Thermal resistance-based monitoring of cooling of an electronic component

摘要

Monitoring of cooling of an electronic component is provided, which includes: determining a current thermal resistance associated with one or more of the electronic component, a heat sink coupled to the electronic component, or a thermal interface coupling the electronic component and the heat sink; and determining, by a processor, whether the current thermal resistance exceeds a set thermal resistance threshold, and responsive to the current thermal resistance exceeding the set thermal resistance threshold, indicating a thermal resistance fault. As an enhancement, rate of change over time of the thermal resistance is determined, and compared against a rate of change threshold, and if exceeding the threshold, a rate of change thermal resistance warning is provided.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
monitoring cooling of an electronic component, the monitoring comprising:
determining a current thermal resistance associated with at least one of the electronic component, a heat sink coupled to the electronic component, or a thermal interface coupling the electronic component and the heat sink;determining, by a processor, whether the current thermal resistance exceeds a set thermal resistance threshold, and responsive to the current thermal resistance exceeding the set thermal resistance threshold, indicating a thermal resistance fault; anddetermining a rate of change over time of the thermal resistance associated with the at least one of the electronic component, the heat sink coupled to the electronic component, or the thermal interface coupling the electronic component and the heat sink, and determining, by the processor, whether the rate of change over time of the thermal resistance exceeds a set rate of change threshold, and responsive to the rate of change over time of the thermal resistance exceeding the set rate change threshold, indicating a rate of change thermal resistance warning.