Humidity Buildup in Electronic Enclosures Exposed to Constant Conditions

Electronic components and devices are exposed to a wide variety of climatic conditions, therefore the protection of electronic devices from humidity is becoming a critical factor in the system design. The ingress of moisture into typical electronic enclosures has been studied with defined parameters such as openings in the enclosure (drain holes, intentional openings or leak) and sealing and casing material.

Related corrosion reliability issues due to humidity buildup have been evaluated using an interdigitated surface insulation resistance pattern placed inside the enclosure during exposure. The moisture buildup inside the enclosure has been simulated using an equivalent RC circuit consisting of variables like controlled resistors and capacitors to describe the diffusivity, permeability, and storage in polymers.