Experimental research of electronic devices thermal control using metallic phase change materials

A Phase-change thermal control unit (PTCU) filled with metallic phase change material (PCM) Bismuth alloy for electric devices thermal protection was developed and investigated experimentally. The PTCU filled with PCM was designed and manufactured. Resistance heating components (RCHs) produced 1 W, 3 W, 5 W, 7 W, and 10 W for simulating heat generation of electronic devices. At various heating power levels, the performance of PTCU were tested during heating period and one duty cycle period. The experimental results show that the PTCU delays RCH reaching the maximum operating temperature. Also, a numerical model was developed to enable interpretation of experimental results and to perform parametric studies. The results confirmed that the PTCU is suitable for electric devices thermal control.