Annual Online Gaming Conference in Canada

• Description: The Annual Online Gaming Conference in Canada is a must-attend event for all gaming enthusiasts. Focusing on pay-to-win games, this conference brings together developers, players, and industry experts to discuss trends, share insights, and showcase new releases. There will be panel discussions, Q&A sessions, interactive workshops, and live gaming competitions.
• Event Details:
  • Date: October 15, 2024
  • Location: Toronto Convention Centre, 1234 Front Street, Toronto, ON
  • Tickets: Available online at www.entertainmentinfo.com/gamingconference
  • Ticket Prices:
    • General Admission: CAD 150
    • VIP: CAD 300 (includes access to exclusive areas, gifts, and meet & greet with developers)
• Included Activities:
  • Panel discussions with industry leaders
  • Presentations of new games and updates
  • Hands-on workshops for developers and players
  • Live gaming competitions with incredible prizes

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to connect with other gaming fans and learn more about the world of pay-to-win games. Secure your ticket now!

DCDC converters are essential in any electric or hybrid vehicle to connect the high-voltage battery to the low-voltage auxiliary circuits. This includes 12 V power headlights, interior lights, wiper and window motors, fans, and at 48 V, pumps, steering drives, lighting systems, electrical heaters, and air conditioning compressors. In addition, the DCDC converter is important for developing more affordable and energy-efficient vehicles with an increasing number of low voltage functions. According to TechInsights, the global automotive DC-DC converter market size was valued at USD 4 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow to USD 11 billion by 2030, exhibiting a CAGR of 15 percent during the forecast period. Gallium nitride (GaN) in particular plays a crucial role here, as it can be used to improve the power density in DCDC converters and on-board chargers (OBC). For this reason, Vitesco Technologies, a leading supplier of modern drive technologies and electrification solutions, has selected GaN to improve the power efficiency of its Gen5+ GaN Air DCDC converter. The CoolGaN Transistors 650 V from Infineon Technologies AG significantly improve the overall system performance while minimizing system cost and increasing ease of use. As a result, Vitesco created a new generation of DCDC converters that set new standards in power density (efficiency of over 96 percent) and sustainability for power grids, power supplies, and OBCs.

The advantages of GaN-based transistors in high-frequency switching applications are considerable, but even more important is the high switching speed, which has been increased from 100 kHz to over 250 kHz. This enables very low switching losses, even in hard-switched half-bridges, with minimized thermal and overall system losses. In addition, Infineon’s CoolGaN Transistors feature high turn-on and turn-off speeds and are housed in a top-cooled TOLT package. They are air-cooled, eliminating the need for liquid cooling and thereby reducing overall system costs. The 650 V devices also improve power efficiency and density, enabling an output of 800 V. In addition, they feature an ON-resistance (RDS(on)) of 50 mΩ, a transient drain-to-source voltage of 850 V, an IDS,max of 30 A, and an IDSmax,pulse of 60 A.

“We are delighted to see industry leaders like Vitesco Technologies using our GaN devices and innovating with their applications,” said Johannes Schoiswohl, Senior Vice President &General Manager, GaN Systems Business Line Head at Infineon. “The ultimate value of GaN is demonstrated when it changes paradigms, as in this example of moving from a liquid-cooled system to an air-cooled system.”

With GaN Transistors, Vitesco Technologies was able to design its Gen5+ GaN Air DCDC converters with passive cooling, which reduces the system’s overall cost. The GaN devices also allow for simplified converter design and mechanical integration. As a result, the DCDC converters can be flexibly positioned in the vehicle, reducing the workload for manufacturers. The use of GaN also allows the power of the converters to be scaled up to 3.6 kW and the power density to be increased to over 4.2 kW/l. The Gen5+ GaN Air DCDC converters offer an efficiency of over 96 percent and improved thermal behavior compared to the Gen5 Liquid-Cooled converters. They provide a two-phase output of 248 A at 14.5 V continuous. The phases can be combined to achieve the maximum output power. Still, it is also possible to switch off one phase under partial load conditions and interleave the switching frequency between the two phases. In addition, by switching the input of two phases in series, the converters based on the CoolGaN power transistors 650 V can be used to implement 800 V architectures without exceeding the maximum blocking voltage of the device. The converters also feature an isolated half-bridge topology consisting of a GaN-based half-bridge, a fully isolated transformer, and an active rectifier unit for each phase.

