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pp. 2871-2890
S&M4475 Research paper https://doi.org/10.18494/SAM6363 Published: May 29, 2026 Sensor-Integrated Heat Dissipation Design and Its Optimization for Routers with Thermal Load [PDF] Min-Chie Chiu, Ho-Chih Cheng, Yu-HsinWang, Shih-Ming Cho, and Tian-Syung Lan (Received March 31, 2026; Accepted May 8, 2026) Keywords: temperature sensors, thermal monitoring, CFD, cooling, controller, router system, optimization, control
In the era of 5G and big data transmission, heat dissipation challenges for critical components such as CPUs and bi-directional optical sub-assembly (BOSA) modules must be addressed. In this study, we developed an intelligent, sensor-integrated cooling design that combines high thermal conductivity materials with topology-based flow field optimization to enhance thermal reliability. A hybrid structure of natural and forced convection was employed, regulated by embedded temperature sensors and a microcontroller. When component temperatures approached their operational limits (90 ℃ for BOSA and 105 ℃ for CPU), the system activated a 6.0 mm fan to ensure safe operation. Experimental validation tests and high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics simulations were conducted using calibrated K-type thermocouples and the SIMPLEST algorithm, respectively. The mesh-independent simulation results confirmed numerical accuracy, with only 0.7% error relative to experimental data. Topology optimization was performed to identify the optimal CPU heat sink parameters (fin height = 20 mm, fin width = 1 mm, and number of fins = 9), reducing CPU temperature to 93 ℃. The novelty of this study lies not only in extending prior research on laptop thermal management (primarily focused on CPU-only systems), but also in further applying the control strategy to the thermal design of high-heat-generation routers that incorporate both CPUs and bi-directional optical sub-assembly (BOSA) modules in practical applications. The results demonstrate that shifting sensors from passive monitoring to active regulation significantly improves cooling efficiency, offering a robust framework for next-generation portable electronics under high thermal stress. Future research may further advance this approach by developing optimal fan cooling strategies that dynamically adjust fan speed in response to real-time temperature variations. In addition, given the impact of fan noise on user comfort, subsequent studies should integrate acoustic modeling with thermal performance simulations to achieve a balanced design that simultaneously satisfies both noise constraints and cooling efficiency.
Corresponding author: Min-Chie Chiu![]() ![]() This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Cite this article Min-Chie Chiu, Ho-Chih Cheng, Yu-HsinWang, Shih-Ming Cho, and Tian-Syung Lan, Sensor-Integrated Heat Dissipation Design and Its Optimization for Routers with Thermal Load, Sens. Mater., Vol. 38, No. 5, 2026, p. 2871-2890. |