FrostyTech Test Equipment
Thermal	Acoustic
Omega HH501DK Type-K Thermometer.		Omega HHSL1 Sound Meter.
Multiple Copper Interface Dies.		Monophonic Mic & Digital Recorder.
Synthetic Temp. Test Platform.		Acoustic Sampling Chamber.

FrostyTech Synthetic Temperature Test Platform:

The equipment that FrostyTech uses when evaluating heatsinks and other cooling products has been developed to best gauge the various qualities of today's cooling solutions. To maintain the best possible correlation between heatsinks, all of our tests our synthetic. From our experience, synthetic testing provides the most accurate and reproducible sets of results.

Our methodology currently focuses on the thermal performance of a heatsink on two different sized copper interface dies, tested at 50W and 100W heat loads. Acoustically, we record the noise signature of a particular fan and heatsink combo.

Sound Level Measurements

To measure the level of sound produced by a heatsink in decibels, we use an Omega HHSL1 sound meter. The HHSL1 is highly accurate between a range of 35-130 dB. To measure the level of noise produced, a heatsink is placed on a Melamine foam surface and the meter positioned about 12" above it and off to one side. The highest average level of noise is recorded.

Frosty Acoustic Sampling Chamber:

To record the noise generated by a particular fan and heatsink combination, we use a special enclosure box lined with 2" of foam which is sealed from the outside environment during the recording process. The thick layer of foam helps to ensure that the sound we record is only that generated by the heatsink/fan inside. A standard computer power supply is located outside the enclosure to power the heatsinks' fan.

A monophonic microphone is positioned about 6" from the center of the test chamber so it is out of the direct air flow path generated by the fan. A solid state digital recorder is used record the sound picked up by the nondirectional mic inside the case. The digital recorder has a frequency range of approximately 500Hz to 3500Hz.

The purpose of the enclosure is to record an accurate representation of the noise generated by a heatsink and fan combo - separate from any other external computer noises like hard drives or power supplies.