Thermal Management; Heatspreader - Kontron microETXexpress-DC User Manual

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3.9

Thermal Management

A heatspreader plate assembly is available from Kontron Embedded Modules for the microETXexpress®-DC. The

heatspreader plate on top of this assembly is NOT a heat sink. It works as a COM Express®-standard thermal interface to

use with a heat sink or other cooling device.

External cooling must be provided to maintain the heatspreader plate at proper operating temperatures. Under worst-

case conditions, the cooling mechanism must maintain an ambient air and heatspreader plate temperature of 60° C or

less.

The aluminum slugs and thermal pads on the underside of the heatspreader assembly implement thermal interfaces

between the heatspreader plate and the major heat-generating components on the microETXexpress®-DC. About 80

percent of the power dissipated within the module is conducted to the heatspreader plate and can be removed by the

cooling solution.

You can use many thermal-management solutions with the heatspreader plates, including active and passive approaches.

The optimum cooling solution varies, depending on the COM Express® application and environmental conditions. Please

see the COM Express® Design Guide for further information on thermal management.

3.10

Documentation and CAD drawings of microETXexpress®-DC heatspreader and cooling solutions is provided at

http://emdcustomersection.kontron.com.

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