Thermal Stress Reduction and Optimization for Orthotropic Composite Boards
Composite printed electronic boards are susceptible of structural failure or irreversible damage under thermally raised stresses. A thermal/structural finite element model is integrated in this study to enable the predictions of the temperature and stress distribution of vertically clamped parallel circuit boards that include series of symmetrically mounted heated electronic modules (chips). The board is modeled as a thin plate containing four heated flush rectangular areas that represent the electronic modules. The finite element model should be to able to accept the convection heat transfer on the board surface, heat generation in the modules, and directional conduction inside the board. A detailed 3-D CFD model is incorporated to predict the conjugate heat transfer coefficients that strongly affect the temperature distribution in the board and modules. Structural analyses are performed by a FE model that uses the heat transfer coefficients mentioned above, and structural elements capable of handling orthotropic material properties. The stress fields are obtained and compared for the models possessing different fiber orientations and fiber volume fractions. Appreciable differences in stress and thermal gradient fields were observed. The values of fiber volume fraction and fiber orientation at which to conduct analyses was guided by experimental design (DOE) ideas leading to a metamodel of the stress intensity and temperature gradient in the board which was used to represent the complied results of this study.