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Regarding this heatsink with this datasheet, its thermal resistance is given as .06K/W. It is also written "designed for use with multiple thermoelectric (Peltier effect) coolers".

My question is, is the given thermal resistance value valid without a thermoelectric (Peltier effect) cooler and any paste? And can we say the heatsink's thermal resistance even will be lower with a thermoelectric cooler?

(I just found the given thermal resistance too low to be true for instance comparing to other heatsinks like this.)

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  • \$\begingroup\$ The heatsink has a very high capacity because of its integrated fan. From the text I’d say that it’s designed to dissipate heat from hot peltier devices rather than using them for additional cooling. Whether the .06deg/W figure is credible I couldn’t say. \$\endgroup\$
    – Frog
    Commented Jun 7, 2023 at 19:35
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    \$\begingroup\$ @Frog I have my doubts about the .06 K/W figure; it's hard if not impossible to get that good without a full-on liquid cooling system. \$\endgroup\$
    – Hearth
    Commented Jun 8, 2023 at 0:12

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The thermal resistance value is from one specified area on the heatsink (the part designed to attach to whatever it's cooling) to ambient. It doesn't care (within reason) what's attached to that area. It's designed to cool Peltier devices, but anything you bolt on there will have a similar Rth unless the geometry is radically different. When you attach a Peltier, the thermal resistance is still from the hot side of the Peltier to ambient and is unchanged. What the Qc of the Peltier will be depends on what device you have and how much current you're feeding it.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ What can you say about the direction of the airflow for the fan? Blowing from below or out to the air? \$\endgroup\$
    – user1245
    Commented Jun 8, 2023 at 8:42
  • \$\begingroup\$ The fan direction appears to be blowing down onto the fins, since every fan I've seen has airflow exiting the fan in the same direction as the hub label, which is towards the fins in the picture. Reversing the direction would either have no change or reduce performance though I do share @Hearth's reservations about the 0.06 K/W Rth given. \$\endgroup\$
    – vir
    Commented Jun 8, 2023 at 16:12
  • \$\begingroup\$ Just curious from what picture did you infer the direction of the fan air flow? What is hub label? \$\endgroup\$
    – user1245
    Commented Jun 9, 2023 at 9:14
  • \$\begingroup\$ You mean like this howtogeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/… ? In that case is the fan in question blowing the air out? \$\endgroup\$
    – user1245
    Commented Jun 9, 2023 at 9:20

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