Can one of you thermal experts hazard a guess that would provide some quantitative perspective on all of this?
As far as I can tell, given that he hasn't yet posted any links or photos, the OP appears to be referring to a heat-pipe based heat sink assembly that would be used on a computer cpu chip, minus the fan that would normally be attached to it in a computer application. Those things have a contact area that is in the rough vicinity of 2 square inches (around 1.4 inches on each side). Here is an example of a very good one (note that there are four photos that can be scrolled through), having more heat pipes and undoubtedly more radiating surface area than the ones the OP described. What would be your rough ballpark guess as to the reduction in semiconductor case or junction temperatures that might result from loosely placing one of these things on top of a stereo component, either an amp or a low powered component?
1 degree? 0.01 degrees? 0.00001 degrees? My guess, not having much background in thermal design, is that among those three numbers the answer would be closest to the latter.
Regards,
-- Al
As far as I can tell, given that he hasn't yet posted any links or photos, the OP appears to be referring to a heat-pipe based heat sink assembly that would be used on a computer cpu chip, minus the fan that would normally be attached to it in a computer application. Those things have a contact area that is in the rough vicinity of 2 square inches (around 1.4 inches on each side). Here is an example of a very good one (note that there are four photos that can be scrolled through), having more heat pipes and undoubtedly more radiating surface area than the ones the OP described. What would be your rough ballpark guess as to the reduction in semiconductor case or junction temperatures that might result from loosely placing one of these things on top of a stereo component, either an amp or a low powered component?
1 degree? 0.01 degrees? 0.00001 degrees? My guess, not having much background in thermal design, is that among those three numbers the answer would be closest to the latter.
Regards,
-- Al