Abstract :
With densely populated boards such as COM-Express modules, you need to look carefully at the system design to ensure that you are taking the heat away effectively. If you don´t, you could find the design is less reliable than it ought to be. A frequently cited benefit of reduced processor size is reduced power consumption. But this is really only true at the level of the individual devices within the chip. The overall power reduction has not progressed at the rate of miniaturisation. As processors became smaller, we have packed more heat generation into that smaller space and the devices now run hotter. With this higher performance, thermal management needs to be addressed, especially in embedded computers that operate in warm environments inside a closed chassis or other densely packed enclosures