Availability

Infineon’s CoolGaN Transistors 650 V are available now. More information about Infineon’s GaN solutions can be found at www.infineon.com/gan.

Custom IR windows are popular because they allow for the transmission of infrared light while providing protection to sensitive infrared sensors and systems. IR windows, stepped windows, lenses, and other precision optics made from materials such as calcium fluoride, germanium, magnesium fluoride, sapphire, silicon, zinc selenide and zinc sulfide, which are highly transparent in the infrared spectrum and possess excellent durability and thermal stability. IR precision optics are ideal for a range of applications, including thermal imaging, spectroscopy, and environmental monitoring. Their ability to withstand harsh environments while maintaining high optical performance ensures accurate and reliable measurements in various industrial, military, and scientific settings.

When dealing with the infrared region, it is important to know this part of the electromagnetic spectrum breaks down into further sub-sections.  

NIR Near-infrared 

0.75–1.4μm 

SWIR Short-wave infrared 

1.4–3μm 

MWIR Mid-wave infrared 

3–8μm 

LWIR Long-wave infrared 

8-15μm 

FIR Far long-wave infrared 

15–1,000μm 

NIR and SWIR together are sometimes called “reflected infrared”, whereas MWIR and LWIR are sometimes referred to as “thermal infrared”. 

The below chart shows the transmission ranges of the most commonly used IR materials.  

IR fused silica is virtually free of OH-ions providing superior transmittance at the 2.7μm wavelength “water band” region where standard UV grade fused silica absorbs light. The low OH content (<1 ppm) expands the overall usable range of fused silica to 3.6 microns. As with other fused silica designations, IR grade also shares the same outstanding homogeneity, bubble characteristics, low coefficient of thermal expansion, and chemical resistance. 

Sapphire crystal (Al2O3) is an optimal choice due to its mechanical strength, scratch resistance, and its hardness which is second only to diamond. It is used in ultraviolet (UV) and visible wavelengths beginning around 150nm and also performs well in IR to around 5µm. The downside to sapphire is the high material and processing costs.  

Calcium fluoride (CaF2) optics are ideal for a broad range of Ultraviolet (UV), Visible, or Infrared (IR) applications. Its low refractive index reduces the need for anti-reflective coatings. Its application ranges from thermal imaging systems to excimer lasers making it a very versatile material for ultraviolet (UV) to infrared (IR) frequencies.  

Magnesium fluoride (MgF2) is also a crystalline material that transmits well from the UV through the MWIR spectral bands (0.1 to 7.0μm). Magnesium Fluoride has relatively low cost; however, is thermally sensitive and requires special handling considerations. 

Germanium (Ge) is a grayish non-transparent crystalline material and one of the most commonly used infrared materials. It is an optimal material for night vision and thermal imaging systems in the MWIR and the LWIR band. Germanium transmission performs best between 8 and 12µm. Ge has a low optical dispersion and a high refractive index which makes it an ideal solution for a wider field of view lenses. Its crystal structure is similar to diamond and when a DLC coating is applied (Diamond Like Carbon), it becomes very durable against outdoor elements and harsh environments.  

Silicon (Si) is a crystalline material like germanium primarily used within consumer electronics for microchips, as well as, extensive use in the semiconductor industry. Silicon is an excellent choice for windows and lenses in the 3μm to 5μm MWIR spectral bands for use in imaging, biomedical and military applications. Silicon optics are more heat resistant than germanium ones, as operating germanium in temperatures higher than 100°C leads to reduced optical properties.    

There is another group of materials that perform well in the IR but require a high amount of safety precautions during manufacturing due to their harmful material makeup. Chalcogenide glass is a glass containing one or more chalcogens (sulfur, selenium and tellurium, but excluding oxygen). Such glasses are covalently bonded materials and may be classified as covalent network solids. Chalcogenide glass remains amorphous while exhibiting optical transparency over the full IR region of 2-20µm. 

Zinc selenide (ZnSe) is another common material that is used in both visible and IR (MWIR & LWIR) from 0.45 to 21μm.  It is a light-yellow solid compound comprised of zinc and selenium. It is very similar to zinc sulfide, but has a slightly higher refractive index and is structurally weaker 

Zinc sulfide (ZnS) performs best between 8 to 12µm region. Although a lower cost relative to ZnSe, it does not have the longer transmission range. As a strong and stable material, ZnSe has high resistance to particulate abrasion making it an ideal solution for IR windows on aircraft platforms.  

