Thermal Design - Seco Qseven Q7-C26 User Manual

Table of Contents

4.1 Thermal Design

A parameter that has to be kept in very high consideration is the thermal design of the system.

Highly integrated modules, like Q7-C26 module, offer to the user very good performances in minimal spaces, therefore allowing the systems' minimisation. On the

counterpart, the miniaturising of IC's and the rise of operative frequencies of processors lead to the generation of a big amount of heat, that must be dissipated to

prevent system hang-off or faults.

Qseven

specifications take into account the use of a heatspreader, which will act only as thermal coupling device between the Qseven

dissipating surface/cooler. The heatspreader also needs to be thermally coupled to all the heat generating surfaces using a thermal gap pad, which will optimise the

heat exchange between the module and the heatspreader.

The heatspreader is not intended to be a cooling system by itself, but only as means for transferring heat to another surface/cooler, like heatsinks, fans, heat pipes

and so on.

Conversely, heatsinks in some situation can represent the cooling solution. Indeed, when using Q7-C26 module, it is necessary to consider carefully the heat

generated by the module in the assembled final system, and the scenario of utilisation.

Until the module is used on a development Carrier board, on free air, just for software development and system tuning, then a finned heatsink could be sufficient for

module's cooling. Anyhow, please remember that all depends also on the workload of the processor. Heavy computational tasks will generate much heat with all

processor versions.

Therefore, it is always necessary that the customer study and develop accurately the cooling solution for his system, by evaluating processor's workload, utilisation

scenarios, the enclosures of the system, the air flow and so on. This is particularly needed for industrial grade modules.

SECO can provide Q7-C26 specific heatspreaders and heatsinks, but please remember that their use must be evaluated accurately inside the final system, and that

they should be used only as a part of a more comprehensive ad-hoc cooling solutions.

Ordering Code

Description

QC26-DISS-1-PK

Q7-C26 Heat Spreader (Passive)

QC26-DISS-2-PK

Q7-C26 Heatsink (Passive)

QC26-DISS-2-PK

Q7-C26 Heatsink (Active)

Q7-C26

Q7-C26 User Manual - Rev. First Edition: 1.0 - Last Edition: 1.0

module and an external