Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!gem.mps.ohio-state.edu!apple!apple.com!desnoyer
From: desnoyer@apple.com (Peter Desnoyers)
Newsgroups: comp.arch
Subject: Re: ETA10 (was Re: Surges)
Message-ID: <5290@internal.Apple.COM>
Date: 20 Nov 89 16:59:37 GMT
References: <3217@convex.UUCP>
Sender: usenet@Apple.COM
Organization: Apple Computer, Inc.
Lines: 13

In article <3217@convex.UUCP> phillips@convex.com (Steve Phillips) writes:
> The ETA10-E and ETA10-G machines were not LN2 cooled to prevent the
> gate arrays from melting. While it is true that the LN2 removed the
> heat generated, that was not the reason that LN2 cooling was chosen.
> They were LN2 cooled because the gate delays were reduced by a factor
> of 0.6 at those temperatures. 

Actually, isn't LN2 supposed to be a pretty lousy thermal conductor? Just 
because it's cold doesn't mean it's a good coolant :-)

                                      Peter Desnoyers
                                      Apple ATG
                                      (408) 974-4469