Thermal Optimization of a Radial Folded Fin Heat Sink for Desktop Computer Applications

The continual development of faster desktop computers being sold at lower prices into the market place has demanded that thermal management engineers develop and optimize thermal management devices that not only perform better, but are at the same or lower cost than previous generations. The ever shrinking form factor has also increased the burden placed on today´s thermal management devices. CFD analysis was used to fully optimize, both cost and thermal performance, a radial folded fin heat sink design to solve today´s thermal management requirements. Modeling considerations and prototype test verifications are presented in determining the optimal thermal design characteristics, namely, fin density, fin thickness, fin style and core diameter