Thermal - Heat Sinks

Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity
SKV505014-AL Wakefield-Vette	ALUMINUM HEATSINK 50X50X14MM	14
641K Wakefield-Vette	HEATSINK TO-3 HORZ MT NO HOLES	288
HSF-55-33-Y-F Wakefield-Vette	FANSINK 12VDC 55X55X33.1MM	47
960-23-12-F-AB-0 Wakefield-Vette	HEATSINK 23X12MM FRONT PUSH PIN	58
960-27-21-F-AB-0 Wakefield-Vette	HEATSINK 27X21MM FRONT PUSH PIN	99
WAVE-35-12 Wakefield-Vette	ANCHOR HEATSINK 35X35X12MM	870
902-21-1-12-2-B-0 Wakefield-Vette	HEATSINK 21X21X12MM ELLIPTICAL	428
692-25 Wakefield-Vette	HEATSINK TO126 W/CLIP 25MM	231
680-125220 Wakefield-Vette	HEATSINK TO-220 OMNIDIRECT BLK	0
678-39-S Wakefield-Vette	HEATSINK TO-220/TO-247 SCREW	615
692-100 Wakefield-Vette	HEATSINK TO126 W/CLIP 100MM	245
960-27-15-F-AB-0 Wakefield-Vette	HEATSINK 27X15MM FRONT PUSH PIN	94
396-1AB Wakefield-Vette	HEATSINK 3X5X1.38" POWER/IGBT	41
OMNI-UNI-32-58 Wakefield-Vette	UNIVERSAL TO HEATSINK 32X58MM	911
960-31-21-F-AB-0 Wakefield-Vette	HEATSINK 31X21MM FRONT PUSH PIN	98
960-23-28-S-AB-0 Wakefield-Vette	HEATSINK 23X28MM SIDE PUSH PIN	94
960-19-18-S-AB-0 Wakefield-Vette	HEATSINK 19X18MM SIDE PUSH PIN	70
960-21-28-S-AB-0 Wakefield-Vette	HEATSINK 21X28MM SIDE PUSH PIN	94
WAVE-40-12 Wakefield-Vette	ANCHOR HEATSINK 40X40X12MM	191
657-15ABPEN Wakefield-Vette	HEATSINK TO-220 W/PINS BLK 1.5"	2450

Thermal - Heat Sinks

1. Overview

Thermal heat sinks are passive or active cooling components designed to absorb and dissipate heat generated by electronic devices. They play a critical role in maintaining optimal operating temperatures for semiconductors, processors, and power modules. As modern electronics trend toward higher power density and miniaturization, effective thermal management through heat sinks has become essential for ensuring reliability, performance, and longevity of systems in applications ranging from consumer electronics to industrial machinery.

2. Main Types and Functional Classification

Type	Functional Features	Application Examples
Passive Air-Cooled Heat Sinks	Aluminum/copper fins without moving parts	Desktop CPUs, LED lighting
Active Air-Cooled Heat Sinks	Fans integrated with fin arrays	Gaming PCs, industrial control cabinets
Liquid-Cooled Heat Sinks	Internal channels for coolant circulation	Data center servers, EV battery packs
Heat Pipe Heat Sinks	Vapor chamber technology for ultra-thin profiles	Smartphones, aerospace electronics
Phase Change Heat Sinks	Paraffin-based materials absorbing latent heat	Short-duration high-load applications

3. Structure and Components

Typical heat sink structures include:

Finned Arrays: Corrugated metal surfaces (aluminum extrusions or folded copper sheets) for maximizing surface area
Base Plates: Machined or forged bases with micro-channel patterns for direct component contact
Thermal Interface Materials (TIMs): Graphite pads or phase-change materials between heat sink and component
Mounting Hardware: Spring-loaded pins or adhesive backers for secure installation
Protective Coatings: Anodized finishes or nickel plating for corrosion resistance

4. Key Technical Specifications

Parameter	Description	Importance
Thermal Resistance	0.5-10 C/W range depending on design	Directly impacts cooling efficiency
Material Conductivity	Al: 180-240 W/m K \| Cu: 390-400 W/m K	Determines heat transfer speed
Fin Density	5-50 fins per inch (FPI)	Affects airflow resistance and surface area
Operating Temperature	-50 C to +250 C typical range	Defines environmental suitability
Weight	50g-10kg depending on application	Critical for aerospace and mobile uses

5. Application Fields

Consumer Electronics: CPU/GPU cooling in computers, smartphone SoC thermal pads
Telecommunications: 5G base station power amplifiers, optical transceivers
Industrial: VFD motor controllers, welding equipment
Automotive: Electric vehicle (EV) battery packs, onboard chargers
Aerospace: Avionics cooling systems, satellite power modules

6. Leading Manufacturers and Products

Manufacturer	Representative Product	Key Features
Aavid (TE Connectivity)	HiK Plate Heat Sinks	Embedded heat pipes, thermal conductivity >400 W/m K
Cooler Master	Hyper 212 RGB	4 direct-contact heat pipes, 64 CFM fan
Delta Electronics	CD7010 Liquid Cooler	2-phase immersion cooling system
Thermaltake	Floe Riing RGB 360mm	360mm radiator with RGB lighting
Boyd Corporation	Phase Change PCM150	150W thermal capacity for pulsed loads

7. Selection Guidelines

Key considerations include:

Calculate required thermal dissipation using Q = (T_operating - T_ambient)/R_thermal
Verify dimensional compatibility with component footprint and clearance
Assess environmental conditions (humidity, vibration, corrosion potential)
Balance performance vs cost: Extruded aluminum offers best cost/performance ratio
Consider integration with existing cooling systems (e.g., existing fan airflow rates)

Case Study: For a 150W CPU with 70 C max operating temperature and 25 C ambient, required thermal resistance must be 0.3 C/W. Recommended solution: Copper base heat sink with 6 heat pipes and 120mm PWM fan.

8. Industry Trends

Emerging developments include:

Graphene-enhanced composites achieving 500+ W/m K conductivity
3D-printed lattice structures reducing weight by 40% while maintaining performance
Smart heat sinks with embedded thermal sensors and adaptive fan control
Two-phase immersion cooling systems for data centers (up to 90% energy savings)
Microchannel liquid cooling for 5G millimeter-wave transmitters

Market forecasts predict a CAGR of 6.8% through 2030, driven by EV and 5G infrastructure demands.