Silent Microchip 'Fan' Has No Moving Parts

Stony Stevenson writes "Researchers in the US have developed a microchip fan with no moving parts that operates silently and generates enough wind to cool a laptop computer. The solid-state fan, developed with support from the US National Science Foundation (NSF), is touted as the most powerful and energy efficient fan of its size. The device produces three times the flow rate of a typical small mechanical fan and is one-fourth the size. The technology has the power to cool a 25W chip with a device smaller than one cubic-cm and can someday be integrated into silicon to make self-cooling chips, according to the researchers."

Comments

nothing new..

[miknix]

.. using ionic winds to cool the CPU isn't a new idea:

    http://inventgeek.com/Projects/IonCooler3/overview.aspx

Re:nothing new..

[snl2587]

Granted, the idea of using ionic wind isn't revolutionary, but I think the size is. One cubic centimeter for a 25W chip? Damn.

Re:nothing new..

[eclectic4]

"..is touted as the most powerful and energy efficient fan of its size (no mention of it being a "new" idea). The device produces three times the flow rate of a typical small mechanical fan and is one-fourth the size. The technology has the power to cool a 25W chip with a device smaller than one cubic-cm..."

I think the above is what's important. I believe the title of the article is just a tad misleading...

Cool!

[camperdave]

I'm sure by now someone has said "Cool!"

So this thing works similar to an ion drive. A stream of ions from one wire to another drags the surrounding air with it, generating wind. The last entry here has a good graphic.

Re:Twelve?

[Sepiraph]

Because this way it gives you more information on both size and efficency factors and a better idea than simply saying 12 times as strong (some information is lost).

Some technical info and pic...

[fractalrock]

Can be found here.

Not as cool as it looks. . .

[puppetluva]

I hear that the only downside to this new technology is that it throws off a lot of heat.

I hate to burst your bubble, Fanbois. . .

ba-dum, bum

I'm more concerned about ESD.

[Ungrounded Lightning]

Will this produce the same ozone (O3) emissions that the Ionic breeze does?

Yes.

And if nothing is done to react it back harmlessly the ozone will corrode downwind metals and degrade downwind plastics.

But I'm more concerned about the leftover ions that are carried past the plates. Those can accumulate very high charges (even beyond the voltage used to create the ions) on downstream surfaces. This could destroy semiconductors (if they carry more power when arcing over than the ESD protection can handle) as well as corrupt data (through direct signal injection, capacitive coupling of surges, and mini-EMPs).