A heat sink is a heat exchanger which passively transfers the heat generated by a device away from itself by using an air or a liquid coolant, thereby allowing regulation of the temperature of the device.
Heat sinks are important for LEDs as the thermal energy must be dissipated into the surroundings in order for the light to function properly. The heat sink is the last component in the thermal path of an LED luminaire and is also the most important.
Heat sinks are manufactured using a variety of metal forming approaches, the most commonly used methods being casting, cold forging, extrusion and stamping. Other methods are also used such as bonding, forging, die cast, extrusion, stamping, machining, and stripping.
Related Glossary Terms
Related Products