Boffins cool chips with ionsAny old ions, the iony, the ionyBy Nick Farrell: Wednesday 15 August 2007, 08:50Click here to find out more!TECHNICIANS at Purdue University have improved the cooling rate of computers by 250 per cent by using ionic wind engines.According to Network World, when used with with a conventional computer fan, the ionic generators can boost airflow over the surface of a chip.The experimental device generates ions using electrodes placed near one another.The ionic wind increased the airflow by 250 per cent on the surface of the experimental chip while other experimental cooling-enhancement could only manage a 50 per cent improvement.Top boffin Suresh Garimella said the new cooling technology could be introduced in computers within three years. The research is backed by Intel.