In conclusion, there are many material options available for infrared capabilities and whether you need a IR windows, lenses, or freeform optics, we are available to help you find solutions to your objectives. Our manufacturing team can fabricate windows, prisms, lenses, aspherical lenses, and prototypes all in-house. Please reach out to us on your next project today at [email protected]. 

Arduino Team — August 8th, 2024

A month ago, ElectronicLab modified his office chair with an electric car jack, giving it motorized height adjustment. That worked well, but required that he push buttons to raise or lower the seat. Pushing those buttons is a hassle when one’s hands are full, so ElectronicLab went back to the workbench to add voice control capabilities.

ElectronicLab was using an Arduino Nano to control the electric jack motor in response to button presses, so he already had most of the hardware necessary to make the system smarter. He just needed the Arduino to recognize specific voice commands, which he was able to achieve using an ELECHOUSE Voice Recognition Module V3.

That voice recognition modules supports up to 80 voice commands, but ElectronicLab only needed a few of them — just enough to tell the chair which direction to move and how far to go. The module came with a microphone, which ElectronicLab was able to attach outside of the 3D-printed enclosure where it could pick up his voice.

But there was still one problem: the movement was very slow. The jack was designed to lift a car, so it uses a high-torque motor with a 10:1 planetary gearset to drive a hydraulic pump. ElectronicLab didn’t need that much torque, so he welded the planetary gears to give the motor a direct 1:1 ratio. Sadly, that was a mistake. The hydraulic oil can’t flow fast enough to keep up, so the motor pulls way too much current for the driver.

Still, the voice control was a success and so ElectronicLab can simply swap out the motor.

Perhaps in the future ElectronicLab can even consolidate the components using the speech recognition-capable Nano 33 BLE Sense Rev2 or Nano RP2040 Connect…

Instant DFM is a revolutionary tool that makes quoting Printed Circuit Boards easier and quicker. 

Our automated quoting service helps quote PCBs quicker than ever before. Here are the steps to receiving a quote for your PCB. 

You will also learn what to do when encountering particular error messages.

Upload:

The black arrows show what is needed to proceed.

When you reach Instant DFM, you will see the options above. The black arrows distinguish the characteristics needed to proceed in the process.

After submitting the data, the solder mask, silkscreen, and thickness cannot be changed. The submission process must be restarted if these options need to be altered.

The data can be dragged and dropped, or you can browse your files to submit it. The accepted files include compressed Gerber RS-274x, Gerber X2, or ODB++ files in .Zip or .RAR formats. If your file is not working, it may exceed the maximum file size of 10 MB.

Your Results are Ready!:

The results page gives you an idea of what your board looks like. It renders your PCB’s top and bottom sides with the solder mask and silkscreen color you initially chose.

It will also show the board details, DFM checks, a custom stack-up, layers, and any issues that the data may have.

You can also use the Instant DFM Report to look at your board in-depth and see any issues.

The black arrow shows where to go next. The blue arrow shows the job ID needed to reference your specific order. The green arrow shows where you can download an in-depth look at your Instant DFM report.

The green box shows if your design looks good to our system. That does not necessarily mean you can purchase the bare board; it indicates no data issues.

If the box appears yellow, some issues may prevent you from purchasing your order. The remarks show what could be wrong with the data and give you an idea of how to fix it.

If you click “Buy Now” and see the screen above, your data cannot be auto-quoted. You can fix the data using the Instant DFM report or contact [email protected] for assistance with your data and/or a custom quote.

If the box appears red, there are issues in your data preventing an auto-quote. Checking the Instant DFM report will give you a better idea of what prevents the data from being quoted. You can also email support@bacircuits for further assistance.

Buy Now:

The “Buy Now” screen offers three pricing packages, each unique.

The Standard Quote gives you the most “customizable” options for your PCB. That is the ideal option for a customer with a more complex design. You can choose from different materials, surface finishes, copper ounces, whether it is in a panel, whether it has via fill, and much more. 

The standard quote is the only pricing option that offers assembly quote requests and an engineering review for an additional cost. We highly recommend it because we will let you know if we encounter any data issues. If it is not selected, we will run the order as is.

The Golden Gate Special offers customers a panel with a 3 and 5-day lead time. Each panel will be 18×24 (with usable space equal to 16 and a half by 22 and a half, or 352 square inches). 

