High-performing electronics can generate significant heat. This can damage them, decrease longevity and impact performance. Strategic thermal management solutions can protect against overheating in electrical enclosures, extending their lifespans. Based on packaging, bulk containers account for the largest thermal management solutions market share. They’re a good choice for industrial processes requiring continuous fluid supply and higher thermal and oxidation stability.
Heat Capacity
The amount of heat that equipment generates can reduce its lifespan and impact efficiency. Thermal management solutions help extend the life of your equipment by keeping temperature thresholds within safe operating ranges. They include various products such as heat sinks, fans, and Peltier modules. They also have thermal interface materials (TIM) that close air gaps between components mainly caused by roughness, unevenness, or tolerance. These products include gap filler pads, phase change materials, thermal grease and putty, non-silicone gap fillers, and other high-temperature thermal interface compounds.
Another key thermal solution is convection, which involves the movement of air to redistribute thermal energy. Cooler air passes by warmer devices and pulls the excess heat away, carrying it with it. This can be done passively using natural air forces like buoyancy or by forcing the movement of cooler air with a fan. While less effective than conduction, this is still a popular and important cooling method.
Several factors drive the global thermal management solutions market. In particular, the push towards renewable energy and sustainability in developing economies increases demand for this technology. Additionally, the market is fueled by the increasing popularity of electronic devices requiring advanced thermal solutions. Moreover, the long shelf life of thermal solutions reduces downtime in industrial processes by eliminating the need for frequent replacement or replenishment.
Conduction
High-powered electronic systems generate significant amounts of heat during operation. If that heat does not dissipate, it can cause internal damage and decrease the system’s longevity. This is why effective thermal management is essential to the lifespan of your equipment. This type of cooling uses conduction to redistribute thermal energy by physical contact. It is the most common and cost-effective cooling method for industrial equipment, especially for large machines or piping systems. It can be passive, using natural air currents to move cooler air by warmer areas of the device, or forced, using a fan to speed up the movement of the air.
The global thermal management solutions market is expected to reach USD 6.1 billion by 2028. It is primarily driven by the growing demand for electrical vehicles (EVs), which require efficient thermal management solutions to maintain optimum operating temperatures for batteries, motors and other components. By form, the non-aqueous thermal management solutions segment holds the largest share of the market. This is due to their higher thermal stability and ability to operate at elevated temperatures than water-based fluids. They also feature lower viscosity, which helps reduce fouling and corrosion. They are also common in toxicity and environmentally friendly, which makes them popular choices for many industrial applications.
Convection
Convection is a type of heat transfer that happens when a fluid moves through a region with a different temperature. It works by the physical movement of atoms and molecules, creating a cycle of energy transfer that can affect everything from a small air vent in your home to the weather systems responsible for thunderstorms. When a liquid or gas is heated, it causes the atoms and molecules to vibrate more violently. This results in the less dense regions of the fluid rising while the denser areas sink. The process continues as the less dense parts cool down and the denser ones heat up, causing the current to reverse direction again.
This is called natural convection and occurs in all weather conditions. For example, air convection allows us to experience different seasons. As the sun heats the Earth’s surface, it causes hot air to rise, cooling as it does so and forming clouds. Convection is also responsible for wind movement worldwide, and it’s the force behind many meteorological phenomena like thunderstorms and squall lines.
As equipment shrinks, it becomes more challenging for the system that powers and cools it to keep up with demands. This can lead to overheating and failure, reducing the lifespan of the equipment and costing you money in repairs or replacements. Thermal management solutions that effectively monitor and identify high temperatures are crucial in protecting your investment and maximizing profits.
Radiation
Electronic devices and circuitry produce excess heat. Over time, excessive heat wears out materials and reduces performance. Thermal management solutions help to prevent this from happening by dissipating excess heat.
Heat transfer processes include conduction, convection and radiation. Engineers design tools to increase the efficiency of each of these processes to achieve desired thermal results. Active cooling tools like fans, pumps and thermoelectric coolers use external energy sources to generate additional cool air to disperse heat away from the device. Passive tools like heat sinks and thermal pipes are designed to enhance natural conduction, convection or radiation in a machine to increase its ability to disperse heat. A key component of effective thermal management is the thermal interface material (TIM) that ensures smooth, consistent contact between surfaces and minimizes the rate at which heat transfers between them. TIM is available as pads, foam, phase change materials, thermal putty and grease to close gaps created by unevenness or roughness.
These products are formulated to have lower flashpoints than petroleum oils, which helps reduce the risk of explosion. They also have long-term stability and are resistant to thermal degradation and oxidation, making them ideal for open-vented systems, chemical processing equipment, calendaring and laminating rolls, molds and dyes in the rubber and plastic industries. They also offer superior rust protection and corrosion inhibition in harsh environments.