Sandia's Laptop Heatpipes Closer To Market 204
mckennabluedot.com writes "Laptops aren't truly portable until you can stand to sit with one on your lap for more than 30 minutes. Sandia National Labs has
developed small copper 'wicks' to transport methanol--and waste heat--from one area of a computer to another, where it can be dispersed more efficiently, comfortably and compactly than with heat sinks. The technology is being licensed to an undisclosed startup." So this stuff (mentioned here previously) might soon make it to a lap near you.
Finally (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Finally (Score:2, Interesting)
So sterile may not be all ya get there.
Wish I could remember where I read that so it didn't sound so urban legendy, even though it probably still would/is.
Re:Finally (Score:3, Informative)
Google turned this up:
This Laptop's Too Hot to Handle [wired.com].
Among other links. I didn't see confirmation of the story though...
--RJ
Re:Finally (Score:4, Informative)
Just in case anyone's tempted to write it off as an urban myth, here [thelancet.com] is a link to the original report in The Lancet [thelancet.com], a very well-respected UK medical journal. (Free reg. reqd.)
Ouch.
Re:Finally (Score:3, Informative)
Though I don't know why anyone would put a laptop that close to their crotch. I kept mine close to my knees and to the left so the exhaust port (on my former company's T20) dumped heat far from me. No Rocky Mountain Oysters served on my train, thanks.
Let's call it LinGnux - Happy Birthday Richard, and thanks for the compiler & utilities that freed us.
Re:Finally (Score:4, Funny)
"When i my laptop on the plane it makes me wet between my legs"
Took her a few seconds to realize what she said but had an entire floor of tech support guys cracking up =)
"Glowing Cyber Balls" considered harmful (Score:5, Funny)
Re:"Glowing Cyber Balls" considered harmful (Score:2)
So, my saying something like, "I got your laptop heat pipe right here!" would be inappropriate?
-schussat
Re:"Glowing Cyber Balls" considered harmful (Score:2)
This is slashdot, after all, and we have standards to uphold.
Re:"Glowing Cyber Balls" considered harmful (Score:2)
Re:Finally (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Finally (Score:2)
No pain no gain.
But it still hurts so damn much!
What I just don't get is why nobody's tried using a pillow or something. It's that fricking simple!
Re:Finally (Score:1)
iBook (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:iBook (Score:1)
Re:iBook (Score:1)
Re:iBook (Score:1)
Re:iBook (Score:2)
Very happy I am with it too.
Dave
Re:iBook (Score:2)
Re:iBook (Score:2)
Ok. Really its 256 color Civilization. And my crappy batteries last for 2 hours at best.
But the warm part is true. *sniff*
non-waste heat? (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:non-waste heat? (Score:2)
Re:non-waste heat? (Score:2)
Basically if you use (say) a flame at 2000F to heat a factory at 70F you are wasting a lot of potential energy. You could, for example, run a gas turbine generator at 2000F and then use the 300F waste heat from that to warm the factory instead. This particular example is called 'cogeneration' and is a big way to boost energy efficiency esp. when used between two businesses such as a power plant and a plastics factory that requires moderate-t
Re:non-waste heat? (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:non-waste heat? (Score:2)
Re:non-waste heat? (Score:2)
Unless they are using the supercomputer primarily for heating and not computing.
Re:non-waste heat? (Score:2)
heat dispersing (Score:2)
As for myself, I don't have a laptop. Anybody donating?
Re:heat dispersing (Score:2)
by that did you mean that it gives a more maple surface?
i know, i hate puns too....
xao
Re:heat dispersing (Score:1)
Re:heat dispersing (Score:2)
You can keep them on your lap... (Score:3, Informative)
So remember, not everyone's trying to shove a desktop into a laptop and burning your legs off because of it.
Re:You can keep them on your lap... (Score:1)
Re:You can keep them on your lap... (Score:2)
Just wondering ... (Score:2, Interesting)
-- shayborg
Eureka (Score:2, Funny)
So THAT's what Dick Cheney has been up to this entire time!
Exhaust Pipes? (Score:4, Funny)
Can they be made to look like the pipes on a Harley [harley-davidson.com]?
Mmmmm chrome....
Re:Exhaust Pipes? (Score:2)
Re:Exhaust Pipes? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Exhaust Pipes? (Score:3, Funny)
I get this feeling that the noise reduction isn't going to be as much as some people think...
Tables? (Score:1, Interesting)
Related Technology: CoolPad (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Related Technology: CoolPad (Score:2, Insightful)
Beats paying $19.99. And you already HAVE the O'reilly book.
Re:Related Technology: CoolPad (Score:1, Insightful)
Some actually have fans on the bottom.
VHS tape (Score:2)
BTW, Sandia's way behind. Dell has been using heatpipes for close to two years (Maybe longer. The I8000 has heatpipes, so does the 8200).
And yes, they're wicked heatpipes. Non-wicked pipes don't work when the heat source is above the heatsink, but my Dell works fine when tilted backwards.
