The fanless spinning heatsink: more efficient and immune to dust

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  1. Posts : 53,363
    Windows 10 Home x64
       #1

    The fanless spinning heatsink: more efficient and immune to dust


    I give you the Air Bearing Heat Exchanger [PDF]. Developed by Jeff Koplow, a researcher at the US government’s Sandia National Laboratories, the new heatsink (which has also been dubbed the “Sandia Cooler”) basically resembles a big, metal fan. The cooler consists of a static metal baseplate, which is connected to the CPU, GPU, or other hot object, and a finned, rotating heat exchanger that are cushioned by a thin (0.001-inch) layer of air. As the metal blades spin, centrifugal force kicks up the air and throws it up and outwards, much like an impeller, creating a cooling effect.
    Source

    The fanless spinning heatsink: your questions answered by the inventor

    After we covered the fanless, dust and detritus-immune heat exchanger last week, we were inundated with questions about the new technology. How does it work? Does it really use a thin layer of air to transfer heat — and if so, how can that possibly be better than copper or thermal grease? Is it really immune to dust, or are you just being hyperbolic? Are you sure that it can actually save 7% of annual electricity consumption in the US?
    Source

    A Guy
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 509
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit SP1
       #2

    That is insane, I never thought someone could come up with a simple design that could do a better job than thermal grease.
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  3. Posts : 6,885
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64, Mint 9
       #3

    That thing is SO COOL.

    ~Lordbob
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 94
    Windows 7 Ultimate x86
       #4

    Seems cool and I think it would make a killer looking heat sink inside a water cooling container of some kind. But I seriously doubt a "thin layer of air" transfers heat better than thermal paste. I do think it might be better at removing the heated air from the area and better overall but I don't think the heat transfer rate is going to be better

    Sent from my Droid Incredible
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  5. Posts : 53,363
    Windows 10 Home x64
    Thread Starter
       #5

    Download the pdf file. It must be better, he has equations!

    A Guy
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 4,161
    Windows 7 Pro-x64
       #6

    Air is a poor conductor of heat. That's what makes fiberglass batting such a good insulator. I also don't understand why it's called fanless. It is a fan! ("...and a finned, rotating heat exchanger...") Looks like snake oil to me with low "high-end" capacity. And I would guess, very expensive.
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  7. Posts : 509
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit SP1
       #7

    @Carwiz:
    It is fanless, it's a rotating heatsink with no fan.
    A fan sucks air in and then blows it out the other side.
    This rotating heatsink obtains air from the grooves of the blades and channels the air to the center creating a vortex of air, the vortex will put newly acquired air in the center as the hot air travels upward in the vortex.

    Simple geometry of the design allows equal distribution of heat with an effective way of cooling by controlling the movement of the air.
    I personally think that some kind of thermal grease would be needed since these things get up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit without the thermal paste.
    If this thing can keep a Quad-Core CPU operating at 3.5GHz per core cool enough to operate safely and have long life expectancy, then I may consider it as a good option to use.
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  8. Posts : 107
    Micro$oft Windows 7 Ultimate x64
       #8

    i would like to see one running... i should think it'd need a finger guard at least... (something to keep wires out of its way)
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  9. Posts : 4,161
    Windows 7 Pro-x64
       #9

    PwnFrnzy said:
    @Carwiz:
    It is fanless, it's a rotating heatsink with no fan.
    A fan sucks air in and then blows it out the other side.
    LOL... Riiiiiiiiiiiight. Did you read what you wrote? :)
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 4,161
    Windows 7 Pro-x64
       #10

    Forgot to mention: The heat sink is the 100mm base plate. The "FAN" is the spiral formed blades turned by that 5W motor. It draws air through the vanes and across the heat sink. The .001" air gap is between the heat sink and fan. Call the parts what ever you want, it's still a fan. :)

    I don't know about your motherboard but there's no way a 100mm disk will fit on top of my CPU and clear the surrounding parts. That's outside the thermal area for the CPU too.
      My Computer


 
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