One of the most important components of a PC, which is necessary not so much for efficient as for the smooth operation of all devices, is the cooling system. It doesn’t matter whether the office computer or a powerful gaming laptop - reliable air removal from elements prone to heating, significantly extends the life of any component. What is a cooler will be discussed in the article.
Introduction
Today's level of development of electronics provides the user with the opportunity to choose between several cooling methods, but the main ones are air fans mounted on aluminum or copper radiators.
What is a cooler? A screw mounted on an electric motor and connected to a radiator is called a cooler. Material, construction, mass, development process - all this depends only on the manufacturer and is not regulated by any standards. The quality of heat dissipation is affected by many parameters: size, speed of rotation, shape of the blades.
I must say that if the cooling system does not fail in time, the equipment will overheat, which will lead to its breakdown.
Replacing or repairing a cooler
Since it follows from the foregoing that the number of coolers for a computer is huge, many are wondering if this part of the PC can be repaired or replaced. It becomes relevant most often in the summer, as the average temperature in the room rises.
To buy and install a new cooling cooler, you do not need to have special skills. It is enough to be able to unscrew a few bolts. Of course, before carrying out any actions of this nature, you should familiarize yourself with the instructions.
I must say that not every fan in a PC can be replaced. For example, often installing a new screw on a video card or processor is not possible. On these devices, the entire cooling system should be changed immediately.
If technical skills are not required to replace a fan, then information on the main parameters of devices of this type should be studied to select it.
Device
To better understand what a cooler is, it is worth familiarizing yourself with its device in detail. As previously said, this element consists of a radiator and a screw. The radiator is a few metal plates welded in a special order.
The fan includes:
- frame or case;
- impeller;
- engine.
The case is used as a frame for attaching the cooler to the device to be cooled. An electric motor is also installed on the frame (usually in its center). For the manufacture of the case, materials such as plastic, rubber, and sometimes metal are used. The latter is rarely used due to the increase in the mass of the frame, the high cost of production, and weak noise-canceling properties.
The impeller is mounted on the engine. It is often called a screw. The impeller looks like several blades mounted symmetrically and at the same angle relative to the axis of rotation. In the center is a round fixture. When the impeller rotates, it captures hot air and forms a constant directional flow. Due to this effect, the radiator cools.
What is a cooler and what engines are installed on it?
For the production of computer coolers, DC motors are used. There are two types of them: axial and centrifugal.
Axial motors are installed in ordinary PCs and laptops. Their design is simple, and the price is low. You can meet an axial engine almost everywhere: on motherboards, processors, video cards, inside power supplies.
A centrifugal motor is a bit more complicated. In it, the rotor itself consists of blades, so its inner part is an impeller. Through special openings in the body of the cooling system, the engine draws in air and directs it to the radiator. Basically, centrifugal coolers are in powerful graphics cards, servers, high-end laptops.
Characteristics
The main characteristics of coolers include:
- impeller airflow;
- engine speed;
- noise level.
The cooler speed is the same as the speed of its rotation. This parameter affects only the noise level. However, you should know that the smaller the span of the blades, the more revolutions you need to make a screw to remove heat.
Airflow is measured in feet squared per minute (CFM). This is the main parameter of screw performance. It is he who primarily affects the efficiency of the cooling system. But do not chase large numbers. With an increase in CFM, the noise level also increases. It is almost always worth giving preference to a cooler whose size is larger and CFM smaller.
Noise is measured in decibels. This parameter is difficult to influence. It depends on the overall design of the device, installation location, type of bearings, working conditions, size, workmanship, and service life.
Water cooler
Coolers are not only products for cooling parts of a PC. Recently, coolers for water are considered very popular devices. They are used to cool or heat liquids. In addition to changing the temperature of the water, the cooler can pour it, filter it, aerate. These units are usually installed in offices or small shops.
Often coolers are also called water distributors. This is fundamentally wrong. The water distributor only filters the liquid and feeds it through the tap. These devices can often be found in hospitals or schools.
What coolers are there? Typically, units of this type are divided according to the installation method. Desktop - compact and lightweight. They are located on a table or stand. A desktop cooler is best for a small room.
Floor devices, as the name implies, are located on the floor. Their size is quite large. In addition to the main functionality, they can be equipped with a refrigerator for storing a small volume of products.
Water cooling can be performed electronically or by compressor. The first is cheaper and easier to repair. The basis of such a device is the Peltier element. In this case, the liquid cools slowly and not less than 10 degrees. This disadvantage is especially noticeable in the summer.
The principle of operation of the compressor cooling method is completely similar to a conventional refrigerator. The biggest disadvantage of such units is the high cost and complexity of the repair.