Introduction to Electronics Cooling

Aniket Abhay Kulkarni

1 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 Content
• Icepak for Thermal design
– Introduction
– Key Features
– Case study
• ANSYS Icepak Multiphysics Capabilities
• Summary

2 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 ANSYS Products Overview
Leaders in the Field
Systems and Multiphysics

ANSYS Simplorer ANSYS Workbench ANSYS HPC

ANSYS Engineering Knowledge Manager ANSYS DesignXplorer

Structural Mechanics Fluid Dynamics Electromagnetics

ANSYS Mechanical ANSYS FLUENT ANSYS HFSS

ANSYS AUTODYN ANSYS CFX ANSYS Maxwell
ANSYS LS-DYNA ANSYS POLYFLOW ANSYS Designer
ANSYS nCode ANSYS Icepak Apache RedHawk

3 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 ANSYS Fluids Solution to Electronic Market

Package thermal Coldplate Cooling Busbar Datacenter Smart Phone

Underfill LED U1 Network server Antenna Tower Thermal mgt. of Desktop

Reflow Analysis Attendant Control Panel Solenoid VME Format Box Thermal mgt. in LCD

4 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 ANSYS Icepak – Focus on Electronics Cooling
Icepak offers modeling capabilities across all scales of Electronics Cooling applications
Super computer, Server
Room (datacenter),
Open Environment

5 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 Why is Thermal simulation needed?

• The failure rate for electronics

increases exponentially with the
increase in junction
temperature.

• Poor thermal management

leads to more than 50% of
electronic failures.

6 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 ANSYS Icepak
ANSYS Icepak is an integrated
electronics cooling solution for IC
packages, printed circuit boards and
complete electronic systems
• Fluid flow (Laminar and Turbulent)
• Conjugate heat transfer
– Conduction
– Convection (Natural and Forced)
– Radiation (Thermal and Solar)
– Joule Heating
• Steady state and transient thermal analysis Velocity streamlines and temperature contours for a card
array in a VME format box cooled by three axial fans
• Single or multiple fluids modeled using a moving reference frame (MRF) fan model
• Species transport

7 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 IC Package Thermal Analysis
• Import EDA data from most common
ECAD formats
• Detailed thermal conductivity map
for package substrate
• Import die power map from a variety
of tools
• Export temperatures to ANSYS
Mechanical for thermal-stress
• Detailed and compact thermal Temperature contours on a 272-pin BGA package,
package data imported from an MCM file
models of IC packages
─ Two-resistor, star, DELPHI

8 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 Printed Circuit Board Thermal Analysis
• Cooling simulation for single and rack
mounted boards
• Import EDA layout data from most
common ECAD formats
• Detailed thermal conductivity map
for PCB layers
• Resistive (Joule) heating of traces
• Export temperatures to ANSYS
Mechanical for thermal-stress

Thermal-stress analysis of a computer graphics card

9 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 Electronic System Thermal Analysis
• Design the flow and thermal
elements for electronic systems
• Import 3D MCAD via Workbench
Geometry Interfaces
• Simplify and defeature MCAD
geometry with DesignModeler
• Extensive libraries of standard
electronic components and materials
• Advanced fan modeling
• Export temperatures to ANSYS
Temperature contours and fluid velocity vectors of a
Mechanical for thermal-stress
fan cooled rack mounted computer

10 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 ANSYS Icepak Objects

• Electronics cooling models can be

rapidly created by combining
MCAD, ECAD and smart objects.
• Icepak primitive objects facilitate
efficient model creation.
• Merge projects to reuse existing
assemblies.
• Custom libraries can be shared
across a network.

