Data Center Power Electronics Cooling

Thermal managment

November - December 2025

Boulder

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Thermal Management of a PSU DC–DC Conversion Module ANSYS Icepak | Conjugate Heat Transfer | Electronics Cooling Led a steady-state conjugate heat-transfer analysis of a forced-air-cooled PSU DC–DC conversion module representative of data-center power electronics. The model captured component-level heat generation, PCB conduction (anisotropic), copper heat spreading, airflow paths, and pressure losses. Initial simulations predicted peak temperatures near 193 °C, with MOSFETs identified as the dominant thermal bottleneck due to high power density and limited effective surface area. Performed iterative design optimization including: Forced airflow studies (0.05–0.08 m³/s) with pressure-rise and blockage analysis Flow choking characterization beyond ~60 Pa Exit grille integration for flow uniformity Heat sink design for MOSFETs and transformer core Thermal interface material (TIM) implementation to reduce contact resistance Reynolds number sensitivity studies to assess convection enhancement potential Design refinements reduced peak temperature to 117 °C (<120 °C electronics-relevant limit) while balancing airflow, pressure drop, and manufacturability. The project emphasized a product-oriented thermal strategy — optimizing realistic fan/blower selections, pressure-flow tradeoffs, and add-on hardware rather than overdesigning cooling capacity.