Computer Cooling System Solutions

Computers and Heat

A computer system is comprised of electronic components such as a central processing unit, RAM, motherboard, and more. As new computers become ever more advanced and are coaxed to work faster, more heat is produced by these electronic components. Required to compute more, modern systems require increased cooling and ventilation capabilities to move air through the unit, dissipating excess heat and keeping the components working within safe operating temperatures. Cooling and dissipation of heat, especially around the central processing unit, is always a cause for concern as the temperature of the interiors of a PC increase due to the amount of heat generated by the central processing unit. Excess heat that is not removed by sufficient cooling can negatively impact the normal functioning of the central processing unit and can cause circuits and components to become unstable. If the temperature increases beyond a certain threshold, then the heat interferes with the proper functioning of the PC and can cause serious malfunctions. Without a proper computer cooling system, the PC's electronic components may not be able to function optimally and the integral parts of what makes the computer work could even be damaged. Overheating can reduce the lifespan of computer components and peripheral units and can lead to data loss and irreparable damage. Processor types and other factors determine the safe thermal operating range, a range that varies from computer manufacturer to manufacturer.

Cooling Computer Systems

To remove excess heat from a computer system, a thermal management cooling system is used. Typically, a heat sink is employed with a computer's central processing unit to increase the heat dissipation area for more effective cooling. Heat sinks have thermal conductors that draw heat away from a component, such as a processor, and carry it into fins that provide a large enough area for heat to dissipate and sufficient cooling to take place. Active heat sinks incorporate a fan to keep the processor cool. There are two types of heat sinks: active and passive. Active heat sinks make use of power to run the cooling fan to cool down the system and allow concentrated, dedicated cooling of the processor, while passive heat sinks dissipate heat through convection. To get the best results from active cooling, quality fans with ball bearings must be chosen to give top performance, and for passive cooling to work efficiently, the machine must be placed in an area where there's a steady flow of air moving across the fins.

Cooling fans are used to blow cool air over the heat-generating components in a computer and to draw the accumulated hot air away from the area around the components, thus lowering the temperature of the air surrounding the components while allowing more heat to be radiated out of the case.

Using Cooling Fans in Computers

Air-cooling with fans is one of the most widely practiced ways of dissipating heat in computers. Fans are not only easy to install and maintain, but are also an effective way to remove heat from components and bring in cooler air, thus maintaining a constant optimal temperature for operation. Fan sizes, types, and placements play an important role in the efficient dissipation of heat. The most common sizes for computer fans, which are typically square devices, include 60mm, 80mm, 92mm, and 120mm. Some of the types of cooling fans often installed in computers include:

CPU fans, which are used in conjunction with heat sinks to prevent overheating of the components in central processing units.
Case fans, which cool the surrounding area by circulating fresh air through the case by drawing out hot air, drawing in cooler air, or both.
Hard drive fans, which are often used in systems with heat-production challenges from a lot of hard drive usage.

There are many types of solutions that can maintain the high reliability of a computer's electronic components. However, leaving the decision about a computer cooling system until the end of the design process can prove to be costly in terms of larger or more expensive solutions. Instead, consider all your temperature regulation options at the initial stages of development to reduce costs while improving design layout and establishing high reliability.

Keep Your PC from Overheating

Apart from choosing the right cooling devices for your PC, you can also increase the lifespan of the components, avoid overheating, and improve reliability by taking measures such as maintaining a clean, dust-free operating environment for your computer.

The inside of a PC should be cleaned thoroughly at least once every six months, as dust build-up can lead to heating problems. In fact, dust accumulation is one of the main causes of premature system malfunctions and reliability problems. Dust acts as an insulation blanket that prevents heat from escaping. This can cause the system to overheat. Make sure you clean the inside of the CPU, including the fans on the top of the CPU, the filters of fans, and the fan located on top of the power supply.