(Approx. 756 words)

The Art of Keeping Cool
Part 2: Non-fan Computer Cooling
by Jerry Goldstein, Vice President & Newsletter Editor, The PC Users Group of Connecticut
www.tpcug-ct.org
Attygoldstein(at)tiac.net

Obtained from APCUG with the author's permission for publication by APCUG member groups.

Last month we went into how to cool off your desktop PC with fans.  In Part 2 we look at alternative and leading edge ways to cool your computer.  We also discuss how to keep your laptop from frying.

To reduce computer noise pollution computer designers have come up with many solutions to reduce the heat.  Strangely, liquids have proven successful in cooling computers.  Liquids provide two benefits over air cooling your computer.  Liquid computers run quieter than fan cooled ones and water is better than drawing out heat than air.  For complete submersion of computer parts manufacturers have immersed the computer in a variety of oil, synthetic motor oil works well but cooking oil is also used.  The oil is low conducive so the electrical parts are not damaged.  Complete submersion is typically only used on extreme density computers made for business purposes.  One problem with oil is that it evaporates so proper maintenance of topping off the oil must be done.

You may say water and electronics don’t mix (go ahead and say it, no ones around) but computer designers have worked out a way.  The water flows inside tubes through the computer passively pulling the heat off the components of the computer.  It works the same as your cooling system in your car.  A number of computers hit the market last year using water cooling systems.  The obvious problem is leaks but since water cooling has proven successful with gamers, due to waters increased heat absorbing ability over air cooling, you’ll probably see more computers next year cooled by water.  Just make sure you don’t change a water cooled computers parts in excess of the manufacturer’s parameters or you may overheat the computer and cause a pipe to leak or burst.  

To assist in reducing CPU heat sinks are used.  Heat sinks are the fins you see rising above the CPU.  Often the CPU fan rests on top of the fins as well.  The heat sink works by giving additional square footage for the heat to dissipate.  Kind of like when you spread out to cool off in a summer breeze.  The extra space lets the air get to the heat.

Laptops pose a unique cooling problem as they are tightly packed and sit flat and horizontally and compared to the desktop’s vertical tower.  Heat likes to rise but, with the laptops configuration the heat gets trapped and needs to be blown out the bottom or sides.  Laptops are more to user error as people tend to forget the laptop sides need to be kept free of anything that could block the exhausts.  No exhaust equals a fried computer.  

When this happens it may be cheaper to buy new laptop than to try to fix the parts.  Than again it may be better for you to avoid laptops if you can not remember to keep them clear of blockage.  

A common mistake laptop users make is to use them in bed.  The laptop sits ensconced in the bedding getting all nice, warm, and cozy.  That is until they fry.  If you want to use your laptop in bed buy a laptop writing pillow.  These are pillows with a hard surface on one side to keep the laptop free to breathe.  Than you only have to make sure you don’t fall asleep with your finger on the delete key erasing your “great American novel”.  

To assist the cooling of laptops you can buy a laptop external fan.  These are powered off the laptop’s usb and some even come with additional usb ports so you don’t lose the port.  These fans blow cool air on the bottom of the laptop helping to drop the temperature.  You can also try to save some money by buying a notebook stand that will raise your laptop a bit off the desk to give the laptop a bit more air space below it to cool off.  I find that the stands are being penny wise and pound foolish though.  The money you invest in the laptop fan will save you more in the long run giving your laptop added longevity

This article has been provided to APCUG by the author solely for publication by APCUG member groups. All other uses require the permission of the author (see e-mail address above).