11 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 Electronic CAD Interfaces Electronic CAD Interfaces
ODB++
• ANSYS Icepak supports IDF, MCM, BRD and ANF Cadence Allegro PCB Designer

import Cadence Allegro Package Designer

Cadence SiP Layout
• ALinks provides many additional EDA import options Cadence Virtuoso Layout
Mentor Expedition PCB
• ANSYS Icegrb supports Gerber import
Mentor Boardstation
• ANSYS holds patent for trace import capability Mentor PADS
Zuken CR5000, CR8000
─ Used by customers in high fidelity analysis
DXF
GDSII
Altium Designer (ODB++)
Zuken Cadstar (ODB++)
Sigrity UPD (ODB++)
Gerber

Imported Traces in Icepak

12 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016
 Mechanical CAD Interfaces
• ANSYS Icepak supports STEP and IGES import
ANSYS Geometry Interfaces
• ANSYS DesignModeler Creo Parametric
─ Recommended for complex parts and assemblies Creo Elements/Direct Modeling
─ Geometry defeaturing and simplification for Icepak SolidWorks

• ANSYS Geometry Interfaces Solid Edge

─ Enables MCAD import from all major CAD vendors Autodesk AutoCad and Inventor

─ Available with ANSYS DesignModeler JT

NX
CATIA
Parasolids
ACIS
IGES
STEP

13 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 Libraries
• IC packages
─ More then 600 BGA, FPBGA, and TBGA
─ Create with one click!
• Solid, Fluid and Surface materials
• Aavid and ALPHA heat sinks
• Marlow and Laird TECs PACKAGE
• Thermal interface materials
LIBRARY
• Extensive fan library
─ Geometry and fan curves for Panasonic,
ADDA, Sunon, Delta, EBM, Elina, Nidec,
NMB, and Sanyo Denki

• Filters
• Custom Libraries

14 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 Macros
• In addition to the standard features and functionalities,
ANSYS Icepak offers several additional capabilities via
specialized sub-routines known as “Macros”.
• Macros can be broadly classified into 3 categories,
− Geometry Modeling
− Advanced Modeling
− Model Verification
• We offer customization services tailored to specific
customer needs.
– Advanced power control on sources (Icepak)
– Geometry speedup import tool (Design Modeler)

15 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

DELPHI Package Characterization
DELPHI packages
• Automated procedure to create an
optimized DELPHI network model from a
detailed thermal model of a package
• Patent for DELPHI Style extraction of MCM
types packages

Curtesy : en.wikipedia.org

Percentage Error in 𝑻𝒋 in forced convection set up Percentage Error in 𝑻𝒋 in natural convection set up

16 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 Flexible Automatic Meshing
Highly accurate body fitted meshing
– Hex-dominant, hexahedral and Cartesian options

MRF fan model, hex-dominant mesh

Multi-level hex-dominant mesh (“hanging-node”) captures curved fan blade geometry
of a cell phone assembly without any approximation
17 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016
 Results Visualization
• Velocity vectors, temperature contours, fluid
particle traces, iso-surfaces, cut-planes, XY plots,
animations, etc.
Animation of temperature contours and
• Overview, Summary, Detailed and HTML reports fluid streamlines for a graphics card

Velocity vectors for a heat-sink fan assembly, Too Hot and Marginally Hot
modeled with the MRF fan model Categorization
18 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016
 Comprehensive Multi-physics

ANSYS
ANSYS HFSS ANSYS Q3D
Maxwell

ANSYS
Sentinel TI ANSYS Icepak ANSYS
SIwave

ANSYS Mechanical ANSYS Simplorer

Interfaces to ANSYS Simulation Tools

19 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016
Coupling with HFSS
• Import resistive and dielectric loss
information from HFSS into Icepak
– Volumetric and surface losses
– Conservative mapping of losses to Icepak mesh

Forced convection cooling of a hybrid ring plate.

20 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 Coupling with Maxwell
• Import resistive loss information from
Maxwell into Icepak
– Magnetostatic and eddy losses
– Conservative mapping of losses to Icepak mesh

Natural convection cooling of a coil and plate assembly

with eddy current heating.

