Heatsink question

kan3

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Aug 9, 2009
Messages
70
I'm trying to alter a heat sink design to save on the thickness of stock used. I did this picture real quick and would like to know if changing the fins from straight to L shaped would work ok.

This would allow me to shrink the depth and at the same time increase the length of the fin. My design right now is over kill for what it is doing but don't want to degrade performance too much.

heatsink.jpg
 

artax

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Oct 21, 2009
Messages
13
From what I know its all about surface area. And that you still have.

I can imagine that the cooling is reduced but not dramatically
 

jtr1962

Flashaholic
Joined
Nov 22, 2003
Messages
7,506
Location
Flushing, NY
Is this a fan-forced application or natural convection? If the latter, then make sure you mount the heat sink with fins vertically. As to your question, if this is natural convection, then you shouldn't lost much cooling with the alternate design. If it's fan-forced, then that depends upon where the fan is mounted (and for fan-forced a lot of lower but more densely packed fins would be better).
 

kan3

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Aug 9, 2009
Messages
70
It's NC with vertical oriented fins.



Thanks, this will allow me to alter my design some.
 

J_C

Enlightened
Joined
Oct 14, 2007
Messages
309
You would be better off using more, shorter fins and keeping them straight. Your effective surface area is reduced when you have only the tiny slit inbetween each fin.
 

snarfer

Enlightened
Joined
Feb 21, 2008
Messages
241
What J_C said. It probably makes a big difference. The scale of your drawing is also important. You may not need the entire length of the fins anyway. You might be able to use more, and shorter, fins. But it's unlikely.
 

kan3

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Aug 9, 2009
Messages
70
I actually changed my design and went with a straight fin setup. I altered some dimensions and moved up a .25" in material size so straight fins worked out.
 
Top