"Called electrohydrodynamic (EHD)-based thermal control, the technology promises to make it easier and more efficient to remove heat from small spaces, vastly expanding the capabilities of advanced instruments and microprocessors.

Unlike traditional single-phase thermal-control technologies that rely on mechanical pumps and other moving parts, EHD cooling uses electric fields to pump coolant through tiny ducts inside a thermal cold plate. From there, the waste heat is dumped into a radiator and dispersed far from heat-sensitive circuitry that must operate within certain temperature ranges. Its architecture, therefore, is relatively straightforward. Electrodes apply the voltage that pushes the coolant through the ducts.