Intel QX9775 EU80574XL088N Data Sheet

75

The processor requires a thermal solution to maintain temperatures within its operating 

limits. Any attempt to operate the processor outside these operating limits may result 

in permanent damage to the processor and potentially other components within the 

system. As processor technology changes, thermal management becomes increasingly 

crucial when building computer systems. Maintaining the proper thermal environment 

is key to reliable, long-term system operation.

A complete solution includes both component and system level thermal management 

features. Component level thermal solutions can include active or passive heatsinks 

attached to the processor integrated heat spreader (IHS). Typical system level thermal 

solutions may consist of system fans combined with ducting and venting.

This section provides data necessary for developing a complete thermal solution. For 

more information on designing a component level thermal solution, refer to the 

appropriate processor Thermal and Mechanical Design Guidelines (see 

To allow the optimal operation and long-term reliability of Intel processor-based 

systems, the processor must remain within the minimum and maximum case 

temperature (TCASE) specifications as defined by the applicable thermal profile 

 and 

. Thermal solutions not designed to provide this level of 

thermal capability may affect the long-term reliability of the processor and system. For 

more details on thermal solution design, refer to the appropriate processor Thermal 

and Mechanical Design Guidelines (see 

The processor implements a methodology for managing processor temperatures which 

is intended to support acoustic noise reduction through fan speed control and to assure 

processor reliability. Selection of the appropriate fan speed is based on the relative 

temperature data reported by the processor’s Platform Environment Control Interface 

(PECI) bus as described in 

. If the value reported via PECI is less than 

T

CONTROL

, then the case temperature is permitted to exceed the Thermal Profile. If the 

value reported via PECI is greater than or equal to T

CONTROL

, then the processor case 

temperature must remain at or below the temperature as specified by the thermal. The 

temperature reported over PECI is always a negative value and represents a delta 

below the onset of thermal control circuit (TCC) activation, as indicated by PROCHOT# 

(see 

, Processor Thermal Features). Systems that implement fan speed 

control must be designed to use this data. Systems that do not alter the fan speed only 

need to ensure the case temperature meets the thermal profile specifications.

The processor supports a single Thermal Profile (see

, 

). With this 

Thermal Profile, it is expected that the Thermal Control Circuit (TCC) would only be 

activated for very brief periods of time when running the most power-intensive 

applications. Refer to the appropriate processor Thermal and Mechanical Design 

Guidelines (see 

) for details on system thermal solution design, thermal 

profiles and environmental considerations.

Analysis indicates that real applications are unlikely to cause the processor to consume 

maximum power dissipation for sustained time periods. Intel recommends that 

complete thermal solution designs target the Thermal Design Power (TDP) indicated in 

 for the processor, instead of the maximum processor power consumption. 

The Thermal Monitor feature is intended to help protect the processor in the event that 

an application exceeds the TDP recommendation for a sustained time period. For more