![]() In addition, coolers that come with the processor (“in-a-box”), or even some coolers sold alone, are found on the market with thermal paste already applied. There are also coolers which have some material applied from the factory. Thermal paste can be found in many kinds of packages and usually comes with the cooler. Its price can range between USD 2 and USD 32 (in pastes that have silver in their composition). The thermal paste is basically composed of silicone and zinc oxide, but there are more elaborate pastes that can even contain ceramic and silver – noble materials that promise more efficiency in heat transmission. On the following pages, we will discuss how to correctly apply thermal paste, as well as stating the most common mistakes made when applying it. Its use is indispensable and it’s a very inexpensive component. ![]() Thermal paste can be found in electronics parts stores. ![]() By doing so, the heat transfer between the processor and the cooler is easier since the thermal paste has a higher conductibility coefficient than the air.įigure 2: Gaps of air filled by thermal paste To solve the problem and improve the heat transfer between the processor and the cooler, we should apply thermal paste between them in order to fill in the tiny gaps of air. Because air is a terrible heat conductor (its conductibility coefficient is 0.026 W/m°K), the heat will pass with more difficulty from the processor to the cooler, which can result in overheating.įigure 1: Air gaps formed by the junction of the processor and cooler Imperfections that exist both on the processor surface and the cooler surface prevent their being a 100% perfect contact between them.Īs both surfaces aren’t perfectly even, minuscule gaps of air are formed when putting them together. There’s another “bad guy” in the story: heat transfer between the processor and the cooler.įrom the microscopical point of view, the physical contact between the processor and the cooler isn’t perfect. However, the cooler alone doesn’t solve the overheating problem. The use of an inefficient or wrongly dimensioned cooler can cause overheating problems. Each processor requires a specific type of cooler. The device used to remove the processor’s heat is the cooler. We have a follow-up review to this tutorial, called “ What is the Best Way to Apply Thermal Grease” that you should read as well. In this tutorial, we’ll discuss the role of thermal paste in the process of thermal dissipation, how to correctly use it, and the most common mistakes made during thermal paste application. The paste must be used with the right cooler for the specific model of processor installed. Usually, the client is not very interested in that their only concern is the price.Ī simple and inexpensive solution is the utilization of thermal paste (also known as thermal grease or thermal compound) that can help reduce the problem of processor overheating. Individuals who work assembling and selling computers are aware of market problems and know how difficult it is to convince a client that the final cost of the computer increased due to a better cooling system. Those solutions are still expensive, and we are not always willing to pay for them. Several solutions were proposed to solve those problems, including the elaboration of a new motherboard standard (the BTX standard was created to maximize air circulation inside the PC) and the launching of cases with ventilation ducts and liquid cooling systems. To give you an idea, a 486DX2-66 dissipated somewhere between three and six watts, while a Pentium 4 processor with 3.8 GHz dissipates 115 W! If you don’t utilize a thermal solution compatible with the specific model of processor that you use in your system, several problems can appear: random resets, freezes, reduction of processor lifespan, and even burning the CPU in extreme cases. With processors working at increasingly higher clock speeds, concern with thermal dissipation is necessary because the higher the clock used, the higher the heat produced.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |