Authors
Nainesh Anil Lad, Zoya Popovic, Laila Marzall, and Paul M. Rady
Abstract
This work presents the initial mechanical enclosure design and thermal analysis for a portable phased array system operating in the 7-8 GHz range. The system includes a Virtex UltraScale+ XCVU9P FPGA and a Quad-MxFE platform populated with four AD9081 transceivers, all of which require careful thermal management when enclosed in compact housing. Thermal simulations were conducted for the FPGA under both passive (still-air) and forced-air (750 LPM) conditions, with a power dissipation of approximately 50 W. Figure 1 shows the results from the still-air simulation, while Figure 2 presents forced-air simulation results. The heat transfer coefficient was calculated, and based on the outcomes, a suitable heatsink vendor was selected (Figure 3). For the MxFE board, which dissipates approximately 36 W across its four AD9081 chips and features onboard fans, still-air simulations were conducted to evaluate the adequacy of internal cooling (Figure 4). No additional external airflow was applied in this analysis due to built-in active cooling on the board, which is sufficient for MxFE (Figure 5). CAD models of both the FPGA and MxFE (Figure 6 and Figure 7) assemblies were developed to support spatial planning and mechanical integration. The components are being enclosed within a Pelican Protector 1550 case, selected for its compact form factor. Internal airflow is managed using AC Infinity fans, identified to support heat removal from high-power components. Figure 8 illustrates the initial enclosure layout with component placement and airflow planning. Currently, the mechanical team is transitioning the design to the prototyping stage. The initial proof of concept will involve integrating all boards, the power system, and the cooling system within the enclosure, followed by a testing phase.