Thermal Management Using PCM-Based Heatsinks

Existing passive cooling solutions limit the short-term thermal output of systems, thereby either limiting instantaneous performance or requiring active cooling solutions. Active cooling requires relatively large amounts of power, and cannot easily and efficiently handle temperature spikes. PCMs (phase change materials) are materials that can change phase at a device’s operating temperature, absorbing energy in the process. PCM-based heatsinks are able to tolerate short-term spikes in energy output with substantially less (or even no) active cooling. In this project we aim to examine the tradeoffs made by PCM-based heatsinks by simulating software workloads on a temperature-aware simulator.