21 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

Printed Circuit Board Reliability
Real world operating conditions
= Multiphysics environment

Power and Signal

Electrical Reliability
Integrity Analysis

Resistive Losses
Temperatures

Thermal Reliability Thermal Analysis Design

Iterations

Temperatures

Mechanical Reliability Thermal–Stress Analysis

22 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 PCB Thermal Reliability
Predict accurate temperature of PCB

Challenges Understanding both Thermal and Electrical physics and

applications
Transfer data between different physics for accurate analysis

ANSYS Solution

SIwave transfers local Joule

heating losses into Icepak

Automatic looping until

DC losses & Thermal
map are constant

Accurate loss calculation Icepak returns

with inclusion of Thermal temperatures back to
effects SIwave

23 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 Siwave DC Solutions

Import Settings

Verify / Modify Geometry,

Materials, and Circuit Elements

Setup Simulation

WorkFlow Wizard, making the Simulation setup more convenient and user-
friendly.

24 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 Siwave DC Solutions
Quickly Identify:
• High Currents in Vias
• Current Crowding in Copper
• High Power Loss Regions
• Automated report generation with
user defined pass/fail criteria.

25 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 SIwave – Icepak Coupling : Accurate PCB Thermal Analysis

Coupled DC-IR Simulation Wizard

• Imports Power map to Icepak and Export Temperature modifiers back to
SIwave
• Minimal inputs from Electrical engineer
• Automated coupling till convergence

26 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 Icepak Results : Temperature Comparison
Without Trace heating With Trace heating

2nd
1st Iteration
3rd Iteration
Iteration

Simulation Type Maximum Temperature

Without Joule Heating 40.0 C
SIwave-Icepak Coupling
69.0 C
(First Iteration)
SIwave-Icepak Coupling
76.6C
(Last/Third Iteration)
27 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016
Power Supply Board
• Objective: Use Multi-physics to model realistic conditions that improve reliability
1. SIwave was used to obtain DC solution and resistive losses (Joule heating).
2. Icepak was used to compute full CFD solution.
3. Mechanical was used for thermal-stress analysis.

28 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

Power Supply Board
• Difference between Icepak / SIwave + Icepak coupling
Hotspot off by
Hotspot off by
2.3 C vs
10.3 C vs
experiments
experiments

Icepak SIwave + Icepak

• Difference between Icepak + Mechanical / SIwave + Icepak + Mechanical coupling

Shift of max stress

quantity and location

Icepak + Mechanical Siwave + Icepak + Mechanical

29 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016
 Thermal-Stress Simulation with Mechanical
• Transfer volumetric temperature
field to a thermal-stress simulation
with Mechanical
– Volumetric temperature mapping across a
dissimilar mesh interface provide by the
Workbench environment

Icepak temperature results Imported temperatures in Mechanical

30 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 Thermal-Stress Simulation with Mechanical
Define material properties, contact, and other
• Mechanical simulation provides mechanical loads and boundary conditions

information on the mechanical

reliability of the board
– Evaluate board thermal deformations and
stress
– Evaluate thermal fatigue in solder joints
from temperature cycling
– Stresses in solder joints from insertion or
tightening
– Shock loading from drop test requirements

Post-process deformation and stress

results with ANSYS Mechanical
31 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016
 Background : Warpage and Solder Joint Reliability
• Why do we need to perform thermal reliability analysis on printed circuit / wiring boards?
• Electronic components are made up of different materials
• Mismatch of CTE results in thermo-mechanical stress in PCB and Solder joint
interconnect
• Excessive warpage on PCB can lead to weaker joints there by result in product failure

Step I: Silicon, solder bump and substrate bond at reflow temperature (>180 C)

Step II: Cool down from 180 C to room temperature

Step III: Underfilling, cure at 150 C, Cool to room temperature

Step IV: Lid attach/encapsulation at ~120C, cool down to room temp

Step V: Ball attach & reflow at > 180C,

32 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 PCB Warpage

Predict local warpage accurately during reflow

Challenges Understanding effect of belt speed, geometry of package
Accurately calculating the local material properties

ANSYS Solution
Reflow Profile applied for
Warpage

ACT Extension for

Copper and FR4
distribution

Warpage calculation in
Trace in Mechanical
Mechanical

33 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

Comparison of Warpage with and without Trace
(Z Direction deflection)
Without Trace With Trace

34 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 Solder Joint Life Cycle Estimation

