SoC (system-on-chip) – reliable cooling
with compact active coolers
System-on-chip solutions assume tasks today that are becoming increasingly more challenging. They not only process image data, control industrial systems and execute AI calculations but they also fulfil communication/safety functions. At the same time, the devices should be smaller, lighter and more powerful.
This presents designers with a key challenge as the waste heat that is generated on an extremely small surface must be reliably dissipated. If not, the SoC cannot continuously provide its designated computing power. In this case, compact active coolers, e.g. SEPA EUROPE’s HZ30B provide a powerful solution for a low installation height.
Why is an active cooler frequently
the better solution?
A passive heat sink increases the surface area that is available for dissipating the heat. However, as the heat is largely transferred to the air via natural convection, the transferrable heat output, where small differences in temperature and a limited surface area exist, is correspondingly limited.
An active cooler combines the heat sink with a fan. The forced air movement removes the heated air continuously from the heat sink and is replaced by cooler air which in turn reduces the thermal resistance considerably.
Advantages:
- Higher power dissipation
- Lower chip temperature
- More compact heat sink
- Better control of continuous load
- Higher power reserves
- More stable computing power
- Lower dependency on natural convection
However, it is not sufficient to combine just any fan with just any heat sink. The fan curve, heat sink geometry and flow resistance must be coordinated accordingly. A high theoretical flow rate does not help much when the fan cannot overcome the pressure loss within a tightly spaced heat sink.
The HZ30B active cooler was specially developed for compact embedded applications. It measures a mere 30 × 30 × 8 mm and is operated with 5 V. The stipulated operating temperature range is from −10 to +80 °C.
The low height is achieved by a special structural design: The MF17B05 RaAxial fan is mounted flush with an aluminium pinblock heat sink and is not installed on the heat sink. The overall height therefore stays limited to 8 mm.
The fan suctions the air in axially from above and is then routed out at the side through the staggered pins of the heat sink. This construction combines the compact air intake of an axial fan with a lateral discharge through the heat sink.
The most important features of the HZ30B:
- Dimensions 30 × 30 × 8 mm
- Weighs only 11 g
- Operates with 5 V DC
- Thermal resistance 4.7 K/W
- Power input of the integrated fan 0.3 W
- Easy to mount without screwing
- Optional tacho output for function monitoring
The offset arrangement of the heat sink pins improves the airflow to same and supports an even heat output.