Advertisement
The electronic components for which temperature most affects longevity are electrolytic
capacitors. Figure 2, which illustrates the life span of typical electrolytic capacitors, shows that
every 10° rise in internal temperature halves the life span, clearly demonstrating how
product longevity benefits from lower internal temperature.
For this reason, JVC conducts thermal simulations, verifies capacitor longevity, and reduces
component power consumption in thermal design for greater reassurance about product life
spans.
Why thermal simulation has become critical
Electronic components used to be larger and circuit boards were less highly integrated, which
reduced the likelihood of thermal issues. However, now that electronic components are more
compact and include highly integrated circuitry, manufacturers can no longer disregard
potential thermal issues.
Traditional product engineering relied on prototyping at a relatively late stage of development
to determine temperatures of various parts and take appropriate measures. But as electronic
components have become more compact, the temperature of smaller, more constricted circuits
and other components has become almost impossible to measure. In some cases, the nature
of these thermal countermeasures may have had a severe impact on reliability.
Reliability White Paper – Page 3 of 7
©2011 JVC Professional Products Company
L: Estimated capacitor life (h)
L
: Capacitor rated life (h)
0
T1: Capacitor rated temperature (°C)
T2: Capacitor actual temperature (°C)
Advertisement
