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    31.0 Thermal Considerations: 31.1 Computer Finite Element Analysis

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    Thermal design is an important consideration for vacuum tube amplifiers, though it is not usually rigorously analyzed by hobbyists. Manufacturers can measure internal temperatures, while hobbyists often simply touch parts to check for overheating. The document describes the use of finite element analysis (FEA) software to model and predict the temperatures within a designed 40 watt vacuum tube amplifier. The FEA simulation found that most external surfaces would be safe to touch, with maximum internal temperatures expected to be within the vacuum tubes themselves.

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    31.0 Thermal Considerations: 31.1 Computer Finite Element Analysis

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    Thermal design is an important consideration for vacuum tube amplifiers, though it is not usually rigorously analyzed by hobbyists. Manufacturers can measure internal temperatures, while hobbyists often simply touch parts to check for overheating. The document describes the use of finite element analysis (FEA) software to model and predict the temperatures within a designed 40 watt vacuum tube amplifier. The FEA simulation found that most external surfaces would be safe to touch, with maximum internal temperatures expected to be within the vacuum tubes themselves.

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    vacuum tube thermal

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    Vacuum Tube

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    Thermal design is an important consideration for vacuum tube amplifiers, though it is not usually rigorously analyzed by hobbyists. Manufacturers can measure internal temperatures, while hobbyists often simply touch parts to check for overheating. The document describes the use of finite element analysis (FEA) software to model and predict the temperatures within a designed 40 watt vacuum tube amplifier. The FEA simulation found that most external surfaces would be safe to touch, with maximum internal temperatures expected to be within the vacuum tubes themselves.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    65 views4 pages

    31.0 Thermal Considerations: 31.1 Computer Finite Element Analysis

    Uploaded by

    buggy bugger
    Thermal design is an important consideration for vacuum tube amplifiers, though it is not usually rigorously analyzed by hobbyists. Manufacturers can measure internal temperatures, while hobbyists often simply touch parts to check for overheating. The document describes the use of finite element analysis (FEA) software to model and predict the temperatures within a designed 40 watt vacuum tube amplifier. The FEA simulation found that most external surfaces would be safe to touch, with maximum internal temperatures expected to be within the vacuum tubes themselves.

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    of 4

    Extracted from Designing Vacuum Tube Amplifiers and Related Topics

    Second Edition, Charles R. Couch February 2013


    Download link: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/sutb3baaajypfzp/5jAs6MErWU

    31.0 Thermal Considerations


    Thermal design is probably not a topic considered by the intended readers of this
    book during the design of a vacuum tube guitar amplifier. We know that these
    devices produce considerable heat but the effects aren't usually predicted or
    quantified except by empirical observation, perhaps even by commercial
    manufacturers.

    Manufacturers have the ability to measure internal temperatures with


    thermocouples, infra-red pyrometers and similar instruments. Where home-built
    amplifiers are concerned it is likely that the builder simply touches various points
    on the chassis to see if the completed assembly is overheated.

    Rigorous analysis isn't normally a practical problem for several reasons. One is
    that we are somewhat conditioned to accept thermal conditions that have existed
    in vacuum tube guitar amplifiers for many decades.

    But the primary reason is probably that prediction of temperatures is complex


    and tedious. I don't suggest that this is suitable for most new designers of
    vacuum tube amplifiers but a finite element analysis (FEA) thermal prediction
    was performed on the 40 watt amplifier design described in Chapter 29.0.

    31.1 Computer Finite Element Analysis

    Finite element analysis programs were once extremely expensive, limiting their
    usage to corporations (or very affluent engineers). That situation has changed
    now and freeware is even available. Freeware tools are not for average people,
    in my opinion. These are mostly basic packages developed with an assumption
    that the user has prior experience and knowledge of FEA, and are limited in
    application.

    This analysis was performed with LISA, a popular and inexpensive FEA
    application. Note that the predicted temperatures, as with most FEA applications
    are in degrees Kelvin. For those more comfortable with other scales:

    degrees Fahrenheit = (1.8 x Kelvin) - 459


    degrees Centigrade = Kelvin - 273

    The vacuum tube thermal models were developed separately with LISA then
    imported and merged into the chassis model. For simplification, vacuum tube
    thermal models did not include most of the internal details because they are
    second-order heat contributors (or even third-order). The major heat sources are
    the plates, cathodes and filaments of the power vacuum tube models.

    Here are some of the conditions assumed for the FEA simulation.

    Ambient temperature is 300 degrees K (81 degrees F)

    Chassis has some air circulation within the enclosure

    Front and rear faces of chassis are open to ambient air

    Power transformer has loss of 8 watts, converted to heat

    Output transformer has loss of 5.5 watts, converted to heat

    Internal circuits contribute 5 watts, converted to heat

    Pre-amplifier tubes dissipate 1.9 watts each

    Power tubes dissipate 32.6 watts each

    Pilot lights dissipate 1.2 watts each

    Total amplifier dissipation is about 90 watts

    Worst case analysis: full power for an indefinite period of time


    This condition is never encountered in actual service.

    This is a view of the amplifier chassis (enclosure not shown) as depicted by LISA
    after meshing:
    After applying heat generation, convection and radiation properties to the FEA
    model the simulation was performed, the results of which are described below.

    Distribution of temperature on the chassis is as one would expect; heat flux is


    flowing primarily from the output vacuum tubes as shown in the depiction. Some
    temperatures of interest were spot-checked with LISA tools:

    Front panel: 323 degrees K average

    Rear panel 324 degrees K average

    Top of chassis 326 degrees K average

    Sides of chassis 325 degrees K

    Top of chassis near power tubes 332 degrees K

    Transformers are at 326 degrees K

    Surface of pre-amplifier tubes 335 degrees K (might be erroneous)

    Surface of power tubes 508 degrees K

    A view of steady-state chassis temperatures (maximum power) conditions:


    To reveal maximum temperatures within the assembly, we can employ a "cutting
    plane", virtually slicing through the amplifier and revealing the interior
    temperatures of the output vacuum tubes under full drive.

    Temperature color codes, temperature scales and the "cutting plane" are user-
    defined in this particular FEA application. As expected, maximum temperatures
    are found within these two vacuum tubes.

    31.2 FEA Summary

    The simulation closely resembles empirical observations of similar amplifiers.


    Note that the human threshold of pain from heat is said to be around 336
    degrees K. With the exception of the two power tubes and possibly areas of the
    pre-amplifier tubes, one could safely touch any exterior surface of this amplifier.
    (The interior of the amplifier is off limits due to the presence of very high
    voltages.)

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