Typical current applications for heat sinks from Webra is wind generators and the rail industry where the extrusions cool the electronic components such as thyristors that control the power of the AC circuits.

Manufacturing is based on aluminium extrusions and Webra provides both standard and customised cooling extrusions.

The majority of electronic components that produce heat require effective thermal dissipation to operate effectively. The basic component in Webra’s products is a heat sink made of aluminium extrusions. This exploits aluminium’s good thermal properties that quickly and effectively conduct heat. The systems are designed for both air and water cooling. The former either works statically or enhanced by wind or a fan. For the latter, the heat sink body has channels built in through which water is pumped.

 A typical application is the cooling of thyristors, an electronic component made of semiconductor materials that controls the power in AC circuits. Common applications are trains and wind power generators.

A cooling extrusion from Webra. It is 209 mm wide, weighs 25 kg per metre and has 22 flanges. The small spikes on the flanges increase the total cooling area by about 200 per cent compared to the flanges being smooth. The electronic components are fitted to the smooth underside.

The capacity of the cooling extrusion is determined by the area available for conduction. This means designing and developing extrusions for air cooling with  as many long and tightly packed flanges as possible to maximise the cooling area. Flanges with spikes can as much as double the cooling area. Dimensions and design are determined by things like the thermal dissipation requirement, available air flow (head wind, fan etc.) as well as the service needs.