3.5 - Cooling

Computer Cooling Technologies

  • Heat Generation: All computer components create heat; cooling is vital.

  • Airflow Systems:

    • Cool air is pulled in through the case.

    • Warm air is expelled out the other side.

    • Proper layout of components is crucial for airflow.

  • Fans:

    • Available in standard sizes (80mm, 120mm, 200mm).

    • Variable speed: increases as the system heats.

    • Higher noise levels with faster speeds.

  • Passive Cooling:

    • Fanless systems used for quiet operation.

    • Common in servers and set-top boxes.

  • Heat Sinks:

    • Essential for dissipating heat from components.

    • Increase surface area through fins for heat dispersion.

    • Important to avoid direct contact post-use due to heat.

  • Thermal Interface Materials:

    • Thermal Paste (Grease):

    • Enhances thermal contact between CPU and heat sink.

    • Applied in pea-sized amounts.

    • Thermal Pads:

    • Alternative to thermal paste, less messy but less effective.

    • Used to prevent leaks; not reusable.

  • Using Thermal Paster

    • Apply pea sized amount on top of component (EX: CPU)

    • Add heat sink on top

    • CPU, Thermal Paste, Heatskink

  • Cooling Configurations:

    • Heat sink on CPU, with optional fan for efficiency.

    • Larger fans may be oriented differently for optimal cooling.

  • Liquid Cooling:

    • Used in high-end gaming PCs and for overclocking.

    • Consists of:

      • Heat sink on CPU.

      • Coolant pipes to radiators with fans.

      • Cycles coolant to manage heat effectively.