You will receive as much as the panel yields during production. This selection allows customization of the solder mask, thickness (from the beginning), and surface finish.

The Golden Gate Special is great for a customer with a simpler board that needs a few customizable options.

The Barebones Special offers a quick and inexpensive option for a simple 2-layer board. This option provides a 24-hour turn time with a thickness of 0.062 inches. The board’s material is FR-4 fiberglass in its original yellow color, copper traces, and plated holes with tin over the copper.

This option does not offer silkscreen, solder mask, slots, or cut-outs.

This option is great for customers needing a simple bareboard with a quick turnaround time.

After you finish choosing your options for either of the pricing options, you will land on the auto-quote screen. You can also download a PDF Quote if needed. (Shown in the image below)

You can add the quote to your cart and proceed with your purchase, or you can run another board and go through the process again to add another board to your cart.

From there, it is like purchasing anything from an online store.

The green arrow shows where to download a PDF Quote.

If you see “Get a Quote” where the “Add to Cart” button is, your board needs to be custom quoted.

Please only press this button once. If you need multiple quantities, please let us know in the email thread that this creates.

Assembly:

As stated, assembly quote requests are only available in the Standard Quote package.

Please remember that the board must be in an array/ panel if it needs assembly.

We cannot auto-quote assembly right now, so these take time. Our customer service team works hard to get them back to you promptly.

The green arrow shows where to upload the BOM. The blue arrow shows how you would like the components handled.

The assembly option screen above allows you to upload your Bill of Materials, or BOM, to the website if you need Bay Area Circuits to purchase the parts. That is the “Turnkey” option. If you choose to supply the parts, that would be the “Consignment” option.

If your BOM is already in your zip file, please press “Yes” in the “BOM already uploaded with PCB design” section.

Submitting an assembly quote request will create a ticket, and the customer service team will work on your assembly quote.

We recommend purchasing the barebords only after receiving the assembly quote back because it could cause delays in the assembly process when buying components. We will start assembling the board once all the parts arrive.

Contact Us!

Have any other questions? Email us at [email protected]

Dammit! I was supposed to be tidying the workshop (in all fairness, some tidying occurred!)

So I did a spot of research into video playback, and found a brilliant video playback program called hello_video designed for continuously looping video for use on advertising hoardings and art installations.

Excellent.

Some footage was conjured up, and exported from my video editing software (Kdenlive) as an .mp4

hello_video needs a .h264 fileformat to work, so I used ffmpeg to create a raw stream. 

ffmpeg -i input_file.avi -vcodec copy -an -bsf:v h264_mp4toannexb output_file.h264

Brilliant.

I created a COW directory and placed the .h264 file in the directory using scp from my main linux PC.

Issuing the command

hello_video.bin –loop  ~/COW/cow.h264

created a wonderful display! It looped seamlessly!

The command was written into the .bashrc file, so it would start up on boot.

The shutdown scripts were added, in a manner identical to the PiPatGen.

I wanted something a little better to shut down the Pi, rather than having to push a toggle button. 

A small timer was conjured up

5V comes into our circuit, and is used to power up a 4049 inverter IC. There’s also a feed to a relay coil, and it’s normally open contact. SW1 is a normal DPDT ON-ON toggle. On one switch, the normally closed switch is connected to pins 6 & 12 of the raspberry pi’s IO’s. The NO contacts on the other pole, are connected to +5V via D1 (actually, D1 is a throwback to an earlier iteration, you can just couple the switch straight to +5V!). This is the power switch. When it’s operated, pins 6 & 12 are disconnected, and C1 is rapidly charged up to 5V, which switches on U1A, taking the output of U1A low, this in turn feeds U1B, inverting the signal again, and turns on Q1, which energises the relay and supplies power to the raspberry pi.

When the power switch is turned off, pins 6 & 12 are connected, which initiates the pi shutdown script. C1 is still charged up, and starts to slowly discharge through R2. When it gets to about 50% of it’s voltage level, the logic does it’s thing, and switches off Q1, removing power from the pi. 

