This intensive short course is designed to provide an appreciation and understanding of the important role of thermal design in the development and operation of electronic equipment, as well as the basic techniques for estimating thermal performance of electronic packages and systems. Fundmental principles of thermal conduction for heat transport within an electronic package, and convection (natural and forced) for heat removal from the package are presented. Methods to estimate heat transfer coefficients and thermal spreading resistance are covered, as well as radiation and liquid immersion heat transfer.

The use of heat sinks to augment air cooling performance is discussed along with simple methods to predict heat sink performance. Flow and pressure drop characteristics in air-cooled systems are also covered. The use of fan performance and system flow impedance curves to determine total air flow rate and flow distribution in a system is presented. Easy-to-use methods of package cooling analysis utilizing the junction temperature equation, thermalll resistance concepts, and simple network models are included.

Many annotated numberical examples are provided throughout the course to illustrate  the application of basic concepts and equations to model heat flow in electronic packages from the chip level to system level.

This course will be of interest to electrical and mechanical engineers with a need to understand thermal design. The course is presented at a level which will be understandable even to those with no prior heat transfer backaground. The course also provides infromation of interest and of use to experienced thermal engineers.