What is a CPU Heatsink? Everything you need to know

I believe everyone knows the CPU, which is the core processing element of every PC and is responsible for processing every data on the computer. CPU Heatsink manufacturer Coolsolte will share with you what is CPU Heatsink through this article, let's take a look.

What is a CPU Heatsink?

A heatsink is a piece of metal (usually aluminum or copper) made up of multiple heatsinks, placed on top of the CPU with a fan or liquid cooler to transfer heat and help cool the CPU.

Why do CPU need a CPU heatsink?

A CPU can quickly overheat because some of its components generate heat. Without a heat sink, the heat generated by the components can remain in the CPU, causing it to overheat or even burn up. Because most components are made of electronic chips, they can easily absorb heat. If they receive too much heat, they can be damaged and affect the proper functioning of the PC for use.

The cooler is the best solution to help solve CPU overheating. CPU coolers can dissipate heat from the CPU while it is working because they have multiple heatsinks, so they can provide a larger surface area during heat transfer and maintain effective heat dissipation even when the CPU is working for a long time.

How do CPU heat sinks work?

The workings of a heat sink can be divided into four basic steps.

1. Heat source: This can be any system that generates heat and needs to remove said heat to function accordingly, such as mechanical, electrical, chemical, nuclear, solar, and friction.

2. Heat transfer away from the source: In applications in direct contact with the heat sink, heat enters the heat sink by natural conduction and moves away from the source. The thermal conductivity of the heat sink material directly affects this process. This is why highly thermally conductive materials like copper and aluminum are so common in the construction of radiators.

3. Heat is distributed throughout the radiator: Heat will be naturally conducted through the radiator by natural conduction through a thermal gradient from a high-temperature environment to a low-temperature environment. This ultimately means that the heat distribution of the radiator will be inconsistent. As a result, the radiator will typically be hotter near the heat source and cooler at the end of the radiator.

4. Heat moving away from the radiator: This process depends on the temperature gradient of the radiator and its working fluid (i.e., fan or liquid cold plate).

What are the types of Heatsinks?

There are three types of heat sinks passive heat sinks, edge heat sinks, and hybrid heat sinks.

Passive Heatsinks

Passive radiators rely on natural convection, meaning that the buoyancy of the hot air alone causes airflow throughout the radiator system. The benefit of these radiators is that they do not require an auxiliary power supply or control system to remove heat from the system. However, passive radiators are not as effective as active radiators in transferring heat from the system.

Active Heatsinks

Active radiators use forced air to increase fluid flow through the hot zone. A fan usually accomplishes forced air. An example of a fan generating forced air through a heat sink is the fan in your personal computer that turns on after your computer gets hot. The fan forces air through the radiator, which allows more unheated air to cross the radiator surface, thus increasing the total thermal gradient of the radiator system and allowing more heat to leave the entire system.

Hybrid Heatsinks

Hybrid radiators combine some aspects of passive and active radiators. These configurations are less common and typically rely on the control system to cool the system based on temperature requirements.

When the system operates at a lower temperature, the forced air source is inactive and only passively cools the system. Once the source reaches a higher temperature, the active cooling mechanism kicks in to increase the system's cooling capacity.

CPU Heatsink materials

CPU Heatsinks are generally made of copper and aluminum, metals with high thermal dissipation capabilities and are the most commonly used metal materials in coolers. You can learn more about the types of coolers available through our product page, "CPU Heatsink."

Conclusion

CPUs, which handle large amounts of data, is very heat-prone components. CPU coolers play a critical role in keeping this core component in proper working condition over time. They play a crucial role in dissipating heat from the CPU and avoiding overheating, protecting the physical surfaces of critical parts and components. CPU coolers and CPUs are, therefore, inseparable pairs and an indispensable part of every PC.