Thermal Management—Processor

5.0Thermal Management

This chapter provides both component-level and system-level thermal management. Topics convered include processor thermal specifications, thermal profiles, thermal metrology, fan speed control, adaptive thermal monitor, THERMTRIP# signal, Ditital Thermal Sensor (DTS), Intel Turbo Boost Technology, package power control, power plane control, and turbo time parameter.

The processor requires a thermal solution to maintain temperatures within its operating limits. Any attempt to operate the processor outside these operating limits may result in permanent damage to the processor and potentially other components within the system. Maintaining the proper thermal environment is key to reliable, long-term system operation.

A complete solution includes both component and system level thermal management features. Component level thermal solutions can include active or passive heatsinks attached to the processor integrated heat spreader (IHS).

To allow the optimal operation and long-term reliability of Intel processor-based systems, the processor must remain within the minimum and maximum case temperature (TCASE) specifications as defined by the applicable thermal profile. Thermal solutions not designed to provide this level of thermal capability may affect the long-term reliability of the processor and system.

The processors implement a methodology for managing processor temperatures that is intended to support acoustic noise reduction through fan speed control and to assure processor reliability. Selection of the appropriate fan speed is based on the relative temperature data reported by the processor’s Digital Temperature Sensor (DTS). The DTS can be read using the Platform Environment Control Interface (PECI) as described in Processor Temperature on page 69. Alternatively, when PECI is monitored by the PCH, the processor temperature can be read from the PCH using the SMBus protocol defined in Embedded Controller Support Provided by the PCH. The temperature reported over PECI is always a negative value and represents a delta below the onset of thermal control circuit (TCC) activation, as indicated by PROCHOT# (see Processor Temperature on page 69). Systems that implement fan speed control must be designed to use this data. Systems that do not alter the fan speed only need to ensure the case temperature meets the thermal profile specifications.

Analysis indicates that real applications are unlikely to cause the processor to consume maximum power dissipation for sustained time periods. Intel recommends that complete thermal solution designs target the Thermal Design Power (TDP), instead of the maximum processor power consumption. The Adaptive Thermal Monitor feature is intended to help protect the processor in the event that an application exceeds the TDP recommendation for a sustained time period. For more details on this feature, see Adaptive Thermal Monitor on page 69. To ensure maximum flexibility

for future processors, systems should be designed to the Thermal Solution Capability guidelines, even if a processor with lower power dissipation is currently planned.

 

Intel® Xeon® Processor E3-1200 v3 Product Family

June 2013

Datasheet – Volume 1 of 2

Order No.: 328907-001

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