Heat transfer for an encapsulated circuit

In summary, the conversation discusses the assembly of testing equipment and the thermal analysis being performed to ensure that the electronics do not overheat. The ambient temperature and wind speeds inside the black polypropylene case are taken into consideration, and thermal resistances are calculated for both the outside and inside of the case. The conversation also mentions the importance of considering conductive and convective heat transfer in addition to radiative heat transfer when calculating the total heat path.
  • #1
Bootleg5353
Hello,

So I am assembling some testing equipment. I have an active circuit, microcontroller, and two battery packs inside a black polypropylene case (which is around 1 ft x 1 ft x 0.5 ft). I was performing a thermal analysis because I want to make sure the electronics do not heat up past around 80C (the temperature node near the 6W supply). I am assuming the ambient temperature can get up to about 60C, the wind speeds around and inside the case are very low (0.01m/s or h=.15 W/m^2K). The thermal shown below has values placed in for the various thermal resistances I am looking at. Currently, I have the outside thermal radiation resistance to be 0.82 K/W and the inside to be 1.82 K/W. The outside has an area of 0.138 m^2 and the inside has an area of 0.054 m^2. The radiation coefficient was initially estimated then the solution was iterated until convergence.

A further note, this is for one direction of heat xfer, for the full picture each chain of resistances should be put into 3x parallel - keeping the power and ambient temp the same.I am quite confident on the values besides the radiation resistances. They seem very very low, which signifies that the heat transfer due to radiation is pretty substantial. During my academic career we essentially avoided radiation - probably because it is so temperature dependent. I do not really have a good grasp on temperatures/resistances/coefficients as I only took one class that was years ago on this.

The first temperature near the 13W supply is sitting at 65C and the second temperature is sitting around 75C - do these make sense?

Thank you!

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  • #2
I don't think that heat transfer calculations for your electronics enclosure based entirely on radiative heat transfer are going to be very accurate .

Conductive and convective heat transfer will certainly be involved as well and could actually be the dominant mechanisms for heat transfer in the total heat path from the components in the case to the outside air .
 

What is heat transfer?

Heat transfer is the movement of thermal energy from one object or material to another due to a difference in temperature.

How does heat transfer affect an encapsulated circuit?

Heat transfer can impact an encapsulated circuit by increasing the temperature of the circuit, which can affect its performance and potentially cause damage.

What are the different modes of heat transfer?

The three main modes of heat transfer are conduction, convection, and radiation. Conduction is the transfer of heat through direct contact, convection is the transfer of heat through the movement of fluids, and radiation is the transfer of heat through electromagnetic waves.

How can heat transfer be controlled in an encapsulated circuit?

Heat transfer can be controlled in an encapsulated circuit through the use of materials with low thermal conductivity, proper insulation, and efficient cooling systems.

What are some common heat transfer mechanisms in encapsulated circuits?

Some common heat transfer mechanisms in encapsulated circuits include heat sinks, thermal pads, and fans. These mechanisms help to dissipate heat and maintain a safe operating temperature for the circuit.

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