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Altera_Forum's avatar
Altera_Forum
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10 years ago

Stratix V Thermal Run Away

I have 3 boards with a Stratix V on them. All of them increase in temperature power (current draw) over time. If you cool the FPGA down the current draw drop dramatically proportional to the power usage. One of the boards eventually goes into thermal runaway getting hotter and hotter pulling more and more current until two of its power supplies collapse the 0.9V and the 1.5V supplies.

If this normal for a Stratix V to increase current as temperatures increases and decrease current when temperature decreases even when the functionality does no change, no increase of load, clocks or voltages? I usually expect it to increase power when frequency or number of gates increase not just a function of temperature.

Thanks

John Mladenik

1 Reply

  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
    Icon for Honored Contributor rankHonored Contributor
    10 years ago

    This is true of all electronic circuits, it's just that this effect is more apparent in high density integrated circuits. Power will increase with any one (or more) of the parameters you mention. For any given design power consumption will increase with temperature and/or clock frequency.

    You'll need appropriate thermal management to overcome the thermal run away.

    Cheers,

    Alex