Ventiva has just launched its pioneering ICE9 thermal management package, which operates completely silently and without any moving parts. It will be unveiled at CES in a few days with devices powered by processors up to 25W, but is expected to be able to frigid partner laptops with a TDP of up to 40W by 2027.
According to Ventive (PDF), ICE9 uses the company’s Ionic Cooling Engine (ICE), which allows electronic devices to be cooled without any moving parts. This device is said to be significantly more capable than the Frore AirJet vigorous solid-state cooling introduced a few years ago, although it is still slightly less capable than an actual fan.
However, what makes Ventiva’s ICE9 thermal management package superior to a typical fan is its completely still operation and ultra-compact form factor with a device height of just 12 mm. This makes it an ideal solution for lean and lithe laptops, allowing OEMs to employ relatively high-power processors while preventing thermal throttling. So, in addition to allowing laptop manufacturers to create sleek devices, it could also allow them to insert additional components to expand the features of their device, such as Framework’s dual M.2 module, which slots into the empty space between the Framework Laptop 16 expansion fan. .
“Our ICE technology is transforming the electronics market, enabling a new wave of quiet, intelligent, heat-transferring thermal management solutions, and our latest results highlight the extraordinary scalability of our ICE9 solution,” said Ventiva CEO Carl Schlachte. “Initially introduced in the ‘thin and light’ laptop category with a TDP of around 15W, the ICE9 now enables laptop manufacturers to extend these benefits to higher-performance systems, paving the way for entire families of quiet computing products to come to market.”
The company says it has ICE9 solutions that can currently handle as much as 25W TDP, which means it can handle some of the fresh types of energy-efficient and high-performance AMD and Intel processors, as well as Qualcomm Snapdragon X chips. However, it also works with OEMs to develop cooling solutions that can handle up to 40W TDP, which will enable it to easily support some of the latest AI processors from Intel and AMD. Moreover, it is open to partners using a “hybrid” solution combining ICE9 and fan(s) to ensure ultra-quiet operation.
Although Ventiva is currently focused on laptops for the ICE9 application, it can also be used in many other devices such as smartphones and tablets, especially due to its particularly miniature size. However, it does have one drawback – ICE9 has such a low stationary pressure that OEMs cannot simply implement it in their current designs if they want to maximize the cooling efficiency of this technology. Instead, they must consider a hybrid solution or build a case specifically designed for the product that will allow them to efficiently dissipate heat from all heat-generating parts of the laptop so that the ICE9 can frigid it directly, rather than relying on the airflow that a typical fan would generate. If laptop manufacturers can solve this problem, we should be ready to see impressive advances in peaceful computing.
