Heat sink facts for kids

A heat sink is a special device that helps cool down other parts that get too hot, especially inside electronics. Think of it like a mini-radiator for your computer! It touches the hot part, takes the heat away, and then spreads that heat into the air around it, keeping everything at a safe temperature.

Two heat sinks inside a computer.

Why Do We Need Heat Sinks?

Many electronic parts, like the tiny chips inside a computer, create a lot of heat when they are working. If these parts get too hot, they can stop working correctly or even break permanently. This is where heat sinks come in handy! They are essential for keeping these important components cool and safe.

Heat sinks are found in most computers. The chips inside a computer can get very hot. Therefore they need to be cooled, so that they don't break. This is usually done with a heat sink. Heat sinks are also found in most high fidelity audio amplifiers.

How Heat Sinks Work

A heat sink works by moving heat away from a hot object. It does this using a process called heat transfer. The heat sink is usually made of a metal that is very good at conducting heat, like aluminum or copper.

Moving the Heat

When the heat sink touches a hot chip, the heat quickly moves from the chip into the heat sink. This is like when you touch a hot stove and the heat moves into your hand. The heat sink then has a larger surface area, often with many fins or pins. This large surface area helps the heat spread out.

Releasing the Heat

Once the heat is spread out, the heat sink releases it into the surrounding air. Sometimes, a small fan is used with the heat sink to blow air over its fins. This helps to move the hot air away and bring cooler air in, making the cooling process even more effective. This is why you often hear a fan running inside your computer!

Where Are Heat Sinks Used?

You can find heat sinks in many different electronic devices.

• Computers: They are very common in desktop computers, laptops, and even smartphones to cool the main processor (CPU) and graphics card (GPU).
• Game Consoles: Your favorite game console also uses heat sinks to keep its powerful chips from overheating during long gaming sessions.
• Audio Amplifiers: High-quality sound systems often have heat sinks to cool the parts that make the sound louder.
• LED Lights: Powerful LED light bulbs also use small heat sinks to keep the LED chips cool, which helps them last longer.

Images for kids

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  Typical heatsink-fan combination found on a consumer laptop.

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  Sketch of a heat sink in a duct.

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  Different types of heat sinks: pin, straight, and flared fin.

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  Air flow around a pin-fin heat sink.

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  A server flash-memory card with a black heat sink.

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  Cooling system of an Asus GTX-650 graphics card.

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  Roll of thermally conductive tape.

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  A pin fin heat sink with a Z-clip retainer.

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  Two ways to attach a heat sink: maxiGRIP (left) and Talon Clip (right).

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  A pair of push pins.

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  How thermal conductivity and interface resistance work together.

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  High-power LEDs from Philips Lumileds Lighting Company.

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  Sketch of a heat sink with how heat resists moving through it.

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  How heat resistance changes with air flow for a heat sink.

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  Radial heat sink with heat and air flow patterns.

See also

In Spanish: Disipador para niños