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'Nano-Lightning' Could Cool Computer Chips

Posted by timothy on from the applause-would-be-micro-thunderous dept.

FizzyC writes "A story on New Scientist describes a technique to cool computer chips using charged ions. The system consists of 300 electrodes that ionise and then pump the air molecules across the surface of the chip. The Purdue University technology is the first air-based system to produce a cooling rate similar to water - 40 watts per square centimetre."

2 of 72 comments (clear)

  1. Other important features by AllenChristopher · · Score: 2, Informative
    Upright refrigerators allow one to stare and gape at the food inside. "I can't believe I jut went shopping and there's nothing good to eat."

    More reasonably, short people, old people, and children cannot reach into a chest refrigerator easily. A chest refrigerator takes up twice as much precious floor space. A chest refrigerator is the sort in which a child can be easily trapped.

    If you really want to save cold air in a refrigerator, produce one with a second clear door inside. This would keep all the safety and convenience features of an upright fridge, and remove the major cause of air loss, which is choosing what to take out.

  2. Re:Short-circuit? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    "if static electricity can kill your components doesn't that mean that ions can too"

    Not really. It's not the static charge that kills components, it's the sudden discharge when you zap it. That's a lot of current going through some mighty small IC features, and if you calculate the current density, that's the killer.