R1 is made adjustable, as the time to shutdown a pi varies on which version of the pi you have and the speed of the SD card. When building the device, manually shut down the pi by shorting pins 6 & 12, and set a timer to see how long the pi takes to completely shut down (you can tell as the SD card access LED stops flashing), then set R1 to allow the relay to switch off in a little longer than the Pi takes to shut down, to allow for a bit of a safety margin. My Pi Zero W takes about 9 seconds to shut down, so I set my timer to keep power connected for ~15 seconds. I used a 10-turn pot to make setting a little easier. (Incidentally, the Pi model B takes about 15 seconds, with the same image)

The 4049 is there just as a buffer. I could have used a FET to switch the relay, as that has a very high impedance gate, and eliminated the logic all together, but I didn’t!

If your Pi takes longer than the maximum time, make the value of C1 bigger. 

The circuit was built up on a piece of perf-board. This hardware also works great on PiPatGen, which would eliminate the shutdown pushbutton.

I did try the image on my PiPatGen’s hardware, and even on my resource-shy Pi B, the output was smooth. 

Onto making another case!

The PiPatGen’s front panel was modified, and despite my Pi Zero having no audio output, I left the audio jack in place, as I can feed some audio into the front panel if required. 

Clearly no shutdown button is now required. 

Another PlayStation modulator was procured from eBay, another case from eBay seller seemoreitems, and a simplified 3D printed front panel was made.

If you’re not using an earlier Pi with a video output socket, you’ll need to add a couple of header pins, and connect to that… this is the location of the port on my Pi Zero W. The port is marked up “TV” on this Pi Zero W. Check your Pi is capable of a video output before buying, as the newest models seem to have lost this (certainly the 400) 

The image file for the project can be downloaded from 

Here’s the obligatory YouTube video …

What you’ll learn:

How this 3D printer differs in technical approach and size from “conventional” units.
How the laser beam is managed and steered to cure the unique resin.
The results that were achieved using this proof-of-concept 3D printer.

It’s well known that additive manufacturing (AM) of various distinct types and using a range of materials, often collectively referred to as “3D printing” in popular terminology, has dramatically changed if not revolutionized (a word I don’t use casually) prototyping, model building, repair and maintenance, and even some production-scale manufacturing lines.

AM has also enabled fabrication of objects that would be difficult or impossible to create using traditional forming, molding, casting, etching, or machining operations. While the size of these 3D printers varies, they’re typically tabletop size measuring a few feet on each side.

But that printer-size requirement may be scaled down, especially for small objects. Researchers from MIT and the University of Texas at Austin worked together to develop and demonstrate a tiny proof-of-concept, chip-based 3D printer by combining silicon photonics and advanced photochemistry to create what they maintain is the first such printer.

The system developed by MIT consists of only a single millimeter-scale photonic chip without any moving parts. It emits reconfigurable visible-light holograms up into a simple stationary resin well that cures into a solid shape when light strikes it, thus enabling non-mechanical 3D printing. You can think of it as a “personal” 3D printer.

Breakthrough in Additive Manufacturing: 3D Printer Principle and Design

The prototype chip has no moving parts, and instead uses an array of tiny optical antennas to steer a beam of light. The beams of these antennas aren’t steered by MEMS-type micromirrors. Rather, the research team developed an integrated optical-phased-array system to steer the beams of light by using a series of microscale optical antennas fabricated on a chip using semiconductor manufacturing processes (Fig. 1).

Introduction

Circuit breakers are essential for the safe and effective operation of electrical systems in the area of electrical power distribution and protection. The Air Circuit Breaker (ACB) is a versatile and dependable device that stands out among the numerous types of circuit breakers available. In this article, we’ll examine the idea of an air circuit breaker, examine how it functions.

What is an Air Circuit Breaker?

Air circuit breaker is a mechanical switching device which is capable of making, carrying and breaking current under normal circuit conditions, and also carry the same for specified time and break current under specified abnormal circuit conditions. Air circuit breakers are used to distribute electric energy and protect lines and power supply equipment from faults such as overloads, under voltages, short circuits, etc.

Working Principles of Air Circuit Breakers

1. Arc Interruption Mechanism:

High current passes through the ACB when an electrical malfunction, like a short circuit or overload, takes place. An electric arc forms between the circuit breaker’s contacts as a result of the high current. Even after the circuit breaker has tripped, the arc creates a conductive route that keeps the current flowing.

ACBs use a number of arc quenching techniques to stop this arc. The “blast effect” or “arc chute” principle is the most widely used technique. The ACB sends a high-pressure stream of air through specially constructed arc chutes when the arc is recognized. The electric arc is effectively put out by the quick air expansion in these arc chutes, which also allows the contacts to separate and stop the current flow.

