Corona driven air propulsion for cooling of electronics

The possibility of building a high voltage electrostatic air pump for cooling of microelectronics is investigated. Existing cooling technology no longer provides adequate heat dissipation due to excessive heat generation caused by the growing component density on electronic devices. Heat sink fins are packed more closely to increase the heat exchange surface area, resulting in narrower channels between the fins. Air viscosity in narrow channels reduces the cooling efficiency of the heat sinks. Electrostatic air propulsion methods may improve airflow patterns in narrow channels. Several prototypes of the electrostatic air pump were built. Corona onset voltage was measured, and the current-voltage relationship showed a positive exponential relationship. The performance of the corona pump displayed a nearly linear voltage-air velocity relationship, a logarithmic decrease in air gap impedance between corona and collector electrodes, and a departure from classic air velocity profiles. Energy efficiency of the proposed approach is shown to be comparable to that of existing technology.