Performance throttling due to high temperatures is a problem, especially in compact computers such as notebooks. The company Frore Systems wants to do better than conventional fan solutions with their AirJet. It receives backing from the leading CPU manufacturer Intel and 116 million US dollars from investors.
Active air cooling without a fan
< p class="p text-width">Frore Systems describes its innovative cooling solution called AirJet as an “active cooling chip” because the format is reminiscent of a computer chip. Like a fanned cooler, it actively cools by allowing cool air to flow in and warmed air to flow out, but no fans provide airflow. Instead, air is moved by tiny membranes that vibrate at ultrasonic frequencies.
Cool air is drawn in through the vibrating membranes via small inlets on the top of the AirJet module, which is only 2.8 mm flat. Directly below, in a narrow gap directly above the heatspreader, which is in contact with the processor to be cooled, pulsating jet streams are created at high speed, the jets that give it its name. These literally blow the air heated by the heat spreader out of the side outlet. The figure above from the data sheet (PDF) illustrates the principle.
AirJet Mini and AirJet Pro
The cooling chips are offered in two sizes with different performance. The more compact AirJet Mini is said to dissipate 5.25 watts of heat, but requires up to 1 watt itself, so that the net cooling capacity is only 4.25 watts. Cooling is not entirely silent, but a maximum volume of 21 dBA at a distance of 50 cm from the device is extremely quiet.
With the larger AirJet Pro (PDF), the cooling capacity increases to double the value of 10.5 watts (net 8.75 watts) and the volume to 24 dBA. A guide value for a very quiet room is 20 to 30 dBA.
Application examples
The AirJet modules could be used in tablets or thin notebooks, for example. For the AirJet Mini, the company has designed concepts for 10″ tablets (PDF) or 13″ notebooks (PDF). In the first case, two mini pads for around 10 watts are used, in the larger notebook there is room for four pads for around 20 watts.
The example for a compact 15"- Notebook in turn provides three AirJet Pro (PDF) for up to 28 watts of waste heat.
In all cases, the cooling pads are placed on a vapor chamber (vapor chamber), es therefore requires additional components for cooling. Dust filters should also be used.
More efficiency for more power
Compared to previous solutions with fans, the AirJet principle should not only work more quietly, but also much more efficiently. Processor performance is usually throttled quickly as temperatures rise quickly and the CPU is clocked down to protect against overheating. Frore Systems speaks of a doubling of the processor performance, as the waste heat is dissipated more effectively to prevent throttling.
However, due to the many different processors, notebook designs and their cooling solutions, such a comparison is not universally valid.
Investors seem convinced
However, the AirJet cooling concept has evidently already convinced some heavyweights in the industry. The partners of Frore Systems, which currently has 75 employees at the San José (California) location, include Intel and Qualcomm, two large manufacturers of processors. The financial backing is also impressive, as TechCrunch reports that investors have already made a total of 116 million US dollars available. Intel is said to be considering using the technology in future Evo notebooks.
More information and various videos that describe the cooling concept in more detail can be found on the Frore Systems website.< /p>