COMe-bV26 - Rev. 1.0, User Guide
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2.5.
Thermal Management
2.5.1.
Heatspreader Plate Assembly
A heatspreader plate (HSP) assembly is NOT a heat sink. The heatspreader plate works as a COM Express® standard
thermal interface to be used in conjunction with a heat sink or external cooling devices. External cooling must be
provided to maintain the heatspreader plate at proper operating temperatures. Under worst-case conditions, the
cooling mechanism must maintain an ambient air and heatspreader plate temperature on any spot of the
heatspreader's surface according to the module specifications:
60°C for commercial temperature grade modules
75°C for extended grade modules (E1)
A Thermal Interface Material (TIM) is pre-applied to the processor to aid heat transfer to the
heatspreader plate when installed.
2.5.2.
Active/Passive Cooling Solutions
Both active and passive thermal management approaches can be used with the heatspreader plate. The optimum
cooling solution depends on the COM Express® application and environmental conditions. Kontron’s active or passive
cooling solutions are designed to cover the power and thermal dissipation for a commercial temperature range used
in housing with a suitable airflow. For more information concerning possible cooling solutions, see Table 3:
Accessories.
2.5.3.
Operating with Kontron Heatspreader Plate (HSP) Assembly
The operating temperature requirements are:
Maximum ambient temperature with ambient being the air surrounding the module
Maximum measurable temperature on any part on the heatspreader's surface
Table 9: Heatspreader Temperature Specification
Temperature Grade
Requirements
Commercial Grade
at 60°C HSP temperature on MCP @ 100% load needs to run at nominal frequency
Extended Temperature
Grade (E1)
at 75°C HSP temperature the MCP @ 50% load is allowed to start throttling for
thermal protection
2.5.4.
Operating without Kontron Heatspreader Plate (HSP) Assembly
The operating temperature is the maximum measurable temperature on any spot on the module's surface.