The nPowerTek NPH-1366-115HC heatsink is intended for socket LGA1366 Intel processors up to 150W TDP, but Frostytech is going to stress it with a 200W heat load in this review, just to keep things interesting!

At the center of the NPH-1366-115HC heatsink is nPowertek's proprietory copper heat column - essentially a 33mm diameter copper heatpipe. The inner walls and base of the heat column are covered by a sintered metal wick and the contents under vacuum with a small amount of working fluid, just like heatpipes. Surrounding the heat column are pressed aluminum fins and an extruded aluminum mounting bracket. There's really not that much else to this heatsink.

Weighing in at 750grams and standing 115mm tall, the NPH-1366-115HC heatsink comes equipped with a single 92mm PWM fan that operates at 3000-1500RPM.

nPowertek NPH-1366-115HC Heatsink
	heatsink specsheet manufacturer: npowertek model no.: nph-1366-115hc materials: copper heat column, aluminum fan mfg: ong hua na9225h12sf-z fan spec: 3000-1500rpm, 12v, 0.40a fan dim: 25x92x92mm heatsink & fan dim: 115x93x122mm weight: 750 grams includes: mounting screws Compatible with Sockets: AMD: none Intel: LGA1366 Est. Pricing: $35USD ($35CDN)

nPowertek'sNPH-1366-115HC heat column is an interesting bit of thermal technology. Whereas traditional heatpipes work by conducting heat from their sidewalls along the length of the pipe, a heat column like the one pictured below is able to conduct heat from the bottom end along the length of the pipe.

The heat column in question is 33mm in diameter - 27mm wider than a standard 6mm heatpipe. One technology is not necessarily better or worse than the other, heat columns are simply used for higher heat flux applications according to the manufacturer, TTIC (npowertek). Quoting wikipedia; "Heat flux or thermal flux is the rate of heat energy transfer through a given surface."

The copper heat column extends the full 115mm height of the NPH-1366-115HC heatsink. The copper you see a the top of the cooler and the copper base plate are the same component.

Incidently, if you ever wished you never had to shovel the front walk again, Thermal Transtech International Corporation also make Geothermal Heat Pipes - these are massive heatpipes set into wet concrete and extend into the ground below the frost line. Here's a picture of a snow-free test sidewalk (link) in the middle of winter and the actual Geothermal heatpipe itself (link ).

Apparently, this class of Geothermal heatpipe is designed for military airports to keep sections of the runway free from snow, but commercially are most often used to keep transportation link foundations built on permafrost, from heaving due to freeze/thaw cycles.

Heat is conducted into the column through a 38mm copper plate, before being spread out by the heat column and conducted to the 40 or so aluminum fins swaged around it.

Installation Hardware

nPowertek's NPH-1366-115HC heatsink includes four spring-tensioned Intel socket LGA1366 mounting screws. The captive mounting hardware is attached to the body of the heatsink, so the cooler need only be removed from its packaging, thermal compound applied to the base and cooler installed on the Intel chip.

FrostyTech's Test Methodologies are outlined in detail here if you care to know what equipment is used, and the parameters under which the tests are conducted. Now let's move forward and take a closer look at this heatsink, its acoustic characteristics, and of course its performance in the thermal tests!