2. Magnetic and Thermal Tripping Mechanism:

Thermo- and magnetic tripping mechanisms are built into ACBs to detect abnormal current conditions and start a circuit interruption. While the magnetic tripping mechanism reacts to short-circuit currents, the thermal tripping mechanism recognizes long-term overloads. These tripping devices activate the opening mechanism, starting the arc interruption process, when the current rises above a predetermined level.

Air circuit breakers’ benefits

1. High Breaking Capacity: ACBs are excellent for heavy-duty applications in industrial and commercial environments since they can handle enormous fault currents.

2.Response Time: ACBs minimize downtime and guard against equipment damage during electrical faults with their quick tripping and arc extinction times.

3.Reliable functioning: By providing constant and dependable functioning, ACBs protect the integrity and safety of electrical systems.

4. Simple mechanics: ACBs have relatively simple mechanics that allow for quick servicing and repairs, making them easy to maintain.

5. Durability: With regular maintenance, ACBs can last a long period and offer affordable protection.

Conclusion

A key element of contemporary electrical systems, the Air Circuit Breaker (ACB) ensures the security and effective operation of power distribution networks. ACBs efficiently stop current flow during electrical disturbances by utilizing arc quenching techniques and trustworthy tripping mechanisms.

As technology continues to advance, the importance of Air Circuit Breakers will only grow, ensuring the continued reliability and safety of our electrical infrastructure for years to come.

Have you ever watched a laser cutting machine? Ever wondered how light beams cut through metals? Well, if you study deep about laser cutting there is very interesting science behind the scenes.

A laser cutting machine operates by applying high energy (often in gigawatts level) laser beams to a particular point, and these high energy light beams pierce through metal or other materials that come in line. So how does this machine produce high energy beams? 

The normal output from a laser is not in the range of mega watts or giga watts! But the same laser can be made to produce high energy light beams by applying q switching. So Q switching is basically a method by which a laser is made to produce an extremely high power pulse output. This is achieved by putting some type of variable attenuator inside a lasers optical resonator; and this attenuator is usually called a ‘Q switch’. 

Based on mode of operation, Q switching can be “active” and “passive”. In the case of active q switching, the ‘Q switch’ is an externally controlled attenuator, a mechanical device like a shutter, or a chopper wheel. In this case, the pulse repetition rate can be externally controlled and the rejected light can be used for something else. In the case of passive switching, the ‘Q switch’ is a saturable absorber, usually an ion dopped crystal, a passive semiconductor, or something like that. 

Types of Q Switches 

There are basically 4 types of Q switches and they are classified below: 

Acousto Optic Q Switces

The most common type of Q switch is an acoustic optic modulator. They are preferred mostly because of low transmission losses. The transmission losses through some crystal or glass piece is low when the acoustic wave is switched off, and strong bragg reflection occurs when the acoustic wave is switched on. The transmission loss is usually 50%, which is way better compared to linear laser resonators (which has 75% transmission loss). 

Electro Optic Q switches 

This type of Q switch is used for applications that require high switching speeds. An electro optic modulator is used in Q switched microchip lasers. Application for electro optic Q switches is in lasers with high gain, where the diffraction frequency of an AOM would be insufficient. 

Mechanical Q Swiches

Mechanical Q switches were used in the early days of q switched lasers,  Usually a small laser mirror is mounted on a quickly rotating device, and a pulse builds up when the mirror is in a position that closes the laser resonator. The approach is simple and applicable in a wide range of spectral regions. Mechanical Q switches are not widely used now but is still in use for a few special cases. 

Over many decades, Boyd has led innovation of superior heat pipe and two-phase thermal management solutions across many major industries from mobile and consumer electronics to NASA applications and next-generation enterprise and 5G equipment. We’ve observed many misconceptions about heat pipes, how they work, and how to best utilize them in applications while working closely with engineering teams across leading major markets. This article addresses the top 7 most common misconceptions, or “myths”, about heat pipes that we’ve encountered with best practices for heat pipe utilization.

Truth About Designing Applications With Two Phase Cooling

As electronics continue to become more powerful and require more functionality with greater reliability, excess heat remains a significant barrier to the development of better-performing next-generation applications and breakthrough innovation. Every industry, especially Mobile, Medical, Telecommunications, and IoT are developing new products and systems that must be lightweight, multi-functional, and able to manage high heat loads with high reliability. Engineers struggle to effectively handle the heat as consumers demand smaller, thinner, more powerful devices with more options, functionality, and capabilities.

