How Aluminum Heatsinks Are Used in Heat Sink Extrusions

When a company orders heatsinks from a manufacturer, often the heat sink extrusions have to be customized. Customization includes the addition of plain and threaded holes, changes in the heatsink height; known as the fin height; base size changes and changes in surface finishes and treatments.

Microelectronic devices provide increased heat dissipation, and the overall form factors have been reduced. Those characteristics make thermal management an important electronic product design element. Equipment component temperatures are inversely related to the equipment’s life expectancy and performance reliability. A temperature reduction means an exponential increase in life expectancy and reliability of a silicon semi-conductor device. Controlling a device’s operating temperature, within the limits set by the manufacturer, is the way to achieve reliable performance and long life.

Extruded aluminum heatsinks enhance the dissipation of heat from a surface that is hot to an ambient that is cooler. The ambient is typically air. In most situations, the heat is transferred across the interface between the air coolant and the solid surface. The solid-air interface is the greatest heat dissipation barrier. Heat sink extrusions lower the barrier by increasing the surface area in direct contact with the air. More heat is dissipated, and the devices operating temperature is lowered. The primary purpose of extruded aluminum heatsinks is the maintenance of the device’s temperature below the allowable maximum specified by the manufacturer.

A simple heatsink mounting uses the thermal resistance concept. Heat flows through a series in the thermal circuits. It begins at the case junctions, crosses the interface of the extruded aluminum heatsinks, and is dissipated from the heat sink extrusions to the stream of air.

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