Intel 5400 Series manual Thermal/Mechanical Reference Design Considerations, Heatsink Solutions

Thermal/Mechanical Reference Design

To develop a reliable, cost-effective thermal solution, thermal characterization and simulation should be carried out at the entire system level, accounting for the thermal requirements of each component. In addition, acoustic noise constraints may limit the size, number, placement, and types of fans that can be used in a particular design.

2.5Thermal/Mechanical Reference Design Considerations

2.5.1Heatsink Solutions

2.5.1.1Heatsink Design Considerations

To remove the heat from the processor, three basic parameters should be considered:

•The area of the surface on which the heat transfer takes place - Without any enhancements, this is the surface of the processor package IHS. One method used to improve thermal performance is by attaching a heatsink to the IHS. A heatsink can increase the effective heat transfer surface area by conducting heat out of the IHS and into the surrounding air through fins attached to the heatsink base.

•The conduction path from the heat source to the heatsink fins - Providing a direct conduction path from the heat source to the heatsink fins and selecting materials with higher thermal conductivity typically improves heatsink performance. The length, thickness, and conductivity of the conduction path from the heat source to the fins directly impact the thermal performance of the heatsink. In particular, the quality of the contact between the package IHS and the heatsink base has a higher impact on the overall thermal solution performance as processor cooling requirements become strict. Thermal interface material (TIM) is used to fill in the gap between the IHS and the bottom surface of the heatsink, and thereby improves the overall performance of the thermal stackup (IHS-TIM-Heatsink). With extremely poor heatsink interface flatness or roughness, TIM may not adequately fill the gap. The TIM thermal performance depends on its thermal conductivity as well as the pressure load applied to it. Refer to Section 2.5.2 for further information on the TIM between the IHS and the heatsink base.

•The heat transfer conditions on the surface on which heat transfer takes place - Convective heat transfer occurs between the airflow and the surface exposed to the flow. It is characterized by the local ambient temperature of the air,

TLA, and the local air velocity over the surface. The higher the air velocity over the surface, the resulting cooling is more efficient. The nature of the airflow can also enhance heat transfer via convection. Turbulent flow can provide improvement over laminar flow. In the case of a heatsink, the surface exposed to the flow includes the fin faces and the heatsink base.

An active heatsink typically incorporates a fan that helps manage the airflow through the heatsink.

Passive heatsink solutions require in-depth knowledge of the airflow in the chassis. Typically, passive heatsinks see slower air speed. Therefore, these heatsinks are typically larger (and heavier) than active heatsinks due to the increase in fin surface required to meet a required performance. As the heatsink fin density (the number of fins in a given cross-section) increases, the resistance to the airflow increases: it is more likely that the air will travel around the heatsink instead of through it, unless air bypass is carefully managed. Using air-ducting techniques to manage bypass area is an effective method for maximizing airflow through the heatsink fins.

Quad-Core Intel® Xeon® Processor 5400 Series TMDG 37