HP004 Heat Pipe Heatsink for AMD SP5 2U Server

Product Overview

The HP004 is a high-performance heat pipe heatsink engineered specifically for AMD SP5 platform 2U servers. Compatible with AMD EPYC 9004 series processors, it delivers 400W of cooling capacity — a substantial thermal envelope required by the latest-generation high-core-count server CPUs — within the tight 63.7 mm height constraint of a standard 2U chassis.

The HP004 employs a Zipper Fin + Heat Pipe + Copper Sheet composite architecture. Embedded heat pipes rapidly spread concentrated die heat across the fin array, while the densely interlocked zipper fin structure maximizes surface area in a constrained volume. A nickel-plated surface provides baseline corrosion resistance, and a supplementary passivation treatment adds an inert oxide layer for enhanced long-term reliability in data center environments with variable humidity and airborne contaminants.

With dimensions of 118 × 92.4 × 63.7 mm, the HP004 offers a wider baseplate footprint compared to Intel-socket designs, accommodating the larger integrated heat spreader of the AMD SP5 package. It is designed to work with standard 2U server system fans, delivering 400W thermal performance under forced convection without exceeding the acoustic or power budgets of typical rack deployments.

The AMD SP5 Thermal Challenge

AMD EPYC 9004 processors push core counts beyond 96 cores per socket (Bergamo), with TDPs reaching 400W at peak load. This creates three simultaneous thermal challenges:

1. High Thermal Density: A 400W thermal load concentrated on a single SP5 socket must be spread efficiently before rejection to air. Embedded copper heat pipes serve as the primary heat spreader, achieving near-isothermal temperature distribution across the finned zone.

2. 2U Height Constraint: At 63.7 mm, the HP004 operates at the upper limit of 2U thermal solutions. Every millimeter of fin height matters — the zipper fin architecture achieves a fin density unattainable with conventional extruded or skived fins in this aspect ratio.

3. Passivation for Harsh Environments: Data centers with free cooling or evaporative air handling may introduce humidity and trace contaminants. Nickel plating alone provides a sacrificial barrier, but the HP004's passivation treatment forms a chemically inert chromium oxide layer that withstands conditions where standard nickel-plated heatsinks degrade over time.

Key Features

400W Cooling Capacity

Designed to handle AMD EPYC 9004 processors at full TDP, the HP004's six embedded heat pipes (copper, sintered-powder wick structure) transfer heat from the copper baseplate to the zipper fin array with minimal thermal resistance. The combination of vapor phase heat transport within the pipes and forced convection across the fins achieves a cooling capacity of 400W with standard 2U fan curves.

Zipper Fin + Heat Pipe + Copper Sheet Architecture

The three-layer thermal stack ensures efficient heat removal at every stage:

• Copper Sheet Baseplate: Low thermal resistance interface with the SP5 IHS, precision-machined for flatness and even clamping pressure

• Embedded Heat Pipes: Isothermal heat spreading across the finned area, eliminating localized hotspots

• Zipper Fin Array: Ultra-dense interlocking aluminum fins maximizing surface area within the 63.7 mm height budget

Dual Surface Protection: Nickel Plating + Passivation

Unlike standard server heatsinks that rely solely on nickel plating, the HP004 adds a passivation layer over the nickel surface. This dual-protection strategy is critical for deployments where cooling air may carry trace humidity or airborne contaminants — common in facilities using outside air economization or indirect evaporative cooling.

SP5 Socket Compatibility

The 118 × 92.4 mm baseplate footprint is matched to the AMD SP5 package dimensions. The mounting mechanism is compatible with standard SP5 retention frames and backplates, ensuring uniform contact pressure across the IHS without warping or edge lift-off.

Optimized for 2U System Fan Airflow

The 63.7 mm total height leaves adequate clearance for airflow in standard 2U chassis. The zipper fin pitch is tuned to balance static pressure drop against convective heat transfer, ensuring that system fans operate within their efficient zone rather than being forced into high-speed, high-noise regimes.

Technical Specifications

Thermal Performance

The HP004 achieves 400W cooling under typical 2U forced convection conditions. The specific thermal resistance varies with airflow, but the key design targets are:

The six heat pipes are arranged to cover the full SP5 IHS footprint, ensuring even temperature gradients across the processor surface. This is critical for AMD EPYC processors, where core-to-core temperature variation can affect boost clock stability.

Applications

• AMD EPYC 9004 SP5 2U Servers: Primary target — general-purpose compute, virtualization, and database workloads in rack-mount form factors

• High-Density Data Center Compute Nodes: 400W per socket cooling in standard 2U enclosures

• Private Cloud and Enterprise Server Infrastructure: Dual-protection finish for long-lifecycle deployments

• Edge Compute Racks with 2U Constraints: Where space is limited but SP5-class performance is required

Why Choose HP004?

OEM & Customization Services

Greatminds Thermal Technology provides comprehensive OEM customization for the HP004 platform:

• Heat Pipe Configuration: Adjust heat pipe count (4–8 pipes), diameter, and layout for specific TDP targets

• Fin Pitch and Density: Custom zipper fin geometry for non-standard airflow or noise constraints

• Surface Finishing: Nickel plating thickness, passivation grade, or alternative coatings (anodizing, e-coating)

• Mounting Mechanism: Custom retention brackets for proprietary chassis designs

• Performance Validation: In-house thermal testing against customer-defined fan curves and ambient conditions

• Scale Production: From prototype runs to volume manufacturing, with full traceability

FAQs