Hi Guys, Thank you very much for all your help. I am still looking into it and of course like with anything, I discovered much more than I most likely need. I need to learn how to get a balance between what I need professionally and what I find that is interesting to look at :) Thermodynamics is very, very interesting. I found a bit more info on heatsinks and cooling that may be useful: http://www.alcan-heatsinks.com/Webroot/HKK%202005_GB.pdf http://www.aavidthermalloy.com/technical/papers/pdfs/select.pdf http://www.aavidthermalloy.com/technical/papers/pdfs/optimum.pdf http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specific_heat_capacity Best Regards Luis -----Original Message----- From: piclist-bounces@mit.edu [mailto:piclist-bounces@mit.edu] On Behalf Of Rich Sent: 28 February 2010 18:55 To: Microcontroller discussion list - Public. Subject: Re: [EE] Heat Dissipation calculations Perhaps this site will be of some value... http://www.engineersedge.com/heat_transfer/heat_transfer_table_content.h tm ----- Original Message ----- From: "Moreira, Luis A" To: "Microcontroller discussion list - Public." Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 7:20 AM Subject: [EE] Heat Dissipation calculations > > > Hi All, > I have an existing assembly with two power diodes in series mounted on > an aluminium heat sink, I am increasing the power dissipated on them and > I am trying to do the calculations, to make sure that the diodes will > still be fine using the current setup. > I started by modelling the assembly: > > I will have two branches in parallel of Rjunction-case in series with > Rcase-heatsink and they will be in series with Rheatsink-ambient. > > I am just having some difficulty looking at it and need someone to check > if I am thinking correctly. Both diodes will dissipate, in this case, > the same power. The heat will flow from both to the heat sink and then > to ambient. > > Hence if I use the formula > > Tj -(Tcase + Theatsink + Tambient) = Q*( > Rjunction-case + Rcase-heatsink + > Rheatsink-ambient) > > Where Q is the sum of power dissipated on both diodes > > > In this case as the diodes are identical is it correct to say that the > Tj you get out of this calculation is the junction temperature for both > the diodes which is also the Tj each of them? > > How would you do it for two diodes dissipating different power? It seems > to me that it would not matter, but at the same time I can not be sure, > especially if this power is pulsed instead of continuous. > > Any thoughts welcomed. > > > Best Regards > Luis > > > > -- > http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive > View/change your membership options at > http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist > -- http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist -- http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist