Ultra Efficient Chip Cooling Passes Boeing Tests

joelgrimes writes "A company called Cool Chips plc is showing off a cooling device that claims unbelievable efficiencies using what they call 'quantum mechanical electron tunneling'. A choice quote from their press release: "A panel of Cool Chips one inch square will provide enough cooling for a refrigerator; a panel about two inches square will have the capacity to provide the air conditioning for a living room". They also mention using them to cool microprocessors. I used to think this company was nuts, but Boeing is making me think twice. Oh, and by the way, they work in reverse to make electricity from heat. Should I sell my baseball cards and buy their stock now, or can an army of slashdotters poke holes in their claims?" Fascinating stuff. Makes peltier coolers look pretty old school. In the press release they claim up to 80% efficiency, compared to 5-8% for peltier coolers and 50% for conventional refrigeration. I will say the cool chips corporate logo is baffling, though.

Comments

Re:Either/or

[Erich]

The theory is: If the ice caps recede, so will glaciers, releasing land for use. I've seen the figure that if all the ice caps and glacial areas melted, the ocean levels would rise only a few inches, not enough to be overly problematic. It is true that most ice is floating, and so wouldn't cause the sea levels to rise any (don't believe me? Fill up a glass of ice water so that the ice cube is sticking out the top and the water is at the brim... and let it melt. The water level will remain constant (minus evaporation). Another theory is that we're coming off of an ice age and so the warming is natural. Given the quality of information I think that probably saying the Truth of being at the end of an ice age or overdue for another one is probably more hype than science. My theory is: Polluting isn't a good idea, but on the other hand, there's no reason to go shoot myself immediately because Waterworld won't happen next year.