In the design and manufacturing process of modern electronic equipment, heat sinks are an indispensable and important part. Their main task is to effectively dissipate the heat generated by the equipment during operation, thereby ensuring the normal operation of the equipment and extending its service life. There are many designs and types of heat sinks, of which the two most common ones are active heat sinks and passive heat sinks. So, what are the characteristics and applications of these two types of heat sinks?
1. Active heat sink
As the name suggests, active heat sinks refer to heat sinks that require external power to enhance the heat dissipation effect. The most typical active heat sinks are air-cooled heat sinks and water-cooled heat sinks.
1). Air-cooled heat sink:
Air-cooled heat sinks generate airflow through the rotation of the fan to take away the heat from the surface of the heat sink. They usually consist of a metal heat sink and one or more fans. Metal heat sinks are usually made of aluminum or copper materials, because their good thermal conductivity can quickly transfer heat from the heat source to the heat sink, and then take the heat away through the fan.
Advantages:
- Low cost;
- Easy to install and maintain;
- Suitable for most common electronic devices such as computers, TVs and household appliances.
Disadvantages:
- Loud noise, especially under high load;
- Cooling effect is limited by air flow speed and ambient temperature.
2). Water-cooled radiator:
Water-cooled radiator removes heat through a liquid circulation system. Liquid (usually cooling water or special coolant) circulates in pipes through a pump, removing heat from the device and releasing it to the external environment through the radiator. The cooling effect of the water cooling system is usually better than that of the air cooling system, and it is suitable for high-performance computing equipment and industrial equipment that requires efficient heat dissipation.
Advantages:
- High heat dissipation efficiency;
- Low noise;
- Suitable for high-performance and high-heat equipment such as servers, high-end gaming computers and some industrial equipment.
Disadvantages:
- High cost;
- Complex installation and maintenance;
- Coolant needs to be replaced regularly to prevent system leakage.
2. Passive radiator
Passive radiators do not require any external power, but rely on natural convection and radiation to dissipate heat. The most common passive radiators are natural convection radiators and heat pipe radiators.
1). Natural convection radiators:
Natural convection radiators are usually composed of metal fins, which improve the heat dissipation effect by increasing the surface area of the radiator. They rely entirely on the natural flow of air to dissipate heat into the environment, do not require any moving parts, and therefore are almost noiseless.
Advantages:
- No noise;
- Simple maintenance;
- Low cost.
Disadvantages:
- Low heat dissipation efficiency;
- Limited application range, usually used for low-power devices such as small power supplies, LED lights and some portable electronic devices;
2). Heat pipe radiator:
The heat pipe radiator uses the efficient thermal conductivity of the heat pipe to quickly transfer heat from the heat source to the heat sink, and then dissipate heat through natural convection or auxiliary fans. The heat pipe is usually filled with an evaporable liquid. When the heat is transferred to one end of the heat pipe, the liquid evaporates and quickly transfers the heat to the other end, and then releases the heat through condensation.
Advantages:
- Efficient heat conduction capacity;
- Compact structure;
- Suitable for medium and high power devices such as laptops, graphics cards and some industrial equipment.
Disadvantages:
- High cost;
- Complex installation;
- Requires precise design and manufacturing to ensure good performance of the heat pipe.
In general, active and passive radiators have their own advantages and disadvantages and are suitable for different application scenarios. Active radiators are suitable for high-performance devices that require efficient heat dissipation, while passive radiators are suitable for low-power devices with high noise and maintenance requirements. Choosing the right type of radiator can effectively improve the performance and reliability of the equipment and extend its service life.
