ADVA, the leading metro optical-networking provider in Europe, develops a series of fiber optic boards, opto-electronic boards and accompanying cabinets and shelves. The company had tested other thermal packages, but found them cumbersome. Using Coolit, the company can easily construct and run models and display the three-dimensional colored simulations that predict temperatures and airflows inside its cabinets.

During a recent redesign, the company was investigating a special heat sink design and called on support from AMS Technologies, the Daat sales representative and Support Center in Germany. Using Coolit and expert technical support from AMS, ADVA engineers quickly detected breakdown conditions that had not been anticipated.

“We could not have conducted the same detailed analysis in the laboratory as we did we Coolit,” explains ADVA’s R&D engineer for Optical+Ethernet networking products. “We not only gained time, but also real safety in our thermal design through use of the software.”

ADVA has verified its computational results against thermal models in the laboratory, and is planning to eliminate thermal prototyping of new product designs.

The ADVA FSP 2000 Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) system cabinet.

A Coolit model of the cabinet showing surface temperature and streamline ribbons.