Noctua and Forced Physics are developing a 2000 W air cooler

The renowned cooling system manufacturer Noctua has announced a research partnership with Forced Physics DCT. As part of this collaboration, the parties will work on adapting the micro-channel air cooling technology known as JouleForce for PCs and workstations. According to Ixbt.com, this innovative solution is capable of dissipating over 2000 W of heat in industrial settings without the use of liquid. This is reported by Ixbt.com reports.

Unlike traditional coolers, JouleForce technology does not rely on a massive array of aluminum fins. Instead, it uses a heat exchanger with thousands of microscopic air channels. Airflow is forced through these channels at high pressure, allowing for much more efficient heat dissipation from the heated surface.

Micro-channels and the boundary layer problem

The main advantage of this approach is the reduction of the negative impact of the air boundary layer, which lowers the efficiency of standard radiators. Due to the small channels, air comes into contact with a much larger surface area. As a result, heat exchange is significantly accelerated, allowing the heat exchanger to be more compact.

Initially, Forced Physics developed the JouleForce technology for data centers and AI accelerators with extremely high heat output. According to the company, the technology is designed for thermal loads exceeding 2000 W, which is significantly higher than the needs of even the most powerful PC processors.

Engineering challenges for Noctua

However, this is where the main engineering problem arises. The narrower the air channels, the higher the resistance to flow, and higher static pressure is required. For this reason, existing industrial units use noisy centrifugal blowers and air delivery systems that are completely unsuitable for standard home computers.

Noctua's main task is to create a compact and quiet cooling system capable of providing the necessary pressure without drastically increasing noise levels. Using its experience in developing high-performance fans, the company plans to make micro-channel technology accessible for standard and professional computers.

If this project is successfully implemented, a completely new type of air cooler will enter the market. They are expected to provide the ability to effectively cool even the hottest processors without pumps, tubes, or complex liquid loops.