A desktop PC/gaming rig is only as powerful as the quality of its components. Users who demand the absolute best in performance can always push their rigs beyond the standard threshold. However, in doing so, accounting for thermals is extremely crucial. Current options are liquid cooling and fan cooling. Meanwhile, the NOVA is a concept that proposes another type of technology.
RGB lighting and pre-mixed coolants look mesmerizing in action. Depending on the quality of your setup, it’s possible to overclock the system and get the most out of the CPU, GPU, and RAM. Expect power consumption to increase alongside the heat, then determine the best cooling configuration for optimal results.
Since mechanical parts tend to eventually wear out, Minhwan Kim and Gyuri Kim propose a fanless desktop cooler. Although it sounds crazy at first, the NOVA proposes the use of ionic wind to control airflow. The technology exists and is actively in development across various industries.
In fact, some brilliant scientists are exploring its potential as a means of spacecraft propulsion. Currently, working prototypes are on a smaller scale due to power source limitations, which affect thrust. Nevertheless, the sizes available should be enough to replace mechanical cooling fans.
“The high-speed jet flow generated by the ion electrodes and Bernoulli’s principle induces the Coandă effect at the central hole. This effect causes the fast-moving fluid to draw in and carry along the surrounding stagnant fluid, expanding the overall airflow,” reads the description for the NOVA.
In theory, everything checks out, which suggests the team just needs to come up with a prototype based on standard measurements. If demonstrations deliver favorable results, we believe the NOVA would receive all the support it needs for commercial distribution.
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Images courtesy of Minhwan Kim/Gyuri Kim/Behance
