Electronics > Projects, Designs, and Technical Stuff
DC load using a CPU cooler
microbug:
I can see that CPU coolers might not be ideal, but price (at least for me) plays a big part in it. Unless you have any suggestions for a place to get large heatsinks (I'm in the UK, so shipping plays a big part unless it's local) then I'll probably use a CPU cooler or two. It doesn't need to be hugely powerful; 100W would be fine.
SeanB:
CPU coolers have a big advantage of coming with a built in fan, or if you need more than the 100W typical rating you can use old water cooling units as well, which can go up to 300W or more with the right orientation and care on airflow. If you really want high power a car radiator with electric assist fans and a washing machine drain pump will do multi kilowatt power levels.
timb:
I was looking at using IRF'a DirectFET packaging for my load. Tiny metal surface mount packages that are as close as you can get to a bare die.
You can place then fairly close together, which eliminates the "small area" problem mentioned above.
There's some nice heat pipe based CPU coolers on Amazon that are specced for 250+ Watts of dissipation. Hell, they've got a tiny $15 one that does 100W!
My current prototype uses an extruded aluminum case from Hammond. I found an old Thermaltake P4 Heatsink in my fan box; it mounts perfectly onto the top cover of the case. I've got it glued on with Arctic Silver Thermal Epoxy. I then drilled and tapped two mounting holes through the inside top cover of the case (into the heatsink), for attaching two TO-220 MOSFETs.
So effectively the entire case becomes part of the heatsink.
Works great!
Sent from my Smartphone
jmole:
--- Quote from: SeanB on September 13, 2014, 12:56:30 pm ---or if you need more than the 100W typical rating you can use old water cooling units as well, which can go up to 300W or more with the right orientation and care on airflow.
--- End quote ---
the newer ones are nice too, you can get a closed loop watercooling system (i.e. low-hassle, runs on 12V) with dual 120mm fans, a radiator, and a water block for pretty cheap. then all you need is some decent thermal epoxy or even thermal tape.
poorchava:
I used cpu coolers in my linear 24V/2.5A power supplies. No problem whatsoever even at dead short and maximum current.
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