Thermal - Heat Sinks

Image	Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity	Rfq
	658-25ABT6 Wakefield-Vette	HEATSINK CPU 28MM SQ BLK W/TAPE	0
	537-95AB-T725 Wakefield-Vette	HEATSINK DC/DC QUARTER BRICK	0
	242-125ABE-22 Wakefield-Vette	HEATSINK TO-220 LOW PROFILE	0
	657-10ABPESC Wakefield-Vette	HEATSINK TO-220 W/PINS BLK 1"	0
	657-15ABPESC Wakefield-Vette	HEATSINK TO-220 W/PINS BLK 1.5"	0
	902-21-2-18-2-B-0 Wakefield-Vette	HEAT SINK PIN FIN 21X21MM CLIP	0
	904-27-2-18-2-B-0 Wakefield-Vette	HEAT SINK PIN FIN 27X27MM CLIP	0
	537-45AB-MET725 Wakefield-Vette	HEATSINK DC/DC QUARTER BRICK	0
	658-35ABT1E Wakefield-Vette	HEATSINK CPU 28MM SQBLK W/O TAPE	0
	903-23-2-33-2-B-0 Wakefield-Vette	HEAT SINK PIN FIN 23X23MM CLIP	0
	908-35-1-21-2-B-0 Wakefield-Vette	HEAT SINK ELLIP FIN 35X35MM CLIP	0
	909-37-1-18-2-B-0 Wakefield-Vette	HEAT SINK ELLIP FIN 37X37MM CLIP	0
	907-33-2-15-2-B-0 Wakefield-Vette	HEAT SINK PIN FIN 33X33MM CLIP	0
	628-40ABT1E Wakefield-Vette	HEATSINK FOR 45MM BGA	0
	625-35ABT1E Wakefield-Vette	HEATSINK FOR 25MM BGA	0
	628-65ABT1E Wakefield-Vette	HEATSINK FOR 45MM BGA	0
	218-40CTE5 Wakefield-Vette	HEATSINK ALUM NATURAL SMD	0
	690-3B Wakefield-Vette	HEATSINK EXTRUSION	0
	621A Wakefield-Vette	HEATSINK FOR TO3	0
	403V Wakefield-Vette	HEATSINK POWER TO-3	0

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.