Heat sinks are categorized by cooling method, manufacturing process, and application. The main types include:
- By Cooling Method: Active Heat Sinks use a fan or blower to force airflow (e.g., CPU coolers). Passive Heat Sinks rely on natural convection and have no moving parts (common in low-power devices). Liquid Cooling Systems use a coolant circulated through cold plates/radiators for extremely high heat loads.
- By Manufacturing: Extruded Heat Sinks are the most common, cost-effective for medium performance. Bonded/Staked Fin offer high surface area by bonding thin fins to a base. Stamped Heat Sinks are low-cost, thin metal sheets for low-power applications. Skived Heat Sinks have very thin, dense fins cut from a solid block, offering excellent performance. Die-Cast Heat Sinks are for complex 3D shapes.
- By Application: CPU/GPU coolers, LED heat sinks, power module heat sinks, and industrial equipment coolers.