Power dissipating automotive control module

Thermal performance of a high-power (>1 kW peak) automotive electronics module was evaluated using ANSYS´ ICEPAKtrade Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software. The module exchanges heat with cooling air via a plate-finned aluminum heat sink. To confirm the CFD model, the numerical air exit temperature results are compared to that of using the mass flow heat transfer equation. Additionally, convection correlations are used to confirm the CFD results. Some of the component power levels are transient, as are the volumetric airflow rates for different operational conditions. Results for the different conditions are presented. These include component temperature vs. time, exit air temperature vs. time, and pressure drop vs. time. The effects of downstream heating on component temperatures are shown as well. Finally, the effects of choosing laminar vs. transient flow are presented.