Intel Q9400S Design Guidelines - Page 32

Thermal Metrology 3.3 Local Ambient Temperature Measurement Guidelines The local ambient temperature TA is the temperature of the ambient air surrounding the processor. For a passive heatsink, TA is defined as the heatsink approach air temperature; for an actively cooled heatsink, it is the temperature of inlet air to the active cooling fan. It is worthwhile to determine the local ambient temperature in the chassis around the processor to understand the effect it may have on the case temperature. TA is best measured by averaging temperature measurements at multiple locations in the heatsink inlet airflow. This method helps reduce error and eliminate minor spatial variations in temperature. The following guidelines are meant to enable accurate determination of the localized air temperature around the processor during system thermal testing. For active heatsinks, it is important to avoid taking measurement in the dead flow zone that usually develops above the fan hub and hub spokes. Measurements should be taken at four different locations uniformly placed at the center of the annulus formed by the fan hub and the fan housing to evaluate the uniformity of the air temperature at the fan inlet. The thermocouples should be placed approximately 3 mm to 8 mm [0.1 to 0.3 in] above the fan hub vertically and halfway between the fan hub and the fan housing horizontally as shown in Figure 5 (avoiding the hub spokes). Using an open bench to characterize an active heatsink can be useful, and usually ensures more uniform temperatures at the fan inlet. However, additional tests that include a solid barrier above the test motherboard surface can help evaluate the potential impact of the chassis. This barrier is typically clear Plexiglas*, extending at least 100 mm [4 in] in all directions beyond the edge of the thermal solution. Typical distance from the motherboard to the barrier is 81 mm [3.2 in]. For even more realistic airflow, the motherboard should be populated with significant elements like memory cards, graphic card, and chipset heatsink. If a barrier is used, the thermocouple can be taped directly to the barrier with a clear tape at the horizontal location as previously described, half way between the fan hub and the fan housing. If a variable speed fan is used, it may be useful to add a thermocouple taped to the barrier above the location of the temperature sensor used by the fan to check its speed setting against air temperature. When measuring TA in a chassis with a live motherboard, add-in cards, and other system components, it is likely that the TA measurements will reveal a highly non-uniform temperature distribution across the inlet fan section. For passive heatsinks, thermocouples should be placed approximately 13 mm to 25 mm [0.5 to 1.0 in] away from processor and heatsink as shown in Figure 6. The thermocouples should be placed approximately 51 mm [2.0 in] above the baseboard. This placement guideline is meant to minimize the effect of localized hot spots from baseboard components. Note: Testing an active heatsink with a variable speed fan can be done in a thermal chamber to capture the worst-case thermal environment scenarios. Otherwise, when doing a bench top test at room temperature, the fan regulation prevents the heatsink from operating at its maximum capability. To characterize the heatsink capability in the worst-case environment in these conditions, it is then necessary to disable the fan regulation and power the fan directly, based on guidance from the fan supplier. 32 Thermal and Mechanical Design Guidelines