An idea: replaceable/cleanable cooling system for Thinkpads

I've come up (please no fanfares, I am not deluding myself with the thought I am the one) with an idea, after I have discussed on Internet with someone how my T43 keeps getting hotter and hotter and how he sprayed their laptop with canned air and solved the problem. I don't think canned air blows all dust out of a portable computer like a Thinkpad, and then it hit me.

Why not invent and implement some kind of filter that can be taken out and rinsed/blown and reinserted. Or replaced. What do you people think? Like with a vacuum cleaner

I know there are challenges to an implementation of such thing, like ensuring proper heat conduction. For example, if the filter comes out on rails or connects to a heat pipe, everyone who paid attention in a relevant physics class would know that the heat conduction is lower on connection of two surfaces than with a single monolithic surface. Simpler put, there are challenges to be overcome. But is it doable, and would it be worth it? Maybe if it's so simple it would be? F.e. a simple blowhole - you blow in the hole and all dust from your Thinkpad comes out on the other end?

Until we get liquid cooled Thinkpads...

 

1. A cloth filter or paper filter requires a larger fan, as the pressure drop between the two sides of filter are greater, this will cause increased energy demand and noises. Such filters are replaced very frequently, to ensure that adequate cooling can be produced. If the filter clogs up and you don't clean them, then you risk of overheating the system. This will increase the service frequency and difficulty. Or you can use a cyclone filter system, but that is bulky contraption and not really practical.

2. Basically it is a trade off between number of particles present within the filtered air and energy required to filter the air.

3. Laptops have thermal fluids within the heat pipes, but there is little point in liquid cooling in the sense of those used in servers and desktops, since you have to use lot more pipings (which add weight) and you still have to dissipate it to air in some other locations (or you have to connect to a water source), all of which are impractical in a laptop.

It would be far easier just to clean the current fan/heatsink.