Skip to main content
Contact Us
THERMAL · BASICS

What Is Conduction Cooling?

Conduction cooling moves heat out of a computer through solid materials rather than moving air. Thermal pads, heat spreaders and heat pipes carry heat from the processor, memory and storage into the metal chassis, which passes it to the surface it is mounted on or to the surrounding air. With no fans or vents, the system can be fully sealed.

01

The Short Answer

Ordinary fanless computers still rely on air flowing past their fins. A conduction-cooled design goes further, coupling the hot components directly to the chassis and the chassis to a cold plate, wall or frame. In cold environments it works especially well, because the large temperature difference pulls heat away efficiently.

  • //
    Sealed operation No vents for dust, moisture or frost to enter.
  • //
    No fans to fail Nothing to wear out or ice up.
  • //
    Uses the structure Walls, frames and cold plates become the heatsink.
  • //
    Quiet and reliable Silent, solid-state operation for long lifecycles.
02

Why It Matters

Our fanless computers FAQ covers the basics, and our condensation FAQ explains cold-environment risks. The cold-chain case study runs a conduction-cooled Bedrock R8000 in a refrigerated warehouse.