How passive cooling advances electronics sustainability

Finding appropriate methods of cooling electronics allows engineers, designers and other professionals to prioritize sustainability by finding solutions that will make the products last longer and become more energy efficient.

Passive techniques are popular because they are usually less expensive and more reliable than active ones because there are no fans or other moving parts to break. What have researchers explored, and how can their findings improve future electronics designs?

Applying hot spot reducing methods

Graphene is a material known for being extraordinarily strong yet lightweight. Those studying it have also learned it can conduct and dissipate heat efficiently, leading engineers to want to learn more about its capabilities as a passive cooling mechanism in electronics.

One example associated with a European Union-funded project comes from Swedish startup Tenutec, which uses graphene as additives or multilayered films for passive cooling in electronics. The company stands out from others with its sustainable manufacturing method. It enables graphene production with a carbon footprint of only 0.85 kilograms of CO₂ equivalents per kilogram. That is several hundred times less carbon-intensive than other well-established methods.

Figure 1 The use of graphene as additives or multilayered films has significant merits in passive cooling. Source: Tenutec

Additionally, its technique enables dispersion of graphene into one to three layers without harmful chemicals. Because the venture’s passive cooling methods eliminate hot spots in electronics, they also improve sustainability by lengthening products’ life spans.

This passive cooling work began during research at Sweden’s Chalmers University of Technology. Researchers developed and improved their graphene production method there, eventually realizing that the current market conditions and consumer demands made the technique marketable.

Regardless of the precise innovations applied, many electronics manufacturers want compact and effective solutions with the accompanying data to prove their worth. Another hot spot-eliminating technology can dissipate heat at levels of 1,000 watts per square centimeter, making it a good solution for devices’ power components.

Whether professionals use graphene sheets or alternatives to keep their devices at the right temperature, potential users will want assurances of effectiveness.

Improving performance of metal-organic frameworks

Numerous improvements in passive cooling options for electronics involve metal-organic frameworks (MOFs)—porous materials that pull water vapor from the air. However, they typically have low thermal conductivity. One research team sought to improve that characteristic by using a water adsorption process to control interfacial heat transfers from contacted surfaces to MOFs.

Figure 2 Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are porous materials that pull water vapor from the air. Source: IntechOpen

This group applied simulations and comprehensive measurements during their approach to determine its effectiveness. The results indicated that the water adsorption method made the interfacial thermal conductance approximately 7.1 times better than the MOFs performed without them.

The researchers also concluded that adsorbed water molecules within the MOFs formed dense channels, creating thermal pathways that moved heat away from the hot surfaces. They determined this cooling innovation created a sustainable way to regulate temperatures in electronics and other critical devices while simultaneously expanding possibilities that use MOFs for passive cooling.

Supporting sustainability while keeping electronics cool

Even as consumers use electronics on daily basis, many are increasingly concerned about the waste generated when those products stop working or get discarded. Similarly, they want manufacturers to offer solutions that work well while reducing environmental burdens.

Passive cooling technologies are central to these demands because electronics must exhibit adequate thermal management capabilities. Overheating can shorten their life spans and endanger users. However, when strategies meet sustainability needs while maintaining effectiveness, consumers and designers reap the benefits.

Ellie Gabel is a freelance writer as well as associate editor at Revolutionized.

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