One of the most impressive products at CES 2023 was the AirJet, a new solid-state cooling system that can replace fans with cooling components using a fraction of the energy and space. Seshu Madhavapeddy, founder and CEO of Frore Systems, was kind enough to show us around the company’s offices and development labs in San Jose.
A quick refresher on AirJet: It’s a new cooling solution that uses a small solid-state block with no separate moving parts to remove heat from components like the CPU and GPU. The AirJet uses tiny vibrating membranes on a copper header to draw air in and out at up to 120 miles per hour, creating incredibly efficient air cooling in a space just 2.8mm thick. On a watt-for-watt basis, Frore claims that the AirJet could do more than double the cooling power of conventional fan-based systems, while working in an even smaller footprint.
The vibrating material is waterproof and dustproof, and AirJet already has dust filters in place for individual refrigeration units, down to one micron. Testing in dusty and windy chambers has shown that even under the most extreme conditions, the AirJet’s performance is not adversely affected. Similar heat, cold, humidity and longevity tests show that the product is ready for the long haul.
Madhavapeddy openly admits that the AirJet is more expensive than comparable fan-based solutions for laptops. “It has a price [in a way] What would be reasonable and acceptable to manufacturers? The answer is a resounding yes.’”
The AirJet is not currently installed in any consumer products, but Frore has modified several current models to replace their internal cooling systems with the AirJet, just to prove its effectiveness. On a base model with no special engineering for AirJet, three of the solid-state coolers were able to replace the CPU’s main heat sink and fan configuration, increasing its core power from 12.5W to 15W without harmful effects and with an overall noise reduction. . Madhavapeddy says that under more ideal design circumstances, it is possible to use four AirJet Mini units and boost them up to 21 watts.
Frore is working with “several device manufacturers” and “several commercial projects” are scheduled to hit shelves before the end of the year. For now, the company is focusing on mainstream notebook designs. Portable gaming devices, mini PCs, M.2 storage drives, and digital cameras are also potential vectors for expansion. For more information on upcoming PC technology, be sure to subscribe to PCWorld on YouTube!