Patent ID: 8725458

Claim:
A method for identifying blockages in a heat sink, the method comprising: providing a heat sink, wherein the heat sink comprises a plurality of fins, and wherein each of the plurality of fins comprises an aperture within a fin body to form a plurality of apertures, and wherein the plurality of fins are arranged so that the respective apertures in each of the plurality of fins align in a collinear manner; directing a stream of electromagnetic radiation from an electromagnetic emitter to an electromagnetic detector such that the stream of electromagnetic radiation traverses through a path that starts with a first one of the plurality of apertures and ends with a last one of the plurality of apertures, wherein the path includes each one of the plurality of apertures, and wherein the stream is directed through each one of the plurality of apertures; measuring, by the electromagnetic detector, a detected intensity of the stream of electromagnetic radiation to form a measured intensity; generating, by the electromagnetic detector, an electrical signal, wherein a strength of the electrical signal is proportional to the measured intensity; determining a debris blockage level of the heat sink based on the strength of the electrical signal; and monitoring a degradation of the strength of the electrical signal during a timed duration, wherein a rate of the degradation correlates to a rate of debris accumulation within the heat sink during the timed duration.