Thermal - Heat Sinks

Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity
573400D00010G Aavid	HEATSINK D-PAK3 TIN PLATED SMD	6880
7136DG Aavid	BOARD LEVEL HEATSINK .515"TO-220	5941
M48098B011000G Aavid	MAX CLIP HEATSINK	985
573300D00010G Aavid	HEATSINK D2PAK .4" HIGH SMD	92
581202B02500G Aavid	HEATSINK TO-220 2.5W BLK W/PINS	5
M45165B021000G Aavid	MAX CLIP HEATSINK	918
580200B00000G Aavid	HEATSINK 14-16 DIP BLK ANODIZED	1916
505403B00000G Aavid	HEATSINK TO-3 H31.75MM	739
533422B02552G Aavid	HEATSINK TO-220 SOLDERPIN/CLIP	1098
508700B00000G Aavid	HEATSINK 40-PIN DIP GLUE-ON BLK	0
563002B00000G Aavid	HEATSINK TO-220 VERT MNT 1.18"	1786
6022BG Aavid	HEATSINK TO-220 STAGGERED FIN	8810
508500B00000G Aavid	HEATSINK 24-PIN DIP GLUE-ON BLK	11107
531102B00000G Aavid	HEATSINK TO-220 H=1.5" BLK	0
530613B00000G Aavid	HEATSINK TO-220 BLACK 1.18"	1686
501100B00000G Aavid	HEATSINK 14-DIP/16-DIP	2821
532602B02500G Aavid	HEATSINK TO-220 SOLDERPIN 38.1MM	3360
577102B00000G Aavid	HEAT SINK TO-220 .375" COMPACT	12112
576802B04000G Aavid	HEAT SINK VERT PLUG-IN TO-220	0
7138DG Aavid	BOARD LEVEL HEAT SINK	1150

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.