Wriggling Heat Sinks 195
YourHero writes "Purdue researchers have come up with a new way to cool chips, in about 2 years. Just build a bunch of little piezoelectric fans (the waving kind, not the spinning kind). Since they don't spin, no bearings, less self-generated heat. Since they don't have magnets, no electromagnetic noise problems. And, of course, super-efficient. A press release and abstract for your reading pleasure. Formal presentation at THERMES 2002 Jan 15th."
Hotter than the SUN?! (Score:2, Interesting)
Is this true? If so I have so much more respect for my heatsink....
Re:awe come on... (Score:2, Interesting)
Big fans and ducting is the way to go... (Score:2, Interesting)
Trick questions (Score:5, Interesting)
cooling by piezo-electric cilia (Score:5, Interesting)
Imagine the piezoelectric fan on a larger scale, not just waving a metal+ceramic blade (single flexible surface area), but creating an undulating sheet about the size of a letter/a4 size piece of paper using stripes of piezoelectric flexion areas that create a wave every 2-3cm. Now combine this with the latest in flexible printed circuitry top and bottom (or 2 layers top and bottom, for the really adventurous). I'd imagine you might also need periodic non-flexible stripes (ends?) for components and connects that can't be made flexible. Then add a lower-power processor and put it into an enclosure only slightly larger than the wave height, such as, say, a laptop computer housing. What do you have?
You'd get a motherboard that cools itself by cilia-like swimming/undulation movement that pushes air (against the enclosure) across its surface silently.
You'd get quieter rackmount systems, with 1U or "blade" servers that self-vent. ("Ah, yah need tah balance yer server there, buddy, the blades are outta sync.")
You get a laptop that you might enjoy putting in your lap. (On second thought, I'm not sure I want to sit next to someone on a plane with a two-stroke laptop...)
just my $0.02
-Jon Espenschied
Next step is the return of the Mac Chimney.. (Score:2, Interesting)
I see no reason why the same technology could not be applied to modern CPUs and computers. It would be energy efficient to say the least..
On a side note, if you want an interesting geometry problem, try to mathematically design a pyramid out of cardboard for a specific height and base.
Where is the active cooling? (Score:2, Interesting)
However, solid state heat transfer has been around for ages. I would love to find an advert for a 12-volt refridgerator for camping that I saw back in the 1970's. It used a pezo film between two heat sinks, one on the inside and one on the outside. Apply the voltage, and heat was moved actively into the outside heat sink, enough to chill your beer and keep the fish fresh on the trip home.
Put such a film between the chip and a heat sink. Gosh wow, a cool CPU.
Bob-