Skills Used: SOLIDWORKS, Thermal Analysis, Data Analysis, Teamwork, Heat Transfer
Project Dates: Fall Semester 2021
Additional Documentation Available: Yes, report, pictures, CAD models and video
Project Description:
This was a team project in Intermediate Heat Transfer (ME 414). We were tasked with evaluating different cooling configurations for a TESLA compute unit. These are powerful graphics card based parallel processing units and they output a lot of heat. We ran the unit under load with the different cooling methods and made a recommendation based on those results. One of the cooling solutions we were supposed to test was a liquid CPU cooling unit called an AIO. We were unable to test due to the fact that it could not be mounted on the card, however, we did decide to attempt to simulate a test in SOLIDWORKS. I designed a copper plate that would span between the 2 GPUs on the TESLA card allow mounting of the single AIO in the center. I then ran thermal simulations based on the known power figures and some assumed cooler capabilities with both thick and thin copper plates.
Project Results:
The results showed that basically any forced cooling solution was better than the stock passive cooler on the card, and most prevented thermal throttling. The thermal simulation showed that the AIO cooling solution with a copper spreader plate would not be superior to the forced air solutions, as a single point of cooling for 2 heat sources required too much of a temperature delta to be ideal.
