Fraunhofer Institute for Physical Measurement Techniques IPM
Simulations of the coupling of mechanical and thermal behavior and the resulting heat transfer processes form the basis for a wide range of more complex multiphysics simulations. They are a key element in the product development of components, for example in electronics. When integrating functional materials into components and systems, thermal simulations are particularly helpful in optimizing these in terms of performance and service life.
Fraunhofer IPM has many years of experience in the in the field of thermal simulations and their coupling with other physical effects. The main focus is on coupled effects, such as heat, electricity and mass transport in process engineering (e.g. Peltier cooling) or in sensor technology (e.g. 3-omega sensors). The simulations are based on purely analytical considerations. For this purpose we rely on tools like Matlab, Wolfram, and the Simulink package as well as COMSOL Multiphysics for finite element models.
Focus on heat management and thermal modeling
In thermal modelling, we cover a wide range of topics and aspects such as coupling of components to specific ambient conditions, calculation of optimized component geometries, or the influence of material parameters on the performance of modules and systems.
Our current work focuses on topics such as heat management in microstructures and in complete electronic assemblies. Such simulations are based on actual geometric specifications that can be fed into the simulation tools via CAD interfaces. Various types of flows are simulated, ranging from mass flows via CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics), electrical or thermal flows, the impact of thermal effects on the mechanical properties of components or the interaction of these effects with one another.
Our expertise is complemented by experience in the simulation of optical systems using ray tracing and wave optics analysis techniques. For instance, we are able to simulate flow and heat transfer for liquids or gases in a completely embedded manner. This allows us to improve even complex systems or to adapt them for a wider range of applications.