Physics of course gets the original patent on this, as thermal interface material will naturally do the same thing, given time, heat and clamping force. You can see examples of this after removing a heatsink, provided the base of the heatsink is flat and the clamping forces even. If these conditions exist, you'll see a pattern in the shape of a X going from corner to corner in the remaining thermal goo, with fine fractal patterns sub-dividing the remaining area ad infinitum.

Patent 7282799: Worth the read.

"In this study, the heat transfer performance of various commonly used fin geometries is compared. Realistic, manufacturable geometries are considered for minimizing thermal resistance at moderate laminar air velocities and pressure gradients. These consist of plate fins or pin fins, which can be round, elliptical, or square. The plate fins can be continuous (parallel plates) or staggered. The pin fins can be inline or staggered arrays." [IMAPS.ORG] via [Frostytech.com] ]]> BY: Frostytech.com Cooling / Heatsinks Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:42:43 http://www.frostytech.com/permalink.cfm?NewsID=97016 http://www.frostytech.com/permalink.cfm?NewsID=97015

"

1. THE SEEBECK COEFFICIENT
Clemens J. M. Lasance (2006)

The aluminum fins on this tower heatsink are 0.2mm thick, allowing air to easily pass through the fin stack and consequently keep noise levels in check. The single 140mm PWM fan on the Igloo H58 heatsink rocks out at 1400 RPM full blast, just 700 RPM when dialed back to its most conservative speed. Noise levels flutter between 46.4-31.0 dBA according to Frostytech's real world sound measurements - ie. it's nice and quiet. [FROSTYTECH] via [Frostytech.com] ]]> BY: Frostytech.com Cooling / Heatsinks Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:54:53 http://www.frostytech.com/permalink.cfm?NewsID=96882 http://www.frostytech.com/permalink.cfm?NewsID=96836 "Cooler Master's GeminII range offer top down cooling designs, with the S524 the newest edition. Compatible with 120mm and 140mm fans it can offer an upgrade for your processor cooling - and your whole system." [RAGE3D] via [Frostytech.com] ]]> BY: Frostytech.com Cooling / Heatsinks Fri, 27 Jan 2012 09:01:00 http://www.frostytech.com/permalink.cfm?NewsID=96836 http://www.frostytech.com/permalink.cfm?NewsID=96833 The evolutionary Hyper 212 model now boasts new base with improved heatpipes direct-touch technology and a new fan. The cooler has also become a little pricier. Let’s find out how successful these improvements turned out to be. [XBITLABS] via [Frostytech.com] ]]> BY: Frostytech.com Cooling / Heatsinks Thu, 26 Jan 2012 09:02:00 http://www.frostytech.com/permalink.cfm?NewsID=96833 http://www.frostytech.com/permalink.cfm?NewsID=96832 Can a well-known cooling product manufacturer roll out a good SSD? Yes, he can, because the second generation SandForce platform paved a very short route to the SSD market for those interested. [XBITLABS] via [Frostytech.com] ]]> BY: Frostytech.com Hard Drives Thu, 26 Jan 2012 09:01:00 http://www.frostytech.com/permalink.cfm?NewsID=96832 http://www.frostytech.com/permalink.cfm?NewsID=96856 The Cooler Master Hyper 412 PWM takes the idea of direct contact a step further by using what they term “C.D.C.” Heat Pipes. “C.D.C.” in the Cooler Master Hyper 412 PWM stands for “Continuous Direct Contact”, and refers to four reshaped heat pipes which allow them to be placed with no gaps between. The heat pipes transform to a half circle in the contact area, and laid side by side allow for a smooth, even coverage on the CPU’s hot spots, all with direct heat pipe contact. In addition, the Hyper 412 PWM offers airflow refinements using a 120mm fan with variable speeds from 600-2000rpm controlled by PWM, and is dual fan capable with hardware for the second fan included." [HITECHLEGION] via [Frostytech.com] ]]> BY: Frostytech.com Cooling / Heatsinks Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:35:40 http://www.frostytech.com/permalink.cfm?NewsID=96856 http://www.frostytech.com/permalink.cfm?NewsID=96837 "The Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO is a mid-priced tower cooler for budget minded enthusiasts looking for a solid performing and good looking replacement for their stock cooler. Using Intel's X58 Core i7 platform as a heat load, we test it in single and dual fan configuration." [RAGE3D] via [Frostytech.com] ]]> BY: Frostytech.com Cooling / Heatsinks Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:08:54 http://www.frostytech.com/permalink.cfm?NewsID=96837 http://www.frostytech.com/permalink.cfm?NewsID=96828 Hardwareoverclock.com has just posted another review. Last week we have taken a look at the Corsair Hydro H100 watercooler. Are you still searching a silent and strong cooler for your cpu? Maybe the Corsair Hydro H100 is the right one for you. [HARDWAREOVERCLOCK] via [Frostytech.com] ]]> BY: Frostytech.com Cooling / Heatsinks Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:04:23 http://www.frostytech.com/permalink.cfm?NewsID=96828 http://www.frostytech.com/permalink.cfm?NewsID=96827 Als Neueinsteiger hat man es meist nicht leicht in einem umkämpften Markt mit etablierten Unternehmen Fuß zu fassen. Reeven startet diesen Versuch dennoch und versucht mit der ColdWing-12-Serie den etablierten Firmen Marktanteile abzunehmen. Mit vier verschiedenen Varianten will man sowohl den Silent-Fan, als auch die Enthusiasten ansprechen. So bieten die Lüfter, welche in einem auffälligen Schwarz und Gelb daherkommen, für jeden Anwender etwas. Neben zwei PWM-Lüftern gibt es auch noch zwei Varianten, die eine feste Drehzahl besitzen. In unserem Kurztest wollen wir uns zum einen die Lüfter mit 800 U/min anschauen, als auch den PWM-Lüfter, welcher im Drehzahlbereich von 500 bis 1.500 U/min arbeitet. Wie sich die beiden Ventilatoren geschlagen haben, klären wir auf den folgenden Seiten. [BABELFISH] via [Frostytech.com] ]]> BY: Frostytech.com Cooling / Heatsinks Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:03:58 http://www.frostytech.com/permalink.cfm?NewsID=96827 http://www.frostytech.com/permalink.cfm?NewsID=96824 Quote: " Today I will be reviewing the Arctic Accelero XTREME Plus II. This is a Graphics Card heatsink-cooler designed to cool even the hottest of cards – including my own Inno3D GTX580 OC, whilst remaining reasonably quiet." [XTREMECOMPUTING] via [Frostytech.com] ]]> BY: Frostytech.com Cooling / Heatsinks Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:02:39 http://www.frostytech.com/permalink.cfm?NewsID=96824 http://www.frostytech.com/permalink.cfm?NewsID=96773

