Experimental research on cooling performance of a type of microcomputer chassis

The cooling performance makes a full impact on the operation stability of the microcomputer chassis. Up to now, no effort is found toward on the experimental research of cooling performance of the microcomputer chassis cooled by forced convection. According to the operating temperature of CPU, graphics card and BGA, the cooling performance of a type of microcomputer is analyzed and optimized. Three fans are installed on the chassis, and they are inlet and outlet of the cooling air. Eight forced-convection heat-transfer schemes are developed by changing the operation state of three fans. The temperature of the inlet and outlet of the cooling air, the heat sinker of CPU, the heat sinker of graphics cards and the surface of BGA are tested using the thermocouple. Total heat-transfer ability, heat-transfer ability of CPU, graphics card and BGA are characterized by the temperature difference between inlet and outlet of cooling air, temperature difference between chip and heat sinker´s edge of CPU and graphics card and the surface temperature of BGA, separately. Heat-transfer homogeneous of CPU, graphics card and BGA are characterized by temperature difference of heat sinker of CPU, graphics card and BGA. And then eight schemes are analyzed and optimized. The result shows that temperature difference of inlet and outlet of cooling air in No.2 scheme is largest, (3.0 °C), and the cooling air carries the most thermal power away. Temperature difference of CPU and graphics card in No.3 schemes are largest, (15.11 °C, 17.95 °C, separately), standard deviation is small, (0.309, 0.660, separately), and then the cooling performance of CPU and graphics card is best. Operating temperature of BGA in No.3 and No.4 schemes are lowest, (20.05 °C, 19.79 °C, separately), standard deviation is small, (0.687, 0.556, separately), and then the cooling performance of BGA is best. So take full account of cooling situation of CPU, graphics card and BGA, No.3 are the best forced-convection heat-transfer scheme of a type of microcomputer chassis. The proposed research provides a theoretical basis for forced-convection heat-transfer of microcomputer.