Computer cooling

Computer cooling removes or manages heat generated by computer components, keeping them within safe operating temperatures and performance limits.

Heat sink: A structure that transfers heat from a hotter component to a surrounding fluid, often air. Its fins spread heat from a processor or graphics chip for faster transfer to air.
Air cooling: A cooling method that uses moving air to remove heat from equipment. It is the common alternative to liquid loops in personal computers.
Joule heating: The production of heat when electric current flows through electrical resistance. Power consumed by processors and other components becomes heat largely through this effect.
Thermoelectric cooling: A method that uses electric current across a junction to move heat between two sides. Unlike passive heat sinks, it actively pumps heat but also adds electrical load.
Thermal interface material: A material placed between surfaces to improve heat transfer by filling microscopic gaps. It reduces resistance where a chip meets its heat sink or cold plate.
Immersion cooling: A method that submerges electronic equipment in a thermally conductive, electrically insulating liquid. It cools dense server hardware without relying on air passing through each chassis.
Thermal design power: A specification used to describe the heat a cooling solution is expected to dissipate under defined conditions. It helps match a processor to a cooler, though it is not a universal peak-heat figure.
Phase-change cooling: Cooling that uses evaporation and condensation to transport or remove heat. It includes specialized approaches beyond ordinary air cooling and pumped liquid loops.
Convection: Heat transfer through the movement of fluids such as air or liquid. Fans and pumps increase fluid movement to carry heat away from components.
Data center cooling: The systems and practices used to control heat in facilities housing computing equipment. Large clusters require coordinated cooling beyond individual computer fans.

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