What is the difference and use between thermal paste and cooling oil?

Mondo Digital Updated on 2024-02-01

In electronic devices, heat dissipation is a crucial issue. In order to solve this problem, heat dissipation paste and heat sink oil have become common heat dissipation materials. But what is the difference and usefulness between them? We're going to dive into this issue next.

First, let's learn about thermal paste. Thermal paste is a paste-like substance that consists mainly of silicone oil, metal oxides, and other additives. Its main features are good thermal conductivity and low thermal resistance. In electronic devices, thermal paste is mainly used to fill the gap between electronic components and heat sinks, increase the heat conduction area, and thus improve heat dissipation efficiency. Due to its good adhesion and fillability, the thermal paste is able to adhere tightly to the various surfaces, forming a layer of thermal conductive interface, effectively transferring the heat generated by the electronic components to the heat sink.

Compared to heat dissipation paste, heat sink oil is a liquid heat dissipation medium. Its main ingredient is mineral oil or synthetic oil, with some additives added to improve its performance. Heat dissipation oils are characterized by their high fluidity, which allows them to flow quickly across various surfaces and fill voids, thus improving heat transfer efficiency. In addition, the coolant has a relatively low thermal resistance and is able to transfer heat to the radiator quickly. However, due to the strong fluidity of heat dissipation oil, care needs to be taken to prevent leakage and volatilization when using it.

In practice, the choice of heat sink and oil depends on the specific use environment and needs. Thermal paste is a better choice for applications that require tight filling and high thermal conductivity. For applications that require a large area of contact and rapid heat transfer, heat dissipation oil may be more suitable.

In summary, there are obvious differences between thermal paste and heat dissipation oil in terms of thermal conductivity, usage and application scenarios. The correct selection and use of these two heat dissipation materials is essential to ensure the stable operation of electronic devices.

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