Forced Convection Overview

Forced convection is a mechanism in which fluid motion is generated by an external source like a pump, fan, or other device. While the term forced convection can be used to refer to any fluid, it is most commonly associated with forced air cooling. Because of the usually high airspeeds associated with forced convection, significant amounts of heat can be transported quickly and efficiently. The amount of surface area on the heat sink is an important factor in helping meet the desired thermal performance, but too much surface area will cause the heat sink to have a large pressure drop. The greater the drop in pressure, the greater the strain put on the fan, which results in decreased fan performance. Wakefield-Vette engineers will help find the optimal operation point to achieve your thermal requirements.