What is a Folded Fin Heat Sink
GALLOP INNOTEK’s folded fin heat sink is an efficient heat sink, widely used in high-power electric equipment. The fin is made from metal materials and can transfer heat generated during the work process with high efficiency. Compared to traditional heat sinks, the fins of this heat sink are combined with a base plate after folding, offering a larger heat dissipation surface in the same space.
Design Features and Working Principle
Production
Structure: GALLOP INNOTEK folded fin heat sink consists of a heat-conducting base plate and many pieces of folded metal fins, and the fins are generally produced by progressive stamping.
Material: The folded fin heat sink is often made from aluminum and copper for production. Due to the distinct properties of aluminum and copper, GALLOP INNOTEK’s folded fin heat sink is typically a composite structure. Copper possesses excellent thermal conductivity, making it suitable for use in producing the base plate. Aluminum is commonly used in fins due to its advantages, including lightweight design and affordability.
Bond: Epoxy resin is a helpful tool for bonding base plates and fins, but the prerequisite is that these materials are made of aluminum. If the material is copper, welding may be a more effective option.
Features
High thermal conductivity: GALLOP INNOTEK folded fin heat sink increases the heat dissipation surfaces with the help of folded metal fins. It can achieve higher efficiency in a limited space, which is the core design of the folded fin heat sink.
Flexible design: You can adjust the density, height, thickness, or shape of folded fins based on actual requirements to adapt to different installation spaces or performance requirements. Common types of folded fins include plain flat crest, wavy, semi flat crest, louvered, ruffled, etc.
Lightweight and economical: The GALLOP INNOTEK folded fin heat sink can be designed compactly, taking up less space. The materials used for the folded fin heat sink are economical, and the production process is straightforward. A combination design can also balance product performance and your costs.
Optimized airflow: A key feature of the GALLOP INNOTEK folded fin heat sink is its ability to optimize airflow. The folds of the fins increase the contact area with airflow and create more channels to ensure normal heat exchange between the heat sinks and their environments. This can not only decrease the operation temperature, but also enhance the stability of the equipment.
Working Principle
In the heat dissipation process, the heat generated by electric devices or power modules is first transferred through the base plate to the folded fins. The surface of folded fins has more areas that can contact with air and release heat with the help of air convection.
In other words, GALLOP INNOTEK’s folded fin heat sink offers more air contact passage to achieve efficient heat exchange. The folded fin heat sink can maintain high heat dissipation performance, especially in environments with strong convection, and quickly decrease the surface temperature of devices.
Comparison with Other Heat Sinks
Folded Fin Heat Sink vs Extruded Heat Sink
The extruded heat sink is a common basic heat dissipation solution that utilizes an integrated forming process. It has advantages in production efficiency and cost, making it suitable for medium- or low-power equipment produced in large quantities. However, limited by the extrusion process, the thickness, height, and spacing of fins are relatively fixed and cannot be adjusted. GALLOP INNOTEK’s folded fin heat sink is more flexible and supports custom designs, offering bigger heat dissipation areas. Although it may have a higher production cost, it is the best choice if you require high heat dissipation.
Folded Fin Heat Sink vs Zipper Fin Heat Sink
Metal fins produced by stamp forming of the zipper fin heat sink interlock with each other and bond to the base plate to form the overall structure. The features of zipper fin heat sinks include uniform fin pitch, high strength, and a good airflow channel, making them suitable for mass conduction. The zipper fins require molds to achieve stamping, resulting in a higher initial cost compared to the folded fin heat sink, and their design flexibility is limited by the molds. GALLOP INNOTEK’s folded fin heat sink does not require a mold; it is produced through continuous folding, allowing you to customize the shape of the fins according to your specific requirements. However, the structural strength of the folded fin is lower than the zipper fin.
Application
Electric vehicle: In electric vehicles, components such as the battery management system, inverter, and motor controller may generate a large amount of heat. If heat dissipation is insufficient, working efficiency will decrease and cause component damage. GALLOP INNOTEK’s folded fin heat sink can reduce temperature while maintaining a lightweight design, thereby improving the endurance of vehicles.
5G communication base station: 5G communication base stations have high power, and the equipment space is very compact, so they need an efficient heat sink. Folded fin heat sinks offer more heat dissipation areas that rely on a high density of fins. It enables the heat sink to work efficiently in natural convection, thereby maintaining the stability of the 5G equipment through optimal air cooling conditions.
LED light: High-power LEDs continue to generate heat during operation; if the heat cannot dissipate in a timely manner, it may accelerate light decay. GALLOP INNOTEK’s folded fin heat sink can be customized to a certain shape and installed on the LED light, achieving more efficient dissipation.
Power modules: High-power modules and inverters are typical high-thermal-density equipment; the traditional dissipation solution has limitations in terms of space. While the GALLOP INNOTEK folded fin heat sink offers more flexible fins to increase the efficiency of heat dissipation, making the devices keep a stable condition.
