What Is the Processor Fan in a CPU?
For a central processing unit (also known as a CPU, or processor) to function properly, it needs a proper method to cool it down. The most common method of cooling down processors is by means of a cooling fan.
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Importance
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Processors produce a lot of heat and are not designed to cool down on their own. A cooling fan on a processor would disperse heat and prevent it from building up in the processor.
Processor Heat
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The intense amount of work processors do causes them to produce massive amounts of heat due to resistance in their circuits. If a processor collects too much heat, it might cause the computer to shut off, and the processor may need to be replaced.
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Heat Sinks
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It isn't anything out of the ordinary to see a processor fan come with a heat sink below it. When installed properly, a heat sink basically draws heat out of any metal surface it is attached to.
Types
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The most popular cooling setup for a processor is a heat sink with a fan on it, attached to the processor through thermal grease and a lock-type attachment. Older processors (such as the early Intel Pentium processors) use a simple heat sink with no thermal grease and no fan.
Warning
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If you attempt to attach a cooling fan to a processor, always apply the proper thermal solution. This is necessary to properly transfer the heat from the processor into the heat sink and out through the fan.
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References
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Garrette
