Intel 632xESB, 631xESB manual Introduction, Design Flow

Introduction—Intel®6321ESB ICH

1.0Introduction

As the complexity of computer systems increases, so do the power dissipation requirements. Care must be taken to ensure that the additional power is properly dissipated. Typical methods to improve heat dissipation include selective use of ducting, and/or passive heatsinks.

The goals of this document are to:

•Outline the thermal and mechanical operating limits and specifications for the Intel® 6321ESB I/O Controller Hub.

•Describe a reference thermal solution that meets the specification of Intel® 6321ESB I/O Controller Hub in Embedded applications.

Properly designed thermal solutions provide adequate cooling to maintain the Intel® 6321ESB I/O Controller Hub component die temperatures at or below thermal specifications. This is accomplished by providing a low local-ambient temperature, ensuring adequate local airflow, and minimizing the die to local-ambient thermal resistance. By maintaining the Intel® 6321ESB I/O Controller Hub component die temperature at or below the specified limits, a system designer can ensure the proper functionality, performance, and reliability of the chipset. Operation outside the functional limits can degrade system performance and may cause permanent changes in the operating characteristics of the component.

The simplest and most cost-effective method to improve the inherent system cooling characteristics is through careful chassis design and placement of fans, vents, and ducts. When additional cooling is required, component thermal solutions may be implemented in conjunction with system thermal solutions. The size of the fan or heatsink can be varied to balance size and space constraints with acoustic noise.

This document addresses thermal design and specifications for the Intel® 6321ESB I/O Controller Hub component only. For thermal design information on other chipset components, refer to the respective component datasheet.

1.1Design Flow

To develop a reliable, cost-effective thermal solution, several tools have been provided to the system designer. Figure 1 illustrates the design process implicit to this document and the tools appropriate for each step.

Intel® 631xESB/632xESB I/O Controller Hub for Embedded Applications

February 2007TMDG 5