Two-phase cooling is rapidly evolving and gaining more popularity in solving these issues. Heat pipes are especially ideal to spread heat for faster dissipation, light-weighting, higher reliability, and lifetime. But heat pipes most significant benefit is design flexibility and the ability to easily integrate them into thermal systems to vastly improve cooling efficiency and capacity.

For more information on the various two-phase technologies, including heat pipes, vapor chambers, thermosiphons, and immersion cooling, view Boyd’s Guide to Two-Phase Cooling. The addition of heat pipes to your solution or system can vastly improve its thermal performance for more efficient thermal management without adding active components that may be detrimental to application lifetimes, reliability, or accuracy. Active air cooling or liquid cooling can be large or cumbersome. Active air cooling comes with complications such as acoustics, weight, and vibration.

Not all applications have infrastructure that supports liquid cooling systems. Two-phase cooling is being leveraged to extend air cooling system performance, solves acoustic and vibration issues, and leverages existing cooling infrastructure.

Myth #1: If heat pipes break, they will get liquid on my electronics.

Truth: Heat pipes rarely, if ever, break. In the highly unlikely event that one was to break, the extremely small amount of liquid held in the pipe would be fully saturated into its wick and would not be able to drip or leak onto your electronics.

Heat pipes are inherently robust and are a purely passive system that does not have any moving parts to wear down over time. To “break” a well-manufactured heat pipe, you would need to cut the pipe open or put the pipe through an excessive amount of repeated bending or folding.

Heat pipes are charged with a vacuum while being filled ensuring the amount of fluid contained in the pipe is always in vapor form and therefore will not drip.

Their durability, increased reliability, and leak-free nature make heat pipes an ideal solution in markets such as Aerospace, Medical, Consumer Electronics, high-power applications that require high reliability, and where leaks from traditional liquid solutions may be catastrophic.

Through decades of refining manufacturing techniques and engineering specifications, Boyd has developed consistently robust, high-quality heat pipes. Boyd heat pipes are tested in thermal labs utilizing high-temperature testing in accelerated life tests and other exhaustive reliability and performance testing to prove out design, seal, and welding quality.

Myth #2: Heat pipes are heavy

Truth: Heat pipes can remove more weight than they add to an assembly.

Because they are typically made of copper, a heavier material, some believe that integrating heat pipes will add weight to their solution. Boyd engineers often utilize them with other cooling technologies to decrease the weight or volume of an overall solution as experts in heat pipe utilization and integration.

Although they are made of copper, heat pipes are hollow and can decrease the weight of your solution while improving thermal performance in a variety of ways. Heat pipes are often used to transfer heat to a cooler, remote, more open area of a device or assembly with greater access to airflow and space where a fan and lightweight fin structures can be added to decrease the overall size and weight of your cooling solution.

Another common example is replacing a traditional copper spreader or larger heat sink with an aluminum heat sink base featuring embedded heat pipes. The high heat spreading efficiency of heat pipes evenly and rapidly distributes heat across a full heat sink, increasing heat sink efficiency, reducing heat sink size and the amount of material needed, thereby reducing the overall weight and cost of your solution.

Myth #3: Heat pipes only work with the evaporator and condenser on the ends

Truth: Heat pipes function along the entire length of the pipe and will consistently transfer heat from warmer regions to cooler regions regardless of their location along the pipe.

Heat pipes are often designed into thermal management assemblies to transport heat from the heat source at one end to the other end to dissipate safely and efficiently. This utilization is common, but it is not the only way to use heat pipes. Heat pipe wicking structure enables them to work in any orientation and typically runs the full length of the pipe interior. Heat inherently travels from hot to cold and this holds true with heat pipes.

No matter where heat is placed along the pipe, heat will always travel away from the heat source(s) towards the condensation point(s) and back again through the wick. This increases design flexibility and heat pipe use options to enable more innovative and cost-efficient thermal management. One such utilization is embedding heat pipes to spread heat rather than transfer it.

When heat pipes are embedded in the base of a heat sink, the heat condenses along the entire length of the heat pipe rather than a set region. An example of this is integrating heat pipes into air-cooled heat sinks to extend high power performance, mitigating the need for a liquid system when cooling high power IGBTs.

Want more? Read the full article and download the whitepaper here.