Flammable liquid in my lap? (Score:4, Funny)
Medium-rare and well-done are adjectives I'd just as soon not see applied to my goodies.
Re:Flammable liquid in my lap? (Score:5, Funny)
Hope you're not driving home in a gasoline-burning vehicle. Reminds me of Archie Bunker, when presented with a meal of tongue exclaims, "I'm not eating anything that came out of a cow's mouth. Gimme some eggs."
Re:Flammable liquid in my lap? (Score:2)
You'd think for a guy with the name of "bugnuts" a few ml would be enough to cause concern.
Re:Flammable liquid in my lap? (Score:3, Funny)
Even with a name like bugnuts, I don't worry about carrying a lighter in my pocket
Re:Flammable liquid in my lap? (Score:1)
The laptop would stop working way before it got dangerous.
Methanol? (Score:5, Funny)
* Upgrade to Gin or Vodka coolant $49.95
I can see the warnings already... (Score:5, Funny)
I can see the warnings stickered to future laptops: Do not use this laptop near an open flame. Smoking near this laptop is strictly prohibited!
Re: I can see the warnings already... (Score:1)
Actually.... (Score:4, Informative)
In the case that you're "citing" (I use quotes because you obviously don't know any of the facts.) the coffee was served at 180 F. This is quite a bit hotter than one expects to receive coffee at. For a fun experiment, try brewing some coffee and taking the temperature of it. Your experiment won't yield coffee at this temperature. Second of all, the McDonalds outlet had received over 700 complaints about their coffee being too hot. Other McDonalds have not and do not receive this many complaints about their coffee. It was partially because of these complaints that McDonalds was found negligent - they had plenty of information that the coffee was too hot but chose to ignore it because it was considered better for business to keep the coffee hot at all times so fewer fresh pots would have to be made. Furthermore, the woman in question (79 years old when the incident occured - your typical "victim" looking to get rich quick, right? Oh wait, she'd never filed a lawsuit before in her life.) received third degree burns on her groin, thighs, and buttocks. These burns required skin grafts and an extended stay in the hospital. The woman racked up medicals bill as a result of this. The award was also reduced from the original 2.6 million dollar settlement to 480,000 dollars.
Understanding law isn't quite as easy as just reading some headlines Mohammed.
Re: I can see the warnings already... (Score:2)
These things have been full of it for decades. [yque.com]
Enjoy.
but (Score:5, Funny)
xao
Re:but (Score:4, Funny)
I know. I've been there.
Spontaneous combustion. (Score:2, Funny)
Computers shouldn't heat up. (Score:4, Funny)
Now I find it acceptable that a computer can heat up somewhat during computationally intensive functions, like performing a huge batch job with Photoshop or something, but what annoys me a lot about this fan thing is that it seems to come on at the darnedest times. For example, if some application crashes, the fan comes on, then goes faster, then goes even faster, and finally it's spinning at its maximum speed, which sounds like a bunch of banshees flying around when there are heavy winds. All of this while the computer remains totally unresponsive to any input.
This has annoyed me so much on many occasions that I often consider disassembling the computer and removing that stupid fan. Yeah, it'll overheat, but at least I don't have to listen to that shit.
My suggestion, as far as heat is concerned, is that laptops can be built utilizing processors that use little energy and stay cool. Yes, these are much slower than your Pentium CXXVCVXIIIXCIX, but if you put about 5 of them in there, it won't be so bad. In fact, it might even be a bit faster in some cases. I wish people would consider that. What annoys me the most about this is that the computer seems to heat up during computing-intensive
Re:Computers shouldn't heat up. (Score:3, Interesting)
I agree with your sentiments that laptops should not heat up. Basically this is mainly an x86 problem. With more efficient code and using cooler chips (ARM, MIPS,...) you have a far better
Re:Computers shouldn't heat up. (Score:2)
Re:Computers shouldn't heat up. (Score:2)
Re:Computers shouldn't heat up. (Score:3, Informative)
Actually, there is nothing stopping low power processors from being just as fast, if not faster, than the hi-heat x86 processors. The only problem is that the price goes up. No more 2GHz processor for $50. The current line of Alphas are good examples.
That's the great thing about using open source software. You are
*Glowing* Hot* Cyber* Balls!* (Score:5, Funny)
You will have done a good deed, and have the satifaction that some Minnesota girl is removing some of her clothing while using your old hardware. After me, that is.
Hot and Bothered? (Score:5, Funny)
Wait a sec... isn't getting all hot and bothered down there supposed to be a good thing?
What? It's not? Do what with a girl?.....ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh I get it! So you're saying I've had it all wrong all this time? Damn...
Blockwars [blockwars.com]: a realtime, head-to-head game similar to Tetris.
maybe YOUR laptop is too hot (Score:4, Insightful)
That being said, my previous laptop (or craptop, as I like to think of it) was a Dell 8000 series. Not only did the thing weigh a metric ton, it also produced enough heat to fry eggs.
