Thermal Design User Guide: Agilex™ 3 FPGAs and SoCs

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ID 851249
Date 5/12/2025
Public
Document Table of Contents
Document Table of Contents x
1. Introduction to Agilex™ 3 FPGA Thermal Design Guidelines 2. Agilex™ 3 FPGA Mechanical Construction 3. Agilex™ 3 FPGA Compact Thermal Model (CTM) Construction 4. Power and Thermal Calculator (PTC) 5. Thermal Design Process 6. General FPGA Thermal Design Considerations 7. Design Examples 8. Heat Sinks 9. Document Revision History for the Thermal Design User Guide: Agilex™ 3 FPGAs and SoCs A. Agilex™ 3 FPGA Product Keys and Package Drawings
1. Introduction to Agilex™ 3 FPGA Thermal Design Guidelines x
1.1. Thermal Design Requirements 1.2. Thermal Design Flow 1.3. Definitions of Thermal and Power Terms Used in this Document
2. Agilex™ 3 FPGA Mechanical Construction x
2.1. Built-in Temperature Sensors
2.1. Built-in Temperature Sensors x
2.1.1. Agilex™ 3 FPGA Temperature Rating
3. Agilex™ 3 FPGA Compact Thermal Model (CTM) Construction x
3.1. CTM File Format 3.2. Thermal Modeling with the CTM 3.3. CTM Top Temperature, TCASE Virtual Sensor 3.4. Obtaining the CTM
4. Power and Thermal Calculator (PTC) x
4.1. PTC Thermal Tab Parameters 4.2. Thermal Analysis with the PTC 4.3. PTC Thermal Tab Calculation Options 4.4. Thermal Resistances and Low Power Devices 4.5. Sensor Temperatures on the PTC Thermal Tab
5. Thermal Design Process x
5.1. Package Heat Flow Path 5.2. Variables Affecting the Heat Flow Path 5.3. Recommended Thermal Design Method
6. General FPGA Thermal Design Considerations x
6.1. FPGA Power Considerations
6.1. FPGA Power Considerations x
6.1.1. FPGA Maximum Allowed Power Dissipation 6.1.2. Static, Dynamic, and Standby Power 6.1.3. Future-Proofing an FPGA Thermal Design
7. Design Examples x
7.1. Example 1: Find Cooling Solution for Maximum Junction Temperature Limit 7.2. Example 2: Find Available Thermal Margin for Cooling Solution 7.3. Example 3: Find the Ambient Temperature for a Specified Cooling Solution
8. Heat Sinks x
8.1. Attachment Force 8.2. Thermal Interface Material (TIM)
8.2. Thermal Interface Material (TIM) x
8.2.1. Common TIM2 Materials
8.2.1. Common TIM2 Materials x
8.2.1.1. TIM2 Performance Parameters And Challenges 8.2.1.2. Understanding Resistance and Pressure Map Curves
1. Introduction to Agilex™ 3 FPGA Thermal Design Guidelines
2. Agilex™ 3 FPGA Mechanical Construction
3. Agilex™ 3 FPGA Compact Thermal Model (CTM) Construction
4. Power and Thermal Calculator (PTC)
5. Thermal Design Process
6. General FPGA Thermal Design Considerations
7. Design Examples
8. Heat Sinks
9. Document Revision History for the Thermal Design User Guide: Agilex™ 3 FPGAs and SoCs
A. Agilex™ 3 FPGA Product Keys and Package Drawings

3.1. CTM File Format

Altera offers the latest CTMs in ECXML format and as STEP files.

ECXML files are compatible with the following CFD tools:

  • Icepak* from ANSYS
  • Flotherm* from Siemens*
  • Celsius EC* from Cadence

You can use STEP files with CAD-based CFD analysis tools such as Solid Works or Autodesk. STEP files do not have built-in material thermal properties, built-in sensors, or built-in 2D power planes like the ECXML files. Altera provides the material thermal properties in a separate file, and you must input that into the model. You must assign power to the die and add a thermal sensor at the geometric top-center of the die.

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