Buying Guide for Heatsinks
A heatsink is a device that is installed inside a computer and attached to its CPU via its motherboard. It transfers heat away from the CPU and releases it into the computer tower, which is cooled by heatsink fans. There are many heat sink types like aluminum and copper. Large heatsinks with fans are designed that way in an effort to reduce the amount of heat within the system. When a CPU overheats because of usage, it is more likely to fail and shut down the computer or sustain permanent damage that can require the CPU to be replaced.
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Benefits of Heat Sink
Even Distribution of Heat
The natural conduction allows the heat to move from a high-temperature environment to a low-temperature environment as it passes through large heat sinks. In the end, this will result in an inconsistent thermal profile for the heat sink. In other words, heat sinks are usually hotter at their sources and cooler at their extremities.
Cools Down the Devices
Cooling parts and components that may become hot when in use is commonly done using heat sinks. The heat generated by electronic and mechanical devices and machinery is dissipated by heat sinks.
Absorbs High Temperature
Many different types of electronic and mechanical devices produce high temperatures, which heat sinks absorb and dissipate. A heatsink-type device can be useful for any system that generates heat as a by-product of normal operation. There are many types of processes, such as mechanical, fuelled, electronic, frictional, chemical, solar, and nuclear.
Requires No Additional Equipment
Passive heat sinks account for the majority of heat sinks. If they remain in direct contact with a specific part or component, they will conduct heat away from the source naturally without any further equipment or processes required.
Factors to Consider Before Buying Heat Sink
Determine the Power Dissipation by the Device
When designing a Heat Sink, the first step is to determine the amount of power dissipated by the Semiconductor device. The Power Loss in a Semiconductor device can be calculated using a variety of methodologies. For linear power supplies, the following example explains how the dissipation of power can be calculated
Determine Target Junction Temperature
A junction temperature of 125 C is allowed per the datasheet value. To improve efficiency and product lifespan, we can choose 80% of the maximum rating. In this case, 100 °C would be an appropriate temperature for the junction. Different applications would require different junction temperatures.
Determine Maximum Ambient Temperature
Electronic products will operate differently in different environments. Some systems are installed in fully air-conditioned units, some in open, exposed areas, and some near hot machinery. Therefore, the designer must determine and choose the working environment conditions based on the environmental conditions, as well as determine the maximum ambient temperature. A maximum ambient temperature of 35 C is taken here for the LM317, which is used in indoor applications.
Overall Performance of the System
One should examine a variety of parameters that affect not only the heat sink performance but also the overall performance of the system when selecting a heat sink that meets the required thermal criteria.
Conclusion
The term heat sink is likely not one most people think of when they hear the word computer, but it should be. Computers couldn't run at the speeds that they do without heat sinks. A heat sink cools down your computer's processor after running many programs at once, just as Gatorade cools you down after a high-impact workout. You run the risk of damaging your entire system if your computer processor overheats without a quality heat sink. If you are looking to buy, choose the best one from our featured section above. We review and recommend leading heat sinks based on temperature, compatibility, and performance. After reading hundreds of reviews, we recommend top heatsinks.