Simplified Thermal Modeling for Power Electronics: An Examination of Limitations and Best Practices in TO220 Package Devices

This paper explores challenges in thermal modeling for TO220-packaged power electronic devices, critical in industries like renewable energy, electric vehicles, and consumer electronics. Accurate simulations are vital for performance optimization, yet detailed computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations have limitations, especially for large systems. To balance computational efficiency and precision, simplification techniques are proposed. We develop and experimentally validate detailed and simplified thermal models for an LP3695 voltage regulator, uncovering the impact of cooling conditions and power losses on device temperatures and numerical accuracy. The grid study highlights the simplified model’s mesh sensitivity. Model validation demonstrates strong agreement between simulations and experimental data. This study underscores the significance of thermal modeling in electronic system design, providing invaluable insights for practitioners.