As the various electronic components of a system operate, heat will dissipate and raise temperatures over time. As an excess amount of heat can easily damage sensitive components or affect overall performance, it is important that there is a way to mitigate heat. One common solution for electronic equipment heat is to use fans, allowing for airflow to be harnessed for thermal management. For high amounts of dissipation, an array of fans, or fan trays, may be used. In this blog, we will discuss some of the most common types of fan trays and fans, allowing you to find a solution fit for your individual needs.
Depending upon the system in question and its requirements, there are a few categories of fans that may be used. These include propeller, tube axial, centrifugal, vane axial, flat pack, and impeller fans. For most electronic equipment, the tube axial fan is the most common. With such devices, a high amount of pressure can be generated, albeit at the cost of low efficiency. For densely packed electronics, flat pack and impeller fans are common, featuring high pressure drop characteristics. While axial and centrifugal fans have low pressure drop characteristics that make them less optimal for electronic systems, their large volumetric flow rates allow them to play a major role in the cooling of buildings or electronic cabinets that house electronic equipment.
When implementing fan trays and fans within equipment assemblies, there are two ways in which it can be done. Parallel placement refers to when the total system flow is divided across the fans. This means that pressure drop characteristics are steady, but flow rates will rise as more fans are added. When fans are placed in a series, on the other hand, the flow will remain the same while pressure drop is divided based on the number of fans present.
Due to the various characteristics of parallel and series placement, different needs may necessitate different configurations. For instance, a system that requires a high volumetric flow rate would best benefit from parallel configuration, while a system with large pressure drop would require a series configuration. When both conditions are present in electronic equipment, then a combination of parallel and series fan configurations may be used.
When establishing fan trays, it is important to be aware of fan diameter or width, fan thickness, and the distance between fans and other objects. Generally, the farther a fan is situated from an object, the better it will perform. As airflow from fan blades is radial rather than axial, resistance from objects can be very detrimental to performance. There are a few basic design requirements that one should follow when installing fans, ensuring that general guidelines are upheld for the best performance.
During the installation phase, fan inlets should be distanced from elbows to prevent a non-uniform distribution of air. A sharp edge entrance is also detrimental to flow, causing vena contracta. If there is a swirling flow at the inlet of fan trays that is the same as the blades, then upstream pressure can be affected. The opposite direction is also detrimental, requiring increased power consumption for performance. Lastly, inlet obstructions can reduce the flow area of fans, and as such should be avoided.
Through the proper placement of fan trays, cables, and other system components, electronic equipment can be kept cool with ease. At Just IT Hardware, we are a trusted distributor of computer components and IT hardware parts.
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