Resistor With Integrated Heat Spreader
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Solution Overview
Problem
Elevated temperatures can degrade the performance of electrical resistors, causing significant resistance changes that adversely affect circuits, and existing solutions do not efficiently manage heat dissipation.
Innovation Solution
An integrated assembly of a resistor and a heat spreader, where the resistor is bonded to a thermally conducting and electrically insulating heat sink with terminations made of thermally conducting material, forming a comprehensive thermally conductive path to efficiently dissipate heat away from the resistor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a resistor is attached to a heat spreader to reduce operating temperatures, then thermal management is improved, but thermal resistance remains high and heat dissipation efficiency is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The heat spreader is segmented into multiple heat sink fins that extend from the base, creating multiple thermal pathways for heat dissipation. This segmentation increases the surface area in contact with the cooling fluid, thereby improving heat transfer efficiency and reducing thermal resistance between the resistor and the cooling medium.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat spreader extends the thermal management solution into a third dimension by creating vertical fins that project from the heat sink base. This dimensional expansion significantly increases the effective heat dissipation surface area without increasing the footprint area, allowing more efficient heat rejection to the surrounding cooling fluid.
2Reliability
If thermal contact area is increased to improve heat transfer, then heat dissipation improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat spreader merges multiple functions into a single integrated component: it serves as both the thermal interface between the resistor and cooling medium, and as the heat dissipation structure itself. The direct bonding of the resistive element to the heat spreader base eliminates the need for separate thermal interface materials or additional mounting hardware, simplifying the overall device structure while maintaining effective thermal contact.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat spreader utilizes composite construction with a base material optimized for thermal conduction from the resistor, combined with fin structures that maximize surface area for convection. This composite approach allows optimization of different regions for different thermal mechanisms, improving overall heat transfer efficiency without requiring overly complex multi-component assemblies.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The integrated assembly effectively maintains lower operating temperatures, preventing resistor degradation and improving thermal efficiency by reducing thermal resistance, as demonstrated by a decrease of up to five times in thermal resistance compared to prior art structures.
Implementation Method 1
The heat spreader is integrated with the resistor and comprises a heat sink comprising a piece of thermally conducting and electrically insulating material
Implementation Method 2
The heat spreader improves thermal efficiency by reducing thermal resistance... as demonstrated by a decrease of up to five times in thermal resistance compared to prior art structures
Data Source
AI summary
A resistor and an integrated heat spreader are provided. A resistive element having a first surface is in contact with electrically conducting terminals. A heat spreader is provided having at least a portion in thermally conductive contact with at least a portion of the first surface of the resistive element. The heat spreader comprising a thermally conducting and electrically insulating material, and has terminations, each termination adjacent to one of the electrically conducting terminals. Each termination is in thermally conducting contact with the adjacent electrically conducting terminal. A method of fabricating a resistor and an integrated heat spreader is also provided.