Impact of Pressure Profile on Contact Resistance Using PGS in iPEBB Cooling

This paper presents the development of an experimental rig for testing thermal interface materials under various average pressures and pressure profiles. From the results of several experiments, an empirical model was developed that demonstrates the effect that interface pressure profile has on component temperatures when using Pyrolytic Graphite Sheets as the acting thermal interface material between the cooling solution and the heated system. The model uses the average interface pressure and the proximity of that pressure to the components as its independent variables. The model was then compared against temperature data collected under multiple random interface pressure profiles. This process can be extrapolated to the iPEBB system thus allowing the ESRDC to understand how critical structural design changes would affect the interface contact resistance between the iPEBB and the cabinet cold plate.