Introduction

Gigabyte has a new line of CPU coolers available including the 3D Rocket Cooler-Pro, which incorporates heat pipes, a blower style fan and blue LEDs.

Gigabyte is probably best known as a manufacturer of quality motherboards but they have recently introduced a new line of CPU coolers.  The Gigabyte 3D Rocket Cooler-Pro heatsink fan (HSF) incorporates four heat pipes to transfer heat out of the forged copper base and up into a circular array of aluminum fins.  The cooler uses a variable speed, integrated blower style fan with a removable shroud that directs the exhaust airflow down onto the motherboard for additional component cooling.  The 3D Rocket Cooler-Pro uses a universal mount that works with both Intel P4 (socket 478 and LGA775), AMD K7 (socket 462) and AMD K8 (socket 754/740) platforms.

 

Gigabyte 3D Rocket Cooler-Pro - Cases and Cooling 18

 

The Gigabyte 3D Rocket Cooler-Pro was designed to provide maximum cooling with minimal noise.  It also includes an array of blue LEDs for enhanced visual affects.

 

Main Features:

  • Universal design for Intel P4 and AMD K7/K8 platforms
  • User friendly clip for easy installation
  • Four integrated heat pipes
  • Copper base and aluminum fins
  • Rocket airflow design with removable air duct
  • Variable speed fan controller
  • Compact, light weight design
  • Integrated blue LEDs

 

Heatsink Specifications

  • Forged copper base
  • High density aluminum fins
  • Four imbedded copper heat pipes
  • Total weight: 500g

 

Fan Specifications

  • Integrated blower-style fan
  • Bearings: ball
  • Voltage: 6.3 to 12 VDC
  • Current: 0.5 A
  • Speed: 2,500 to 4,000 RPM (variable)
  • Noise level: 23.7 dBA (2,500 RPM) to 37.2 dBA (4,000 RPM)
  • Life expectancy: 70,000 hours

 

 

 Heat Pipe Technology

 

The 3D Rocket cooler uses four copper heat pipes to transport heat from the heatsink base up to the large surface area provided by the copper fins.  A heat pipe is a highly efficient conductor of heat.  A properly constructed heat pipe has a very low thermal resistance, which is roughly independent of its length (unlike ordinary metal rods whose thermal resistance increases with length).  Heat pipes are commonly used to transport heat from one location to another.

 

Heat pipes work on the principle of evaporation and condensation.  A working fluid (frequently distilled water) evaporates inside one end of the heat pipe (the hot-end) absorbing heat in the process.  A partial vacuum inside the heat pipe allows the water to evaporate at low temperatures.  Once formed, the water vapor diffuses from an area of high vapor pressure (where it is being generated) to the other end of the tube where the vapor pressure is lower.

 

The vaporized fluid then condenses back to liquid (cold-end) and the heat is dissipated into the air from the metal cooling fins.  The working fluid returns to the hot end via capillary action thru an internal wicking structure (sintered metal coating, fine wire mesh, or grooves) so the heat pipe does not have to rely on gravity to recycle the working fluid.

 

The key to a heat pipe’s high efficiency is the latent heat of vaporization.  One gram of water absorbs 540 calories of heat when it changes state from a liquid to a gas (without any increase in temperature).  It then gives up this same amount of heat when it condenses back into a liquid.  By contrast, adding 540 calories of heat to 100 grams of copper (small heatsink) would raise its temperature 60ºC!

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