Predict time to failure

Challenges Understanding simulation procedure for life cycle
estimation

ANSYS Solution
Life cycle estimation

Prediction using Darveaux ACT Extension to Automate

method Simulation Process

35 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 Current Procedure
Calculate Strain Energy

Calculate No of Cycles for

Crack Initiation

Calculate Crack Growth Rate

Calculate Fatigue life

based on Joint length

36 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

Darveaux Method – Cycles to Failure
Fatigue Post-processing

Quarter Symmetric
Package Model

Results Table

No of cycles to failure

Equivalent Plastic Strain

37 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 Benefits of Multiphysics Simulation

• Multiphysics simulation of printed circuit board

– DC solution provides information on power delivery
and power dissipation for thermal analysis.
– Thermal solution identifies hot spots and provides
temperatures for DC and mechanical solutions.
– Mechanical solution determines thermal
deformation and stresses.
• Integration of physics provides multiphysics
simulation, which improves electrical, thermal
and mechanical reliability
• Multiphysics simulation offers an unequaled
level of accuracy for thermal design of printed
circuit boards

38 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 Coupling with Simplorer
• Simplorer uses the step responses (from transient parametric sweeps) from ANSYS
Icepak to construct a Reduced Order Model (ROM) for the electronics system
– Electronics system must be Linear and Time Invariant (LTI)

Icepak model Parametric setup in Icepak

Step responses from CFD simulations

ROM automatically
generated in Simplorer

CFD vs ROM results comparision

ROM for transient heat sources

39 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 Coupling with Apache Sentinel TI
• Apache Sentinel TI and ANSYS Icepak exchange converged power map and
convective film coefficients
– Enables thermal evaluation of package in actual operating environment to accurately simulate
junction temperatures

Power Map

HTC

Apache Sentinel TI Package Model Icepak System Model with Package

40 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016
 Leading High Tech Companies Use ANSYS

Acer Amazon
Alcatel-Lucent AMD
Apple Cisco Dell Applied Materials
Blackberry Cray Foxconn Broadcom Freescale
Dell Ericson Fujitsu IBM
Google Hitachi Google Infineon
HP HP Lenovo Intel
HTC Huawei LG Electronics Nvidia
Lenovo Juniper Networks NEC NXP
Microsoft Motorola Panasonic Qualcomm
Network Appliance Samsung RF Micro Devices
Samsung
Nokia-Siemens Seagate Sony Samsung
Western Digital Toshiba TI
ZTE TSMC
Xillinx

41 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 Conclusions
• Integrated electronics cooling solution
– IC packages, boards and complete systems
• User friendly GUI, rapid model creation
• Flexible, automatic meshing
• PCB Reliability Challenges
• ANSYS Multiphysics Solutions

42 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 Appendix
ANSYS Icepak Capabilities

43 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 Webinars – Ask The Expert
• Electronics system level simulation
• Advanced meshing techniques for complex geometries
• DELPHI Extraction
• ECAD import
• ANSYS Icepak Tips and Tricks

44 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 Case Study Results

45 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 ANSYS Workflow:
Overall Concept
• Icepak and Sentinel-TI bridge the chip-System scales

RedHawk, Totem Sentinel-TI Icepak SIwave

Package System
IC DESIGN PCB/Pkg
Design Design
Converged PCB/Pkg
Power
Power Map Temperature
Library

Thermal System
CTM DC IR Drop
CTM Analysis Thermal
Generation on Traces/Vias
Tools
Self-
System
Temperature heating
thermal BC Power

Power update Back-annotation Increased Accuracy

R Extraction Thermal
Of Junction
EM limit update Temperature
Profile in 3D IC Components Focus on
this
Section
46 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016
 Case Study Results:
Design Scenarios Studied
• Initial solution in Sentinel TI
▪ Theta-JA solution with specified heat transfer coefficient (HTC)
▪ Tamb = 50 oC
▪ Very high HTC value used for package top ~ 104 W/m2.K
➢ Minimize temperature variation in package in initial solution

➢ Minimizes the temperature dependence → Obtain nominal power

• 4 Scenarios studied in subsequent Icepak ↔ Sentinel TI loops:

