While the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show (CES) will have plenty of gizmos on display, one under-the-hood innovation could have significance for future consumer electronic products. According to a DigiTimes report, Intel is working on a thermal module solution for laptops that could reportedly enable vendors to create fanless notebooks and can further shrink their thickness.
The DigiTimes report, which quoted a number of sources, said Intel’s thermal cooling solution, which leverages both vapor chamber design plus graphite, could enhance power dissipation by 25 to 30%.
The report explained that traditional laptop compartments place thermal modules between the keyboard exterior and the bottom shell as most key components that generate heat are located there. In a radical departure, Intel's design will replace the traditional thermal modules with a vapor chamber and attach it with a graphite sheet that is placed behind the screen area to improve heat dissipation.
RELATED: Thermoelectric Modules Keep CMOS Sensors Cool
According to the DigiTimes report, vapor chambers have become more popular in recent years, particularly for gaming applications requiring stronger heat dissipation. The article added that vapor chambers can be formed into irregular shapes to broaden coverage on hardware.
The DigiTimes report conceded that Intel’s thermal module design “is only suitable for notebooks that open at a maximum angle of 180 degrees and not models featuring 360-degree rotatable screen, as the graphite sheet will expose from the hinge area and affect overall industrial design."