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Cutting Open a Heatsink Heatpipe To See Inside

Posted by timothy on from the well-lookie-here dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Frostytech gets to the heart of Zalman's CNPS11X heatsink by cutting a section of heatpipe from the CPU cooler to inspect its inner composite heatpipe wick structure. Now that's an in-depth heatsink review! Interesting photos of the dissected heatpipe's composite wick — sintered copper powder on top and axial groove wick below — that you're unlikely to see elsewhere. In the late 1960s the first commercial heatpipes were used by NASA to stabilize satellite temperatures; now they stabilize multi-core processors."

4 of 132 comments (clear)

  1. Before anyone else says it... by roc97007 · · Score: 4, Funny

    > In the late 1960s the first commercial heatpipes were used by NASA to stabilize satellite temperatures

    Why didn't they just use fans? ...um, what? ...Really? Oh. Never mind.

    --
    Oliver's law of assumed responsibility: If you're seen fixing it, you will be blamed for breaking it.
    1. Re:Before anyone else says it... by LastGunslinger · · Score: 1, Funny

      The space program has been a giant government boondoggle that has produced nothing of value for the citizens of the United States. The free market certainly would've far surpassed the successes of NASA if not for regulations and taxation. /s

    2. Re:Before anyone else says it... by roc97007 · · Score: 4, Funny

      Or, rather, lack of Whoosh...

      --
      Oliver's law of assumed responsibility: If you're seen fixing it, you will be blamed for breaking it.
    3. Re:Before anyone else says it... by Thud457 · · Score: 4, Funny

      In space, no one can hear you Whoosh.

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      the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff