns around components that could potentially lead to component failures or reduced lifespan. By effectively managing heat dissipation, engineers can prevent thermal failures, extend component lifetimes, and enhance the overall performance and durability of electronic systems. Based on simulation insights, a cooling strategy is developed to address hotspots on the PCB. This could involve adding heatsinks, heat spreaders, thermal pads, thermal vias, component relocatiion or optimizing airflow paths.
Cofan's CFDaaS process identifies hotspot (regions with elevated temperatures) overall temperature distributions, heat fluxes, and airflow patterns around components that could potentially lead to component failures or reduced lifespan. By effectively managing heat dissipation, engineers can prevent thermal failures, extend component lifetimes, and enhance the overall performance and durability of electronic systems. Based on simulation insights, a cooling strategy is developed to address hotspots on the PCB. This could involve adding heatsinks, heat spreaders, thermal pads, thermal vias, component relocatiion or optimizing airflow paths.
HEATSINK DESIGN AND THERMAL OPTIMIZATION
Heatsinks are crucial components used to dissipate heat from electronic devices, machinery, and electronic systems. Heatsink optimization using Cofan's CFD as a Service (CFDaaS) involves designing and refining the heatsinks design to enhance their thermal performance within a specific ecosystem. Cofan CFDaaS simulations defines the physics of fluid flow and heat transfer and can help engineers optimize heatsink designs for improved heat transfer efficiency, reduced thermal resistance, and overall better thermal management. The process involves specifying the boundary conditions such as heat sources, inlet/outlet conditions, and material properties for the heatsink and surrounding components.
Thermal optimization involves using Cofan's CFDaaS design process simulations to optimize the thermal performance by taking the specified boundary conditions and analyzing the heat transfer processes. The simulation performs a sensitivity analyses to understand how variations in design parameters affect the heatsink thermal performance. By analysing the simulation results, the heat transfer rate, thermal resistance temperature distributions, heat fluxes, and fluid flow patterns around the heatsink can be calculated and our team would propose design changes to optimize the heatsink. This could involve adjusting fin geometry, increasing/decreasing fin density, modifying fin shape, or altering the baseplate design. The simulations allows the design engineer to visualize how heat is transferred from the heat source to the surrounding ambient environment.
Thermal Optimization
- Heatsinks
- Board Level Component Layout
- Fan Selection
- Air Flow
- Pressure Drop
- Heatpipes & Vapor Chambers
Passive Cooling
- Fans
- Blowers
- Impellers
- Liquid Cooling
- Heat Exchangers
Passive Cooling
- Baseplates / Enclosures
- Heatsinks
- Metal-Core PCB
- Heat Pipes
- Vapor Chambers
Integrated Circuit (IC) Component Level Analysis
BGA - DIP - LGA - PGA - SMD - SOIC - SOT - QFN - QFP
Integrated circuits generate heat primarily due to resistive losses in conducting materials and active semiconductor devices (transistors, diodes, etc.). Power dissipation is a key factor in determining how much heat a component generates. Excessive heat can lead to performance degradation, reliability issues, and even permanent damage to the components and is essential to prevent overheating and impact long-term reliability and performance of electronic devices.
Proper thermal design can extend the lifespan and reliability of IC components and improve their overall system efficiency. Cofan's CFDaaS is able to produce a accurate thermal model of integrated circuit (IC) components. Through our design process, a proper simulation analysis aided by selecting the appropriate heatsink, thermal Interface material and materials will help to maintain lower component junction temperatures
Proper thermal design can extend the lifespan and reliability of IC components and improve their overall system efficiency. Cofan's CFDaaS is able to produce a accurate thermal model of integrated circuit (IC) components. Through our design process, a proper simulation analysis aided by selecting the appropriate heatsink, thermal Interface material and materials will help to maintain lower component junction temperatures
PROTOTYPING AND EXPERIMENTAL VALIDATION
Prototyping after conducting Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations is often necessary for one important reason. CFD simulations are mathematical models of fluid flow and heat transfer that rely on various assumptions and simplifications. Prototyping involves physically building or testing a scaled-down version of the system, which allows the CAD models to be validated and the accuracy of the CFD simulations verified. This step helps ensure that the simulations represent the real-world behavior of the system accurately.
Cofan is able to support this activity through our years of manufacturing knowledge and in-house equipment as well as our well equipped test laboraTory.
Cofan is able to support this activity through our years of manufacturing knowledge and in-house equipment as well as our well equipped test laboraTory.
Protyping
CNC Machining
Wire EDM
Extrusion
Heatpipe Assemblies
CNC Machining
Wire EDM
Extrusion
Heatpipe Assemblies
Testing / Experimental Validation
Air Flow Testing
Thermocouple or Infared sensor Verification
Steady State Testing
Transient Testing
Convection and Radiation Testing
Air Flow Testing
Thermocouple or Infared sensor Verification
Steady State Testing
Transient Testing
Convection and Radiation Testing
FAN CFD MODELING
Fans are widely used in various industries such as aerospace, computing, electronics cooling and HVAC. Cofan is able to provide CFD driven simulation for optimization of Axial and Centrigugal Fans as well as Blowers and impellers. The simulation can be carried out either as a single component, as part of a heatsink assembly or as part of a system-wide analysis.
The simulation goal is to optimize fan performance. This optimization process includes analyzing the each of the fan components, such as blade geometry, number of blades, blade twist angle and blade chord length and fan housing, in order to achieve the maximum flow rate within a finite volumetric size.
Axial Fans | Blowers | Centrifugal