The only thing I sorta regret with my current laptop is the lack of screen real estate. However, given that the screen size on the Dell actually prohibited me from opening the thing up all the way on an airplane (unless I was in first class), and the travelling weight of my current laptop is less than half (nearly 1/3)of the Dell, it's a trade-off I'm more than willing to make.
Re:maybe YOUR laptop is too hot (Score:2)
Smaller, lighter, and cooler than the 12" PBG4.
Now, it's missing the SuperDrive, and the PIII 1.33ghz probably isn't as fast as the PPCG4 866, but it gets the job done.
Heh (Score:2, Funny)
Mmmmm (Score:5, Funny)
Mmmm....laptop steak.
Re:Mmmmm (Score:2)
Although, maybe the grill marks from a keyboard would be better suited to waffles.
think...pad (Score:1)
I refuse to get in iBook, it just SCREAMS "I'm a fruit." I need something ugly, like another thinkpad.....
apple's already done it... (Score:3, Informative)
Heat pipes in the TiBooks (Score:2, Interesting)
My previous powerbook, a 1998 "wallstreet", had no heat pipes, but used the keyboard to dissipate CPU heat. The back side of the keyboard was aluminum,
Hot Laptops (Score:1)
Ignorant question? (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Ignorant question? (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Ignorant question? (Score:4, Informative)
Nothing, I think. These tubes will be less than the thickness of a human hair (according the article), so flow will be much more governed by capillary action and pressure gradients produced by heat differences.
Re:Ignorant question? (Score:3, Insightful)
on a sidenote however, i could just swear that this is just some companys hop in announcement to the market and nothing totally _new_ as many laptops ALREADY have these, and it's not about cooler running laptops either, it's just moving the heat to another place from the components.
Isn't this already being done? (Score:2)
If you're wondering who needs this (Score:3, Informative)
Flamability and toxicity (Score:1, Interesting)
Re:Flamability and toxicity (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Flamability and toxicity (Score:2)
Who cares about methanol (Score:2)
I hope they can extend their technique to ethanol. And make it work for humans. Then we'll have a killer.
Why waste (Score:1)
It is energy after all.
Heatpipes rock (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Heatpipes rock (Score:2)
Re:Heatpipes rock (Score:2)
My system is at full load 24/7, and CPU temperature (dependent on ambient air temperature) sits around 50'C. Previously it was as high as 60'C. Case temp. is around 10'C below that.
To expect a 10'C temperature drop isn't too unreasonable. Just make sure your heatpipe is conducting as much heat away from the chip as possible, by using a quality heat transfer com
More info here (Score:4, Interesting)
They have thought of redirecting the heat for "hand warmers" but one of the things heat pipes really buys you is lack of moving parts and fan requirements... in other words, you can use it for silent or even a waterproof computer.
What about the radiation?? (Score:2)
That guy whos penis was burnt... he apparently didn't feel any heating up and the blistering ocurred some time after using the laptop.
Doesn't sound like heat burns to me; more like the sort of thing radar techos used to get in the days before people figured out that you shouldn't stand too close to an active radar system...
Not a problem. (Score:2)
For one, only the CPU core is running in the GHz range. This is a very small area, and doesn't make a good antenna.
For another, almost all of those high-frequency paths are terminated. As a result all of the power goes into some sort of load (Often the gate of the next transistor), and gets converted to heat and not radiated as RF. You can confirm this by measuring the power input of a CPU and its heat output - Almost all of
Why waste the heat? (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Why waste the heat? (Score:3, Informative)
If you put a heat engine on the CPU, you reduce energy transfer versus a heatsink/heatpipe. You coul recover a small percentage of the power, but it's really not worth it.
My T20 is fine, even when I wear shorts... (Score:2)
One of the problems is this stupid race to the most megahertz. Hardly anyone needs a computer that fast, let alone a laptop. How many of you are doing 3D rendering, professional Photoshop work, or heavy duty web/database serving from your laptop? The first two practically require a CRT, the third just doesn't happen in the real world. And wanker gamers don't count...
Re:My T20 is fine, even when I wear shorts... (Score:2)
>>>>>>>>.
I've got 2 out of 3 (well, not *pro* Photoshop work, but amatuar GIMPing
Methanol also used in Fuel cells.... (Score:2)
Fuel-Cell Power With Methanol [slashdot.org]
So it would be interesting to see how these two areas could be combined or at least cross developed.
Nobody noticed this? (Score:2)
Well maybe errors are just par for the course, but laptops are already VERY portable. They are truly portable. You can use them on a table and not feel the heat at all.
The paragraph should read: laptops aren't truly LAP TOPS until you can stand to sit with one on your lap for more than 30 minutes. Because, they are already perfectly portable.
Oxymoron (Score:2)
Re:Let me get this straight... (Score:3, Offtopic)
Re:Let me get this straight... (Score:2)