GPUs

Thermal Management in GPUs

GPUs are critical components for high-performance computing; however, increasing power density leads to significant heat generation. Inadequate heat dissipation can result in performance throttling, efficiency loss, component degradation, and reduced lifespan. Effective Thermal Interface Materials (TIMs) minimize interface resistance, fill microscopic air gaps, and rapidly transfer heat to the heatsink, maintaining optimal operating temperatures.

The Role of Thermal Interface Materials in GPU Cooling

TIMs act as a bridge between GPUs and cooling solutions. They enhance thermal conductivity while providing insulation, compressibility, and long-term durability. Their main advantages include:

• Improved Heat Transfer: Enables efficient heat dissipation through low thermal resistance.

• Gap Filling: Eliminates air pockets and ensures maximum contact area.

• Reliability: Offers strong resistance to aging, vibration, and environmental stress.

Fehonda offers a range of GPU-specific TIM solutions designed for gaming PCs, workstations, and servers. These materials support high thermal demands, overclocking scenarios, and compact designs. Both manual and automated (dispenser) application options are available.

Thermal Pads

Pre-formed, compressible sheets that eliminate surface irregularities between GPU memory modules and heatsinks. Enriched with thermally conductive fillers such as aluminum oxide and/or boron nitride, these pads ensure full contact without leaving air gaps. They also provide electrical insulation and impact absorption.

Features & Advantages:

• Thermal conductivity: 1.5 – 10.0 W/mK

• Low thermal resistance, good weather resistance

• Self-adhesive surface, easy to install

• Soft, good compressibility, reliable over long use

• UL94 V-0 flame retardant, RoHS compliant

Applications:

• Consumer electronics: laptops, desktop PCs, gaming consoles

• Industrial electronics requiring thermal management

Thermal grease, also known as thermal paste, is a viscous substance that fills microscopic air gaps between the GPU and the heatsink. It is typically made from a base material, such as silicone, and mixed with thermally conductive materials like silver, copper, or ceramic particles.

As a medium for transferring heat, thermal grease has many advantages, such as excellent thermal conductivity, good lubricity, electrical insulation, good resistance to high and low temperatures, low viscosity and good construction performance. In addition, it also has the characteristics of low usage thickness and low thermal resistance, which makes it suitable for scenarios with high heat generation and close fit. It can be used to quickly transfer heat from the device to achieve good temperature control, thereby extending the service life of electronic components and improving their reliability. It can be placed on the heating device by dispensing, printing, etc. Thermal grease is a excellent thermal conductive composite material suitable for smaller gaps or no gaps.

Features and Advantages

• Thermal conductivity of Fehonda thermal grease: 1-14.8W/mK

• Excellent thermal conductivity, high stability, excellent wetting performance

• Low thermal resistance, easy construction, and a very thin interface layer can be formed on the rough surface

• UL94 V-0 flame retardant, meets RoHS environmental requirements

Applications
High-Performance Systems: Commonly used in high-end gaming PC, workstations, and servers where superior thermal performance is required.
Overclocking: Essential for systems that are overclocked to ensure that additional heat is efficiently managed.