Noctua targets next level PC cooling with Forced Physics partnership
Noctua’s newest cooling partnership plans to boost PC cooling performance with pure science
Noctua has officially partnered with Forced Physics DCT to bring the company’s “JouleForce” micro-channel array technology to desktop PCs and workstations. This partnership aims to deliver next-level cooling to future PCs, pushing the limits of thermal physics to create quiet and ultra-performant CPU coolers.
This is a long-term research project, so don’t expect to see Noctua “JouleForce” products anytime soon. Forced Physics’ micro-channel heatsink technology uses ultra-dense fin stacks that promote heat transfer across the entire length of each microchannel using geometry-driven molecular collisions. This pushes past the traditional shortcomings of PC heatsinks, enabling next-level cooling performance. The downside? This tech doesn’t work with today’s PC fans, as they don’t deliver the pressure needed to push air through these densely packed heatsinks.
Noctua has no plans to ship PC cooling solutions that require loud industrial-level blowers or similar solutions to operate. Those are far too loud. Noctua’s partnership with Forced Physics aims to do two things. One, find out how to generate more static pressure with quiet PC fans. Two, discover ways to reduce the required pressure levels for this style of cooling.
Forced Physics are advancing the limits in terms of fin-to-air heat transfer, and we are excited to explore what it would take to make that work in a quiet desktop system. The pressure levels this technology requires in today’s implementations are currently supplied by equipment nobody would want on or under their desk, so this is a demanding, long-term engineering task – and one that we are eager to tackle.
– Rolang Mossig, CEO of Noctua
If Noctua and Forced Physics succeed, “JouleForce” micro-channel array technology will not be limited to loud datacenters and industrial applications. Desktop PCs and workstations will benefit from ultra-performant air-based heatsinks. Furthermore, Noctua will gain a competitive advantage over other heatsink manufacturers.
Join the discussion on Noctua’s partnership with Forced Physics to deliver next-level desktop PC cooling on the OC3D Forums.

