Copper heat spreaders

Magura · 19th December 2003, 10:50 AM

Anyone got experience with copper heat spreaders?

How big and how thick for the respective heat transfer?

Magura

jackinnj · 19th December 2003, 12:25 PM

both Wakefield and AavidThermalloy have "white papers" on their websites -- some of the articles are pretty academic. There is a very good explanatory paper on the On-Semi webiste -- they have all their application notes chronologically listed -- look for Ap Note 1570 on Thermal Management.

roddyama · 19th December 2003, 01:47 PM

Here are a couple of threads (one with photos) that talk about the subject. There are more that I haven't been able to find.
http://diyaudio.com/forums/showthrea...5&pagenumber=2
http://diyaudio.com/forums/showthrea...307&highlight=
In one thread that someone I havn't found yet, someone actually has measurements with and without the spreader.

sully · 24th December 2003, 12:46 PM

The heat spreader is used to spread the heat to a wider area.

Copper has about twice the thermal conductivity of aluminum, so give less thermal drop closer to the transistor die.

By making the copper thicker, the actual thermal grease area that is used to transport heat is larger. This is where the most benefit occurs, by making the heat path wider where the electrical insulation is.

If anybody would like to know more about the 45 degree heat path thermal modelling, I'll be back on the 5th of Jan.

Happy holidays...Happy new year..

Cheers, John

19th December 2003, 10:50 AM	#1
Magura diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Denmark, Viborg	Copper heat spreaders Anyone got experience with copper heat spreaders? How big and how thick for the respective heat transfer? Magura __________________ Everything is possible....to do the impossible just takes a little while longer. www.class-a-labs.com

19th December 2003, 01:47 PM	#3
roddyama diyAudio Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Michigan	Here are a couple of threads (one with photos) that talk about the subject. There are more that I haven't been able to find. http://diyaudio.com/forums/showthrea...5&pagenumber=2 http://diyaudio.com/forums/showthrea...307&highlight= In one thread that someone I havn't found yet, someone actually has measurements with and without the spreader. __________________ Rodd Yamashita

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19th December 2003, 12:25 PM	#2
jackinnj diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Llanddewi Brefi, NJ	both Wakefield and AavidThermalloy have "white papers" on their websites -- some of the articles are pretty academic. There is a very good explanatory paper on the On-Semi webiste -- they have all their application notes chronologically listed -- look for Ap Note 1570 on Thermal Management.

24th December 2003, 12:46 PM	#4
sully Account Disabled Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Long Island	The heat spreader is used to spread the heat to a wider area. Copper has about twice the thermal conductivity of aluminum, so give less thermal drop closer to the transistor die. By making the copper thicker, the actual thermal grease area that is used to transport heat is larger. This is where the most benefit occurs, by making the heat path wider where the electrical insulation is. If anybody would like to know more about the 45 degree heat path thermal modelling, I'll be back on the 5th of Jan. Happy holidays...Happy new year.. Cheers, John

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