Why Round Pin Heat Sinks?

Adam January 31, 2014Heat Sink Design and Optimization • Q&A

Traditional plate fin heat sinks require the external airflow to approach in the direction parallel to the fins. But in many applications, the airflow direction is not parallel or cannot be determined at the design stage. It may depend on how the end users use the product. It may also change during service when additional components are added to the system when one of the system fans suddenly fails. In the worst-case scenario, the air can approach at 90 degrees to the fins. When this happens, the result can be devastating.

To overcome the uncertainties, an omni-directional design becomes necessary, and round pin heat sinks are the best candidates — their cylindrical pins can take air from any direction.