| Out in Front |
A thermal-management system from Wakefield Engineering uses a heat pipe to carry power-generated heat away from a notebook computer’s CPU. The Apache system handles 8 to 12W of mP power dissipation and costs $10 to $16 per system (OEM). The system comprises a miniature fan with associated shroud and acoustic gasket, a convoluted-fin heat sink, a 4-mm heat pipe, and an interposer plate that attaches to the pc board beneath the µP. Conceived for notebook computers, the Apache system is scalable for difficult desktop-PC and workstation applications. Conventional heat-sink designs using natural convection are limited to 3 to 5W dissipation. Natural-convection systems using a heat pipe to transfer heat to the area behind the display panel can typically handle power as high as approximately 6W.—by Bill Travis
Wakefield Engineering, Wakefield, MA. (617) 245-5900.
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