Elma’s Thermal Simulation can be extremely helpful in coming up with an optimal chassis cooling solution. Elma can simulate specifically how your boards interact with the chassis in regards to the cooling. After modeling your card, Elma’s designers can verify the cooling and make sure the hotter components of the card are placed in cooler parts of the chassis. If the per slot loading is provided, thermal simulation could be performed where baffles or extra fans could be added to ensure proper cooling for all boards.
Using CFD-based (Computation Fluid Dynamics) thermal modeling software like FloTherm, Elma can change the intake and exhaust areas, change fans and fan configuration, add and optimize baffling and monitor the temperature at critical locations before fabricating and testing a chassis. Simulation can help determine the proper fans to use in order to ensure proper chassis cooling as well as keeping the audible noise level at a minimum. Other ways to optimize the chassis thermal management are the spacing for air intake and exhaust, types of fans and blowers, the plenum space above or below the fans, the placement of air filters and use of baffles. Locating hot spots in the chassis, the designer can simulate options to rectify the situation. For example, a baffle can be placed in a particular area to direct airflow, or changing a fan’s position to increase or decrease the air plenum. A different type of fan or blower can also be used to improve the results.
Simulation can also help maximize the usefulness of the shelf managers. Thermal analysis can show how a shelf manager can tie or group fans together to optimize airflow when it senses a problem. It can also help determine the ideal sequence in timing solution for shutting down cards, which signals to send, and when it is absolutely necessary to shut down the entire system. For example, if there is a problem, perhaps only a few cards need to be shut down instead of all of them.
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