Heat Exchanger/Heat Sink

zeus2kx

Hello Guys,

What is the difference between these two, Heat Exchanger and Heat Sink?

Thanks.

Zeus

russ_watters

Welcome to PF.

A "heat sink" can be a specific object that dissipates heat (a metal block with fins) or can be used as a general term describing anything that absorbs or dissipates heat. Technically, it is supposed to be a heat reservoir. Depending on the context, the colloquial usage may not be technically accurate. A heat exchanger is any device that exchanges heat between two mediums.

For example, in engineering a heat exchanger might be a shell that's filled with water with tubes of another stream of water in it. The water itself (that is receiving the heat) would technically be the heat sink.

zeus2kx

Thanks for reply.