Amps
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: [Amps] Heatsinks for SSPAs

To: amps@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [Amps] Heatsinks for SSPAs
From: Paul Decker <kg7hf@comcast.net>
Date: Sat, 2 Mar 2013 18:53:42 +0000 (UTC)
List-post: <amps@contesting.com">mailto:amps@contesting.com>
It sounds great in theory and maybe in practice too.  How do you mount the 
transistors to the chassis without a through hole into the water jacket?

If you look at the NXP BFL578XR demo board, they are using a 3/8" solid copper 
heat spreader which then has a water inlet and outlet for cooling the heat 
spreader.  Similar idea except the transistor mounting does not penetrate the 
water jacket and there is no chance it will leak due to thermal expansion and 
contraction.

A second note you might find interesting is that many of the parts are supplied 
as solder mount and are mounted directly to the copper heat spreader via a 
solder mask.  That may be one way to mount to the chassis bottom, but I'm not 
so sure it's easy to solder to Aluminum or what two very dissimilar metals will 
do when bonded.

More food for thought.

Paul, kg7hf




Date: Fri, 01 Mar 2013 14:14:30 -0800
From: Bill Turner 
To: Amps 
Subject: Re: [Amps] Heatsinks for SSPAs - Newbie Questions and UK
        source
Message-ID: 
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Just thinking about heatsinks for homebrew SS rigs.  Here's an idea, maybe
a bit in-elegant but I bet it would work like a champ.

Use a conventional aluminum chassis and mount the transistors on the bottom
side flip it over and fill it with water. Don't laugh. Just put the bottom
(now the top) cover on it and seal everything up with RTV silicone.  Put
some hose fittings on it, one for inlet and one for outlet . I'll leave
that part up to your imagination. Hint: thermal switch with an external
valve for the water. 

You want the transistors on the bottom because heat rises. 

Haven't tried it myself but I bet it would dissipate anything you could
throw at it and no fan noise either. 

Thoughts?

Bill, W6WRT
_______________________________________________
Amps mailing list
Amps@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/amps

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>