Datasheet
77
Thermal Specifications and Design Considerations
5
Thermal Specifications and
Design Considerations
The Pentium M Processor requires a thermal solution to maintain temperatures within operating
limits as set forth in
. Any attempt to operate that processor outside these operating
limits may result in permanent damage to the processor and potentially other components in the
system. As processor technology changes, thermal management becomes increasingly crucial
when building computer systems. Maintaining the proper thermal environment is key to reliable,
long-term system operation. A complete thermal solution includes both component and system
level thermal management features. Component level thermal solutions include active or passive
heatsinks or heat exchangers attached to the processor exposed die. The solution should make firm
contact to the die while maintaining processor mechanical specifications such as pressure. A
typical system level thermal solution may consist of a processor fan ducted to a heat exchanger that
is thermally coupled to the processor via a heat pipe or direct die attachment. A secondary fan or air
from the processor fan may also be used to cool other platform components or lower the internal
ambient temperature within the system.
To allow for the optimal operation and long-term reliability of Intel processor-based systems, the
system/processor thermal solution should be designed such that the processor must remain within
the minimum and maximum junction temperature (Tj) specifications at the corresponding thermal
design power (TDP) value listed in
. Thermal solutions not design to provide this level of
thermal capability may affect the long-term reliability of the processor and system.
The maximum junction temperature is defined by an activation of the processor Intel Thermal
Monitor. Refer to
for more details. Analysis indicates that real applications are
unlikely to cause the processor to consume the theoretical maximum power dissipation for
sustained time periods. Intel recommends that complete thermal solution designs target the TDP
indicated in
. The Intel Thermal Monitor feature is designed to help protect the processor
in the unlikely event that an application exceeds the TDP recommendation for a sustained period of
time. For more details on the usage of this feature, refer to
. In all cases the Intel
Thermal Monitor feature must be enabled for the processor to remain within specification.
