Exploring Power and Cooling Lecture Notes

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering computer power supplies, AC adapters, and various cooling systems as described in the lecture notes.

Power Supply Unit (PSU)

A device that converts $110VAC$ or $220VAC$ current into the specific DC voltages needed by a computer to operate.

Direct Current (DC)

A type of electrical current that does not alter the direction in which the electrons flow.

Alternating Current (AC)

Standard power distribution current that alters direction $50$ or $60$ times per second ($50\,Hz$ or $60\,Hz$).

VDC

The abbreviation used for Volts DC.

$$+3.3VDC$$

One of the standard DC voltages provided by a PSU to computer components.

$$+5VDC$$

A standard DC voltage provided by a laptop AC adapter or a desktop power supply.

$$+12VDC$$

A DC voltage found on newer computer systems supplied by the power supply.

Watt

A unit of power used to rate the capacity of a power supply to supply energy to the device.

Transformers and Capacitors

Components within a power supply that can discharge lethal amounts of current even when disconnected from an outlet.

ATX power connector

A keyed connector used to provide power from the PSU to the motherboard.

Molex connector

A 4-pin peripheral power connector commonly used for PATA hard drives and optical drives.

PEG connector

A 6-pin PCIe internal power connector used for high-performance peripherals.

SATA connector

A dedicated power connector found on newer PSUs for storage and optical drives.

Dual-voltage selector switch

A recessed slider switch on the rear of a PSU used to adjust the device for $110V/120V$ or $220V/240V$ grids.

$$110VAC \text{ to } 120VAC$$

The range of voltage supplied by the power grid in the United States.

$$220VAC \text{ to } 240VAC$$

The range of voltage supplied by the power grid in Europe.

AC adapter

A device used by laptop computers to convert AC current into DC power for internal components.

USB-C connector

A modern connector type used on the end of many newer laptop power supplies.

Heat sink

A large block of metal with fins used to dissipate heat rapidly from a component by increasing surface area.

Air cooling

The most common method of computer cooling which utilizes the movement of air to remove heat.

Front Intake Fan

A fan used to bring fresh, cool air into the computer case for cooling purposes.

Rear Exhaust Fan

A fan used to take hot air out of the computer case.

Power Supply Exhaust Fan

A fan at the back of the PSU that cools the unit and draws hot air through the PSU vents to be blown out.

Liquid cooling

A cooling method that uses a water block to conduct heat away from the processor to a radiator.

All-in-one (AIO) cooler

A common, compact type of liquid cooler for home PCs that includes one to three fans.

Water block

A component in a liquid cooling system that conducts heat away from the processor or chipset.

Radiator

The part of a liquid cooling system where the circulated water is cooled.

Rheostat

An adjustable device on some CPU fans that allows a user to dial in the amount of airflow to reduce noise.

Modular connections

Power supply connections that use detachable leads instead of a permanent wiring harness.

CPU heat sensor

An internal motherboard device that can shut down the computer if no cooling fan is active to prevent damage.