(July 20, 2010) — Nextreme Thermal Solutions will now include materials evaluation and characterization services in its consulting portfolio. With recent advances in materials sciences and nanotechnology, new materials are being developed that exhibit thermoelectric properties.
The assessment of thermoelectric materials is a challenge, particularly when investigating them over significant temperature ranges. Nextreme has capabilities to conduct measurements across a range of temperatures, below 200K to above 700K. Properties that can be measured include Seebeck coefficient, electrical resistivity and thermal conductivity. Equipped with thermal modeling, design, and engineering consulting services, Nextreme’s team of engineers can accelerate the development of new applications that are currently thermally constrained.
In addition to the evaluation of materials, Nextreme offers thermal modeling, design and engineering services to deliver fully optimized thermal management solutions. Nextreme routinely conducts analytical and numerical thermal modeling at all design levels from component to module to subsystem. Design services range from rudimentary analysis such as 1D and 3D modeling to more complex analyses that may involve the use of passive heat rejection systems, such as heat sinks and exchangers, or the use of active devices such as thermoelectric coolers to solve the overall thermal problem. Advanced analysis of complex systems, components or packages often require more detailed modeling to understand heat flow and thermal gradients.
The use of Nextreme’s engineering services can enable rapid and successful prototyping and accelerate a program as well as reduce program delays. Services are tailored to needs and budget. "Initial evaluation and integration of micro-scale thermoelectrics is often a challenge for organizations without thermal engineering expertise or when existing resources are limited," said Dave Koester, VP of engineering at Nextreme.
Nextreme uses its thin-film thermoelectric technology to produce discrete and integrated cooling and power generation devices. Nextreme currently offers several thermoelectric coolers, such as the OptoCooler HV14 and UPF40, that are capable of cooling and heating in ranges from 0.4 to 4W, with plans to provide higher heat pumping in the near future. Modules for electronics cooling and power generation are available for order now and pricing is available upon request. Nextreme Labs is currently working in laser diode cooling, thermal margining, and clean energy harvesting solutions for wireless sensor networks and remote power management. For more information, go to www.nextreme.com.