Methods for Conceptual Thermal Design

This article describes three generic models and application methods that can be used to analyze temperature development in an electronic product during conceptual design. The models are based on generally known heat transfer and resistor-capacitor network theory and are theoretically and numerically approximated. The result is three easy-to-use tools for conceptual thermal design. Application of the models in design practice has been assessed using a usability experiment and several in-depth interviews with industrial design engineers from the field.