heat sink

American  

noun

1. Thermodynamics. any environment or medium that absorbs heat.

2. Electronics. Also heatsink a metallic heat exchanger designed to absorb and dissipate excess heat from one of the devices, as a transistor or resistor, in a circuit.

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heat sink British  

noun

1. a metal plate specially designed to conduct and radiate heat from an electrical component

2. a layer of material placed within the outer skin of high-speed aircraft to absorb heat

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heat sink Scientific  

1. A protective device that absorbs and dissipates the excess heat generated by a system.

2. An environment capable of absorbing heat from substances within it (and with which it is in thermal contact) without an appreciable change in its own temperature and without a change in its own phase.

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heat sink Cultural  

1. A reservoir for excess heat, especially in a mechanical or electrical device.

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Discover More

One obstacle to the loading of circuits onto microprocessors is the heat generated by electrical circuits. Effective heat sinks, such as metal fins on top of a microprocessor, can provide part of the solution to this problem.

Etymology

Origin of heat sink

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

But he realised the falcons were having no success because they had laid their eggs in a metal gutter, which acts as a heat sink, drawing warmth away from the nest.

From BBC

Another growing use case is in data centers, where aluminum is used in heat sinks, cooling systems and the structures themselves.

From The Wall Street Journal

Green, well-maintained plants can slow the spread of a fire by serving as heat sinks, absorbing energy and even blocking embers.

From Los Angeles Times

However, his findings indicatethat far from acting as insulation, the mantle instead acts like a heat sink -- dissipating the heat away from the centre.

From Science Daily

Conventional heat sinks passively draw heat away from hotspots, but it has remained a challenge to find a more dynamic control to actively regulate heat.

From Science Daily