3 Methods for Compensating Localized Heat Generation in Smart Thermostats

Once smaller subsystems of a thermostat come together as a whole, it is not enough to simply add the heat dissipation of the devices to compensate for the offset. Now, there is a more complex thermodynamic integration that must be analyzed with respect to total heat generation, as well as ambient conditions. The component density also plays a role in this complex thermal analysis, which also has a direct effect on the amount of ambient localized airflow that the any one component is exposed to.

This video goes over three main methods thermostat designers can use to compensate for localized component heat generation. These methods include:

[1]   PCB Temperature Gradient Analysis

[2]   Main Thermostat Power Supply Current Sensing

[3]   Local Wireless Environmental Sensor Polling