Category Archives: Fan Tray

Using Fan Trays in Electronic Systems

Despite rampant increases in power dissipation, the use of liquid for cooling electronics remains sporadic. Air cooling continues to be the dominant mode for most electronics applications. Higher power dissipation in ATCA enclosures, PICMG telecomm chassis, medical electronics, laser equipment, etc. mean that a single fan is no longer adequate to provide the airflow required for system thermal management. Therefore, an aggregate of fans in a tray is required. Figure 1 shows varied examples of fan trays used for different electronic systems.

Examples of Fan Trays in Electronic SystemsFigure 1: Different Fan Trays Used in Electronic Systems (source: various)

Fan Types

While only tube axial fans are shown in Figure 1, there are five broad categories of fans. These are:
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On-Demand Thermal Management Webinar: Methodologies for Fan Characterization and Deployment within a System

The most common air mover in electronic systems thermal management is a fan. In this free, 60 minute, on-demand webinar, ATS teaches you how to characterize your fans to insure they perform to specifications and then how to deploy them for best cooling effect:

ATS, Inc. announces “on demand” Webinar for Thermal Engineers: Methodologies for Fan Characterization

ATS, Inc. is announcing a new “on-demand” webinar from our thermal engineering team, “Methodologies for Fan Characterization”. This webinar is ready for download and listening 24 hours day from the ATS web site.

Topics covered include:

  • What are the fan types and points of application?
  • Understanding how fans operate and the effect of bypass flow on their operation
  • Fan selection
  • Fan assemblies and their implementation
  • Use of fan laws for sizing
  • Managing acoustic noise
  • Fan characterization

To take part in this webinar, just click to our site to reach the webinar at: Methodologies for Fan Characterization

How to use fan trays in electronic enclosures for thermal management; an ATS Thermal Labs “how to” white paper

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.