Akiba has a couple shots of a LN2 cup for CPU cooling by Reeven. Since when did LN2 overclocking go mainstream? [AKIBA] via [Frostytech.com] ]]> BY: Frostytech.com Cooling / Heatsinks Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:59:03 http://www.frostytech.com/permalink.cfm?NewsID=96773 http://www.frostytech.com/permalink.cfm?NewsID=96738

On the test bench today is Glacialtech's Igloo H58 heatsink - a tower style exposed heatpipe base CPU cooler that marks one of the best efforts by this Taiwan-based thermal solutions manufacturer. The heatsink cools very well on both Intel and AMD platforms as you'll shortly see. The aluminum fins on this tower heatsink are 0.2mm thick, allowing air to easily pass through the fin stack and consequently keep noise levels in check. [FROSTYTECH] via [Frostytech.com] ]]> BY: Frostytech.com Cooling / Heatsinks Sun, 22 Jan 2012 03:05:32 http://www.frostytech.com/permalink.cfm?NewsID=96738 http://www.frostytech.com/permalink.cfm?NewsID=96715 Das günstig nicht immer gleich schlecht bedeutet sollte jedem mittlerweile klar sein. Gerade bei Kühlern hält sich dieses Gerücht bei einigen Käufern aber hartnäckig und das obwohl diverser Hersteller schon mehrfach das Gegenteil bewiesen haben. Ein weiterer Kandidat der "Gut-aber-Günstig-Fraktion" wird nun von Cooler Master ins Rennen geschickt. Der Hyper 212 EVO basiert hierbei auf dem Hyper 212 Plus, welcher im Jahr 2009 erschien. Einige Details haben sich aber in der Zwischenzeit geändert. So wurde nicht nur die Lüfterbefestigung überarbeitet, auch das Design des Bodens hat sich geändert. Wie der Kühler in unserem aktuellen Vergleich abschneidet, seht ihr auf den folgenden Seiten. [DEXGO] via [Frostytech.com] ]]> BY: Frostytech.com Cooling / Heatsinks Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:21:26 http://www.frostytech.com/permalink.cfm?NewsID=96715 http://www.frostytech.com/permalink.cfm?NewsID=96678 Ninjalane Podcast - In this episode we talk about playing Elder Scrolls V Skyrim and how getting 80 hours in might not be enough, we also discuss the new Gigabyte X79 UD3 and LGA2011 platform and wrap things up looking at the new Danger Den M6 CPU waterblock. [NINJALANE] via [Frostytech.com] ]]> BY: Frostytech.com Cooling / Heatsinks Thu, 19 Jan 2012 12:03:00 http://www.frostytech.com/permalink.cfm?NewsID=96678 http://www.frostytech.com/permalink.cfm?NewsID=96633

