Researchers look to air-condition computer chips

By RICK CALLAHAN , Associated Press Writer, Technology / Engineering

(AP) -- Purdue University scientists have taken a page from air conditioner technology in their quest for a new way to cool down ever-more powerful computer chips. Their experimental system, which flushes a refrigerant through tiny channels cut into chips, is intended for the high-power electronics found in radar and advanced weapons systems such as lasers, said Issam Mudawar, a mechanical engineering professor at Purdue.

Content from The Associated Press expires 15 days after original publication date. For more information about The Associated Press, please visit www.ap.org .

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Posted by mrlewish 07/16/08 10:36

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And this deserved funding? Havn't case modders been doing this or similar things for years?

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Posted by vivcollins 07/16/08 11:26

Rank: 4/5 after 1 vote

And this deserved funding? Havn't case modders been doing this or similar things for years?

Yes bit they were not smart enough to get paid for it or apply for a grant

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Posted by Soylent 07/16/08 11:28

Rank: 2/5 after 1 vote

And this deserved funding? Havn't case modders been doing this or similar things for years?

Case modders generally speaking don't have the technology to cut tiny channels directly into their CPU die and circulating coolant through them. They usually settle for slapping a copper block onto the CPU with some heat paste and circulating water through it.

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Posted by r00tcause 07/16/08 12:49

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Generally they use water cooling or a large heatsink but refrigerant cooling has been used also by modders (in fact I did it myself once). It does not go through channels cut into the chip though (which is a better design) but instead into a sealed heatsink on top of the cpu.

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Posted by snwboardn 07/16/08 13:40

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How about instead of finding ways to deal with inefficiency aka heat, use that wasted energy in other ways... Maybe a small power plant to recycle that heat back into energy for your dual 8800 gtx power hog.