Piezoelectric cooling technologies offer new solutions for thermal management in compact electronics

Cooling challenges in increasingly compact electronic devices

 

The rapid miniaturisation of electronic devices has significantly increased power densities, leading to higher heat generation within increasingly compact components. Efficient thermal management is therefore essential to maintain performance, reliability and lifespan of such devices. Without adequate cooling, overheating can degrade electronic components, reduce efficiency and shorten operational life.

 

A recent comprehensive review article ^[1] published in the International Journal of Refrigeration by researchers from the Tunis El Manar University, Tunisia, University of Gabes, Tunisia, and Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Saudi Arabia, examines the potential of cooling technologies based on the inverse piezoelectric effect as an alternative to conventional thermal management solutions. The piezoelectric effect describes the ability of certain materials to generate an electrical charge when subjected to mechanical stress. Its counterpart, the inverse piezoelectric effect, works in the opposite direction: when an electric field is applied, the material undergoes mechanical deformation.

 

This property allows piezoelectric materials to convert electrical signals into controlled vibrations or movements. In cooling applications, these vibrations can generate airflow, pump fluids or enhance heat transfer near electronic components. Because these systems rely on oscillating elements rather than rotating mechanical parts, they can operate quietly, consume relatively little power and be integrated into space-constrained and noise-sensitive devices such as laptops, tablets and wearable electronics.

 

Figure 1. Schematic representation of the inverse piezoelectric effect ^[1].

 

Piezoelectric cooling technologies presented in the review

 

The review article analyses several types of cooling technologies that use the inverse piezoelectric effect to enhance heat dissipation in electronic systems:

• Piezoelectric fans (PFs): These devices generate airflow using a vibrating beam or blade driven by a piezoelectric actuator, rather than rotating blades as in conventional fans. The oscillations disturb the thermal boundary layer around electronic components, improving convective heat transfer. Thanks to their compact size, silent operation and low power consumption, piezoelectric fans are particularly suitable for localized cooling near components such as CPUs, memory modules or power devices.
• Piezoelectric micropumps (PMPs): Micropumps use the deformation of piezoelectric materials to drive small volumes of liquid or gas through microchannels. When voltage is applied, a diaphragm inside the device moves, creating pressure differences that push the fluid through the system. These pumps are well suited for liquid cooling in compact electronic systems where precise flow control and localized heat removal are required.
• Piezoelectric microblowers (PMBs): Microblowers generate pulsating airflow using piezoelectric actuation without rotating mechanical parts. Designed primarily for moving air rather than liquids, they are particularly useful for directed cooling within compact electronic enclosures. Their high-frequency operation, mechanical reliability and quiet performance make them attractive for applications such as microelectronics, avionics and wearable technologies.
• Piezoelectric synthetic jets (PSJs): Synthetic jets rely on a vibrating diaphragm inside a sealed cavity to alternately ingest and expel air through an orifice, producing high-frequency pulsating jets. These jets disrupt thermal boundary layers and enhance convective heat transfer without requiring external airflow sources, making them suitable for sealed or space-constrained electronic systems.
• Piezoelectric translational agitators (PTAs): These devices generate linear oscillatory motion that induces localized air movement and mixing near heated surfaces. By disturbing stagnant air layers around hotspots, translational agitators improve heat transfer in narrow spaces where traditional airflow mechanisms are difficult to implement.

 

Challenges and future perspectives for piezoelectric cooling

 

Despite their advantages, piezoelectric cooling technologies are still largely at the research and development stage. One of the main challenges highlighted in the review article is the lack of standardised performance metrics, which makes it difficult to compare different devices and cooling approaches across literature studies.

 

Integration into real electronic systems also remains complex. While many prototypes perform well in laboratory conditions, incorporating these technologies into dense electronic packaging or larger systems requires further optimisation of design, scalability and manufacturing processes.

 

Future research will also need to focus on improving control strategies. Advanced control systems, potentially based on real-time temperature feedback or AI algorithms, could dynamically adjust the operating conditions of piezoelectric devices to optimise cooling performance and energy efficiency.

 

Material sustainability is another important aspect. Many current piezoelectric devices rely on lead-based ceramics such as lead zirconate titanate (PZT), which raises environmental and regulatory concerns. Developing effective lead-free alternatives and scalable fabrication methods will therefore be essential for wider adoption.

 

Overall, the review suggests that with further advances in materials, system integration and performance evaluation, piezoelectric cooling technologies could play a key role in the thermal management of next-generation electronic devices, particularly in applications where compact size, low noise and energy efficiency are critical.

 

For more information, the review article is available in the International Journal of Refrigeration and on FRIDOC.

 

Source

[1] Mehrez, Z., Elfalleh, W. (2025). Thermal management in electronic systems using the inverse piezoelectric effect: A comprehensive review. International Journal of Refrigeration, 179, 321-341. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrefrig.2025.08.010