Adding to the excitement, another announcement includes a CPU Cooler with a unique honeycomb fin structure, the X6 Elite CPU Cooler. This fin structure is used in conjunction with an angled base that acts as a means to increase overall airflow throughout the chassis. Clever air duct deployment on the outer shell directs airflow to pass over critical cooling areas. X6 Elite also comes equipped with a high performance PWM controlled fan.

X6 Elite will be available for $49.99 USD MSRP at retailers and online locations that carry your favorite Cooler Master products in Q1 2012

Adding to the excitement, another announcement includes a CPU Cooler with a unique honeycomb fin structure, the X6 Elite CPU Cooler. This fin structure is used in conjunction with an angled base that acts as a means to increase overall airflow throughout the chassis. Clever air duct deployment on the outer shell directs airflow to pass over critical cooling areas. X6 Elite also comes equipped with a high performance PWM controlled fan.

X6 Elite will be available for $49.99 USD MSRP at retailers and online locations that carry your favorite Cooler Master products in Q1 2012.

The first ever CPU heatsink to utilize vertical vapor chamber cooling and combine it with heat pipe technology, TPC 812 is prepared to handle the massive heat generated by overclocking and benchmarking. A 100% pure polished copper base combined with improved soldering techniques further increase its thermal transfer capabilities. A special heatsink fin design coupled with an improved fan mounting system and air pressure optimizing design all lend themselves to a collective synergy that makes the TPC 812 best even some all-in-one (AIO) liquid cooling units in testing*. The fan improvements and PWM allow the TPC 812 to silently keep temperatures under control.

TPC 812 will be available** for $69.99 USD MSRP at retailers and online locations that carry your favorite Cooler Master products in Q1 2012. This information is intended for the U.S. and Canada. Price and availability may vary based on region. Please consult your local Cooler Master Representative for more information.

*Results provided for informational purposes only and were achieved through internal testing.
**TPC 812 will come equipped with a 800 – 2400 RPM PWM fan in the U.S. and a 600 – 1600 RPM PWM fan in the E.U.

Dr. Kaveh Azar, president and CEO of Advanced Thermal Solutions, Inc. will be among the industry leaders presenting at the 2012 Smart Lighting conference in Dusseldorf, Germany on January 31 and February 1. Under the subject of Smart Control, Dr. Azar will discuss the impact of excess temperature on the performance, reliability and lifespan of LEDs, and review the many cooling options available.

The heat generated by an LED, and how heat affects the control of an LED’s response time makes cooling a primary concern. Because LEDs are semiconductor devices their light output is directly impacted by temperature. If the thermal situation is not managed it will cause the LED to perform improperly, stop functioning, or shorten its expected lifespan.

The immediate issue is managing LED heat to preserve its performance. How LEDs display colors and how long they can be expected to function puts proper thermal management at the center of their deployment. Across the full temperature range that most lighting is designed for, there is a swing in the relative light output. Each color is affected differently by temperature and the swing in light output is distinctly measureable and visible. This includes the low temperature ranges that are most common to today’s lighting applications.

The challenge facing LED lighting designers is the alignment of the cooling system/solution with the deployment-site requirements and its market acceptance. LED lighting, or correctly stated, solid-state lighting, is identical other electronic devices whose longevity and proper operation directly depend on their junction temperature and how it’s thermally managed. Several cooling technologies for effective LED thermal management are now available and are being deployed across the electronics industry.

Dr. Azar’s presentation will review the details of LED heat transfer that will dictate the selection of the cooling system. The presentation will show cooling options for single or multi-chip LED lights for varied applications, and how to assess their relative effectiveness. 

