What is the purpose of the metal fins on a heat sink?

The heat sink has a thermal conductor that carries heat away from the CPU into fins that provide a large surface area for the heat to dissipate throughout the rest of the computer, thus cooling both the heat sink and processor.

Is aluminum a good heat sink?

Heat sinks are designed to maximize the surface area in contact with the coolant fluid. Aluminum alloys are the most common heat sink material. This is because aluminum costs less than copper. However copper is used where higher levels of thermal conductivity are needed.

Does aluminum dissipate heat?

-Conductivity in Aluminum: Pure aluminium has a thermal conductivity (heat transfer) of about 235 watts per kelvin per meter, and an electrical conductivity (at room temperature) of about 38 million siemens per meter. Aluminium dissipates heat up to 15 times faster than stainless steel.

How do I remove an old AMD heatsink?

Release the retention clips on each side of the heatsink from the motherboard socket mounting lugs. Lightly twist the CPU cooler clockwise and counterclockwise to loosen the seal between the heatsink and the lid of the CPU. Carefully lift the CPU cooler from the CPU.

How do I clean a heatsink?

Dip a cotton swab in alcohol, and then use it to remove dirt and dust between the small metal fins of the heatsink. Clean the remaining surface of the heatsink with the lint-free cloth and alcohol.

How do you clean a heatsink fin on a GPU?

How do you remove a heatsink from an SSD?

Insert the plastic pry tool between one of the heatsink clips and the heatsink itself. Lightly pry outward until the retaining clip disengages from the lower lip of the heatsink. Repeat steps 1-2 for the other clip on the same side of the drive. Hold onto the ends of the SSD and firmly grip the heatsink.

Can you remove thermal tape?

Depending on how the paste is applied you may just be able to wipe it off with a paper towel, if its the more solid stuff a plastic putty knife would do quite well, you can then use rubbing alcohol and a soft cloth to remove the rest.

How do you remove thermal pad from heatsink?

Use a razorblade or other fine edged instrument to carefully remove most of the thermal pad. Then, soak a paper towl or cloth with some rubbing alcohol and carefully wipe the remaining compound off. * Only use rubbing alcohol because it evaporates after use and does not leave a residue on the processor or heatsink.

What is the difference between steel and aluminium heat sinks?

Notice that any (old) steel heat sink you see will have thinner fins than any (new) aluminium heat sink: even though the thermal conduction is worse, the toughness of steel allows thinner fins. Fortunately, the exact thickness of fins is not a critical parameter for a convective-flow heat sink.

How do you clean the inside of your fins?

Or go down to COSTCO, get a bottle of 70\% isopropanol, and use a soft paint brush to dab the surface of the fins. It might not HURT to put it in a dishwasher, but that would be my action of last resort.

How to clean dust off of a heatsink?

Brushing can create static so, though it will be a PITA, it may be necessary to remove the heatsink, then brush, wash, whatever it takes to get it clean. One possible reason the dust is sticking so tenaciously is it may be a bit corrosive and is etching into the metal (aluminum is especially susceptible to this).

What can be used as a heat sink?

Based on this definition anything from a rectangular sheet of metal to a complex finned copper or aluminum extrusion can be used as a heat sink. In situations where there is ample space and/or the heat dissipated by the component is low an aluminum or copper plate can be used as an effective heat sink.