Power connector evaluation for thermal performance

This paper describes how computer simulations can be used to characterize thermal performance of high power connectors. Both Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) models are examined. The simulations are correlated to traditional connector temperature-rise tests to confirm the validity of the modeling assumptions and parameters. Various configurations (e.g., current loading, airflow, PCB copper weights) can then be modeled to better predict connector performance in the application. The computer simulations are best used in conjunction with voltage drop stability tests to fully evaluate performance of power connectors.