Scenario # Heat Sink Micro Blower
1 Present ON
2 Present Failed
3 Removed ON
4 Removed Failed

• Convergence between Icepak and Sentinel TI in terms of

temperature change and total power
47 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016
 Case Study Results:
Sample Power Profiles and Temperatures
• Design Scenario 1, Loop 1
▪ Icepak temperature map
▪ Subsequent Sentinel TI power and temperatures maps

Max: 8.2 mW
Min: 0.1 mW

Max: 111.5 oC
Min: 97.6 oC

Icepak Results: Design 1, Loop 1 Sentinel TI Results: Des1, Loop1

48 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016
 Case Study Results:
Loop Convergence – Design Scenario 1
•

49 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 Case Study Results:
System Influenced Chip Heat Dissipation
• Results from end of 1st Loop in Sentinel TI
• Die power can change significantly with Design scenario
▪ Only bi-directional analysis with Icepak-Sentinel TI gives complete results

• In the absence of accounting Q(T):

▪ Scenario 3 appears attractive due to lower cost, but for Scenario 4
▪ Scenario 1 appears sufficient → Must complete Scenario 2 till bi-
directional Loop Convergence

50 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 Customer Success Stories

52 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 Electronic Control Module for Auto Transmission:
Solver time reduction
• The full CFD model is solved once to obtain HTC distributions and radiation view factors.
• For subsequent trials only conduction and radiation are solved.
• The HTC is applied at all boundaries.
• Overall solution time goes down by almost 10X. Hot spots are in excellent agreement.
h-model Full CFD model

144°C
143°C

53 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 Electronic Control Module for Auto Transmission:
Solver time reduction
Solver time ~ 0.15 hr Solver time ~ 1.2 hr

h-model Full CFD model

Max Temp = 157°C Max Temp = 157°C

54 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016
 Robust Numerical Solutions
Use ANSYS FLUENT solver
• Robust and rapid numerical convergence
• Capable of a wide range of physics: turbulence, radiation, species, etc.
• Includes both segregated and coupled solver options
• Proven parallel scalability with ANSYS HPC

Fluid streamlines and

temperature contours for a 1U
network server.

55 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 Resistive (Joule) Heating of Electronic Traces

• Individual traces in printed circuit

board layers or package substrate
layers are meshed

• Solves DC current conduction as

part of a conjugate heat transfer
solution
Electric potential contours on a high current
trace in a printed circuit board. The traces
were imported from ODB++ data. Solved
with the Joule heating capabilities of ANSYS
Icepak.
56 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016
 Advanced Physical Models
• Multiple fluids modeling (eg. coldplates)
• Species transport modeling
• Automatic solar radiation with transparent
surface media
• Altitude effects for air properties and fan
characteristic curves
• Advanced turbulence models

Simulation of direct and diffuse solar radiation

applied to an antenna tower

Transient simulation of smoke

distribution from a fire

57 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 Advanced Fan Modeling
Multiple reference frame (MRF)
fan modeling
• Models fans using fan blade CAD
geometry and specifying a rotational
velocity
• Provides a more accurate simulation
of fluid swirl and versus the
idealized fan model
• Accurately replicates experimental
fan curves
• Requires enhanced realizable k-ε /
SST k-ω
DLP projector bulb cooling, fan modeled
with MRF fan model

58 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 Parametric Prototyping
Automatic Meshing Makes Trials Possible
Once the model is complete, Icepak automatically generates a new
mesh for each trial you perform, so you can be confident of a high
quality mesh and accurate results each time.

Rapid Results Comparison

Once all the trials have been performed,
the post-processing and reporting for all
trials can be set up once, and used to
generate the graphical and numeric data
needed to analyze all the parametric runs.

