The speaker Heat Sinks: Definition, Types and Applications
About the Article
1. What Is A Heat Sink In A Speaker?
2. Types of Speaker Heat Sinks
3. Why Do Amplifiers Use Heat Sinks?
4. What Is The Temperature of The Heat sink?
1. Definition: What is A Heat Sink In A Speaker?
A heat sink is a device or component used for heat dissipation. Its main function is to transfer the heat of the circuit system to the surrounding environment to prevent the circuit system from overheating or being damaged.
Heat sinks are used in a variety of devices and systems including electronics, automotive engines, computer processors, electric motors, power amplifiers, and more.
The speaker heat sink is mainly made of aluminum alloy or copper alloy, and it is a component mounted on the PCB board. It quickly releases the heat conducted by the circuit board into the air, which can effectively reduce the temperature of the PCB board when the speaker is working.
Please check the picture below.
2. Types of Speaker Heat Sinks
There are many types of heat dissipation, and the following three are used mostly.
A. Aluminum
B. Copper
C. Cooling fan
The Main Type of Speakers Used - Aluminum Heat sink
The heat sink of the speaker is mainly made of aluminum, because it has high thermal conductivity and can transfer heat quickly.
Aluminum heatsinks are mostly used in high powered loudspeaker systems because of their ability to efficiently dissipate the large amount of heat they generate into the surrounding environment.
Another reason why it is widely used is light weight and low cost copper products.
The Shape of The Aluminum Radiator
Fin Heatsink
This is one of the most common radiator shapes. They feature a series of tiny lamellae that increase the surface area for better dissipation. This type is mostly used in electronic devices such as computer processors and graphics cards.
Block Heatsink
Block heat sinks are one-piece aluminum blocks used on products that require a larger surface area for dissipation. Its shape varies, including square, rectangular or regular hexagonal.
Cylindrical Heatsink
The heat sink has a cylindrical shape and is used in products with low heat dissipation requirements, such as LED lamps or small electronic devices.
Tubular Radiator
Consists of one or more heat pipes, usually cylindrical in shape, for transferring heat. The pipes transfer heat from one area to another and then dissipate it into the surrounding environment.
Pin Fin Heatsink
It has a large number of very small columnar structures, which looks like a long thin fin. They are designed to provide efficient dissipation and to be used in confined spaces.
Currently, Fin sinks and Block sinks are most commonly used in speaker manufacturing.
AUSMAN Audio's products also use sheet radiators, which have the advantages of easy installation and good heat dissipation, and its price will not have a great impact on the total cost of the product.
For example, the AUSMAN PA Speakers and Floor Standing Speakers(2.0 DJ Speakers)
3. Why Do Speakers Use Heatsink?
Loudspeakers are key components in a speaker system, they amplify the audio signal to make music or sound louder. However, tones generate a lot of heat during operation.
If the heat cannot be effectively dissipated, it will cause overheating, which will affect the normal operation of the system.
In addition, due to the overheating and instability of the circuit board, it will cause noise in the signal transmission, reduce the accuracy of the signal, and affect the sound quality.
Therefore, in the design of active speakers, manufacturers need to conduct thermal simulation calculations for different power circuit boards, drivers, frequency dividers and other components, and then install and increase radiators to reduce music synchronization and noise problems.
The heat sink effectively prevents the circuit board from overheating, making it work at an appropriate temperature and ensuring the stable operation of the audio system.
4. What Is The Temperature of The Heat sink?
The temperature of the speaker radiator usually needs to be controlled within an appropriate range, so that the internal electronic components will not overheat, thereby affecting performance and life.
The maximum safe temperature range for common electronic components is between 70°C and 100°C.
Therefore, the temperature needs to control the system temperature not to exceed 100°C, generally between 40°C and 80°C, preferably not to exceed 50°C.
The design of heat dissipation performance is a conclusion obtained through thermal simulation calculations of circuit board power, drivers and other components.
For the specific calculation method, please refer to this article "How Much Heatsink Do I Need For An Amplifier?"
An Important Part To The Speaker
An amplifier's heatsink needs are case-by-case.
The power is different, the heat generated is also different, and the cooling performance required is also different.
Speakers with different powers (80/100/150/200/300/500W) require different sizes and thicknesses of radiators.
For example, AUSMAN Audio needs to calculate the cooling performance of each product and configure a suitable radiator for it.
In order to ensure that the amplifier does not overheat during long-term high-load operation, designers usually calculate the cooling performance based on the specifications and parameters of the amplifier, and finally choose an appropriate cooling solution.
In a sound system, radiators in speakers may not be as noticeable, but they are a critical component in keeping the system running efficiently.
Through reasonable design and matching radiator, the stability, reliability and performance of audio equipment can be maintained.
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