While heat sinks do a terrific job of moving heat from a hot chip, cool air (or another moving liquid) is very helpful to move that heat off the chip and out of the system. Individual fans are one way to approach this problem. Another is by use of a fan tray.
A fan tray is an array of fans put together in a removable tray of some kind. There are various types and configurations based on whether you need to move air for a computer server, telecomm central office equipment or medical equipment. Fan trays are very helpful in developing a system level thermal management solution.
While on the surface of it, a fan tray appears to be no more than a number of fans placed in a frame there is actually quite a bit more there. From the kinds of fans, to the circuitry used to control them, fan trays are really an air moving system that, when engineered right, can bring real benefit.
ATS’s Thermal white paper will give you a basic sense for what’s involved, so click to it at our site now, “How to use fan trays in electronic enclosures; an ATS Thermal Labs “how to” white paper.