59 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 Optimization with DesignXplorer

• Perform design point studies, optimization, design of

experiments and robust design solutions with Icepak
and DesignXplorer

Design of Experiments solution to obtain response

surface and MOGA used to find power values from
measured temperatures for PBGA package model

60 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 ANSYS SIwave-DC R17

SIwave-DC

SIwave-PI
User Interface
Translators SIwave
DC Analysis SIwave-DC Plus:
PI Advisor
Plane Resonance Analysis SIwave-PI Plus:
HSPICE Schematic integration Signal Net Analyzer
S-, Y-, Z- Analysis Transient/IBIS Circuit Analysis
HSPICE integration
Near/Far-Field

61 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 Accurate Thermal Conductivity for PCBs and Packages
Detailed thermal conductivity maps
• Calculated from trace and via information for each layer of PCBs and
package substrates

The metal fractions shown above are computed from the imported trace and via
information of the substrate of a BGA
62 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016
 Coupling with SIwave

• SIwave and ANSYS Icepak exchange both power map and temperature data
– Accounts for copper resistive losses in printed circuit boards and packages for accurate PCB
temperatures

Power Map

Temperature
Current Density Temperature
(SIwave) (Icepak)

63 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 Coupling with ANSYS Mechanical
• Import temperature data from ANSYS Icepak to
ANSYS Mechanical for thermal-stress analysis

Thermal-stress simulation for a computer graphics

card performed in ANSYS Workbench

64 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 SIwave-DC – Icepak Bi-direction Coupling Overview

• Spatial Power Loss information from the DC-IR analysis (SIwave) is

transferred to Icepak as a spatial Joule Heating map (modeled using 2D
sources).
• Spatial Temperature information from the Thermal analysis (Icepak) is
transferred to SIwave and interpreted as spatial thermal modifiers for
electrical conductivity.
65 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016
 ANSYS Mechanical Solution to Electronic Market

Solder ball : Creep Strain Airborne electronics IGBT : Stress Analysis Electronic Racks iPad : Drop Test
Analysis : Random Vibration Analysis : Modal Analysis of

Multi chip module : Stress Antenna : Deformation Busbar : Deformation Electronic networking equipment Graphic Card : Thermal
: Thermomechanical analysis
Analysis Stress analysis

66 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 Background : Joule Heating
• What is Joule Heating?
• Joule heating / resistive heating is the process by which the passage of
electric current ( 𝐼 ) through a conductor of electrical resistance ( 𝑅 )
releases heat ( 𝑄 )
𝑄 = 𝐼2 𝑅

• Why do we need to perform thermal reliability analysis

on printed circuit / wiring boards?
• High current PCB’s are densely populated with
components
• Reduction of trace and via dimensions
• Current densities increase
• Joule heating effects on copper traces 
Temperatures increase  Reliability issues  PCB
delamination and failure

67 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 Coupling with Q3D Extractor
• Import volumetric and surface losses from Q3D
into Icepak
– Conservative mapping of losses to Icepak mesh

Forced convection cooling of a coaxial cable, DC

computation in Q3D to compute losses for Icepak
thermal simulation
68 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016
Optimization with DesignXplorer

• Perform design point studies, optimization,

design of experiments and robust design
solutions with Icepak and DesignXplorer

Design of Experiments solution to obtain response

surface and MOGA used to find power values from
measured temperatures for PBGA package model

69 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 Avoiding Excess Heat for TSV-based 3D ICs
• Objective: Resolve Thermal Challenges in Packages
3-D integrated circuit designs in which multiple ICs are
stacked in vertical layers create a high-density circuit and
therefore more thermal challenges.
• ANSYS Multi-physics
• SIwave was used to obtain DC solution and
resistive losses (Joule heating).
• Icepak was used to compute full CFD solution.
• Value of Simulation
Various floor plans were studied to find the one with the
best thermal performance. Seamlessly integrated multi-
physics and ECAD compatibility increase accuracy and
reduce simulation time.

70 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016

 Darveaux Method – Cycles to Failure
Fatigue Post-processing via ACT
Command Snippet formerly used ACT Extension

Scope Geometry /Named

Selection

Crack growth correlation

constants

Cycle time and Diameter

of solder Joint

Advantages:
• APDL commands understanding not required
• Multiple Unit system for entering Fatigue Input parameters

71 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. August 18, 2016