About the Smart Lighting Conference (www.smartlighting.org)

For over a decade, we have spent millions of hours building the largest encyclopedia in human history. Right now, the U.S. Congress is considering legislation that could fatally damage the free and open internet. For 24 hours, to raise awareness, we are blacking out Wikipedia. LEARN MORE." [WIKIPEDIA] via [Frostytech.com] ]]> BY: Frostytech.com Business / Industry Wed, 18 Jan 2012 01:09:02 http://www.frostytech.com/permalink.cfm?NewsID=96630 http://www.frostytech.com/permalink.cfm?NewsID=96573 "The Apogee™ Drive concept was first introduced by Swiftech mid-2007, and was the first high-end waterblock to ever incorporate a built-in pump. Coming up for the first quarter of 2012, the Apogee™ Drive II is a complete re-design of the original, and it squarely targets the extreme enthusiast market..." [MOTHERBOARDS] via [Frostytech.com] ]]> BY: Frostytech.com Cooling / Heatsinks Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:17:48 http://www.frostytech.com/permalink.cfm?NewsID=96573 http://www.frostytech.com/permalink.cfm?NewsID=96571

TA Instruments have released the DTS-25, an entry-level instrument to test the thermal conductivity of solid materials using the ASTM E1530 guarded heat flow method. Thermal conductivity range is from 0.1 to 20 W/mK, reproducibility is pegged at 2%.

"- test specimen is held under a compressive load between two 50mm diameter polished metal surfaces.

- After reaching thermal equilibrium, the temperature difference across the specimen is measured along with the output from the heat flux transducer. These values and the specimen thickness are then used to calculate thermal conductivity."

MSRP is estimated at $15K. Contact TA Instruments for a quote. [ANTER] via [Frostytech.com] ]]> BY: Frostytech.com Cooling / Heatsinks Mon, 16 Jan 2012 14:46:27 http://www.frostytech.com/permalink.cfm?NewsID=96571 http://www.frostytech.com/permalink.cfm?NewsID=96569

 Corsair®, a worldwide designer and supplier of high-performance components to the PC gaming hardware market, today announced the availability of the Corsair Link™ Cooling Kit and the Corsair Link Cooling and Lighting Kit.

Corsair Link is a modular hardware and software system that provides comprehensive monitoring and control of PC cooling and lighting. The two packages are complete solutions that allow customers to immediately enjoy the benefits of Corsair Link technology. Customers can then further expand their control with additional peripherals that offer Corsair Link connectivity.

Corsair Link Commander

At the heart of each Corsair Link system is the Corsair Link Commander. Enclosed in an extruded aluminum housing and designed to mount into any available 3.5" drive bay, the Corsair Link Commander connects to the PC via USB and provides eight Corsair Link Digital terminals and one analog Corsair Link terminal for non-digital sensors and nodes.

Corsair Link Dashboard

Corsair Link Dashboard is a Microsoft® Windows® application that offers at-a-glance parametric monitoring and sophisticated control options. Cooling can be adjusted manually or automatically, with customizable configurations to provide exactly the right balance of fan noise and system cooling performance for the customer's needs. Lighting can be set to fixed colors, or programmed to change automatically according to system temperature or other parameters.

Corsair Link Cooling Node and Lighting Node

The Cooling Node and the Lighting Node both connect to the digital terminals on Corsair Link Commander. The Cooling Node provides five fan control terminals, four sensor terminals, and three temperature sensors. The Lighting Node provides two lighting channels, each of which can control up to 33 LED strips. In addition to software control, integrated buttons allow the user to manually adjust lighting values. Each node is finished in plastic housing and includes cables for connecting to the power supply and the Corsair Link Commander.

The Corsair Link Cooling and Lighting Kit includes the above, and adds a Corsair Link Lighting Node and three LED Light Strips. Each light strip contains three RGB LEDs capable of displaying any of 16.7 million colors. Up to 33 strips can be connected together. Customers who start with the Corsair Link Cooling Kit may also purchase the Corsair Link Lighting Node separately.

Connectivity with Components and Peripherals

Any component with a Corsair Link Digital connector can be added to the Corsair Link system to provide monitoring and control via the desktop. The Corsair Hydro Series™ H80 and H100 Liquid CPU Coolers connect via Corsair Link Digital to allow precise coolant temperature monitoring and radiator fan control. They join the Airflow Pro™ in offering Corsair Link Digital connectivity.

The Hydro Series H60 Liquid CPU Cooler includes an analog Corsair Link connector which allows monitoring of coolant temperature from the desktop.

Additionally, ACT have an interesting write up on heatpipe life tests, here. Extra info on water heatpipes, intermediate temp. & high temp heatpipes, vapor chambers, pressure controlled heatpiped, loop heat pipes here.

"The Capillary Limit is affected by gravity; it is the wicks' ability to overcome pressure drop in the system and return the working fliud to the heat source.

The largest pressure drop is typically caused by gravity. This will affect the maximum power the heatpipe can transfer, however it will not affect the thermal resistance of the heatpipe...." [ACT] via [Frostytech.com] ]]> BY: Frostytech.com Cooling / Heatsinks Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:12:58 http://www.frostytech.com/permalink.cfm?NewsID=96479 http://www.frostytech.com/permalink.cfm?NewsID=96484