Thermal management

Thermal management is the control of heat generation, transfer, and dissipation in systems to keep temperatures within desired limits.

Heat transfer: The movement of thermal energy between matter or through space because of temperature differences. Thermal management controls the routes and rates by which heat moves.
Temperature: A physical quantity that measures the thermal state of matter. Thermal limits are expressed as temperatures, not simply as amounts of heat.
Electronics cooling: The methods used to remove heat from electronic components and assemblies. Compact electronics need controlled heat paths to avoid failure and performance loss.
Air cooling: A cooling method that uses air as the heat-carrying fluid. Air cooling is simple, but its capacity can be limited in dense systems.
Thermal conduction: The transfer of thermal energy through matter by microscopic interactions, without bulk movement of the material. Conductive paths carry heat between components and heat spreaders.
Thermal conductivity: A material property describing how readily it conducts heat. It helps determine which materials spread heat and which insulate.
Data center cooling: The removal and management of heat generated by servers and other data-center equipment. Cooling demand affects server reliability, facility design, and energy use.
Liquid cooling: A cooling method that circulates liquid to absorb and transport heat. Liquid cooling carries more heat per unit volume than air in many designs.
Convection: Heat transfer through the movement of a fluid, such as air or water. Fans and pumps increase fluid motion to carry heat away.
Specific heat capacity: The energy required to raise the temperature of a unit mass of a substance by one degree. It determines how quickly a component warms when heat enters it.

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