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As a rugged and waterproof device, how does gopro dissipate heat?

Engineering Asked on September 3, 2021

I am new to designing rugged + waterproof products. I am curious about how to dissipate heat when the electronics are running and the ambient environment is even hotter. It seems like the mode of heat transfer is limited to conduction through the shell and then convection with the ambient air. My product will be small (like GoPro), need to be outdoor in Dallas all day (37°F to 96°F), and be able to protect against dust and water submersion (IP67). I am concerned about where the heat will go and the thermal cycling as the device experiences ~30°F change daily.

From a design stand point, what options (material, geometry…) do I have to solve this problem?

One Answer

Normally, you would mount a the heat-generating components of the PCB to a heatspreader, and then mount the heat spreader to the inside of a thermally conductive (aka metal) case, possibly with a heatsink on the other side.

If the ambient is even hotter than your device, you either need to do what a fridge does or use components rated for higher temperatures. Or a peltier, I guess.

Correct answer by DKNguyen on September 3, 2021

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