Researchers use "ionic wind" to cool computer chips
By Donald Melanson 
posted Aug 15th 2007 12:47PM
posted Aug 15th 2007 12:47PM
A team of researchers at Purdue University look to be doing their best to put conventional computer cooling techniques to shame, to that end developing a prototype system that uses an "ionic wind" to keep chips cool, something they say could eventually allow for much more powerful computers. According to the BBC, the system employs an ionic engine that produces positively charged particles when a voltage is applied to it. Those particles are then naturally drawn to a negatively charged wire, resulting in a constant air movement over the chips. That, the researchers say, increases the cooling rate from a conventional fan by up to 250%. They're apparently far from satisfied with the system just yet though, and they're now working to make it a hundred times smaller than its current size -- a feat all the more daunting considering that it already measures just a few millimeters.[Thanks, Xander and Del Monte]
Old news guys. The U of Washington made this 2 years ago and has been refining it ever since
I believe I read this same topic on engadget a while ago...
http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/18/the-ion-cooled-pc-and-smog-generator/
The Folks at inventgeek.com did it for dirt cheap, even laid out the instructions for the average folk (read: not self-proclaimed Purdue geeks) to build their own
So they connected that big thing from 'sharper image' to their computer, and now they want to have one that can fit on the chip?
except I think this one is supposed to work and isn't taking up space in a shop whose entire purpose is to scam people =p
I hope the institute some sort of filter out there to keep the dust away.
I've been playing around with some filter material to keep airflow but reduce the dust.
of course, liquid cooled components eliminate some dust build up problems.
http://www.inventgeek.com/Projects/IonCooler2/Overview.aspx
http://www.inventgeek.com/Projects/IonCooler/Overview.aspx
Invent Geek hacked up one a while ago
My wife has an ionic hairdryer. Maybe the guys at Purdue can borrow it.
http://golftards.com
My 360 bricked just reading that list.
I hope this doesn't emit ozone like those gimmick 'air purifiers' at sharper image do.
I like the invent geek one i will have to try that at home but it looked rather large using parts of a cd case which is at least 6in. I think this would be more for use on a laptop
At first glance, I read "ironic wind".
I guess that would be a windstorm that cools your chips, but fells a tree on the power lines?
Don't those things give people headaches with all the ozone that is produced?
Old news, I saw this in Maximum PC a few months ago, about how they were using an "ionic breeze" to cool chips...
I guess the Sharper Image has something good going then, eh?