Study on P-Q Curves of Cooling Fans for Thermal Design of Electronic Equipment (Effects of Opening Position of Obstructions Near a Fan)

Abstract

This study describes an operation pressure and supplies flow rate of an axial cooling fan installed in high-density packaging electronic equipment. Fan performance is generally defined by their P-Q curve, specifically, a relationship between fan pressure rise (ΔP) and flow rate (Q). A compact cooling fan often operates in a high-density mounting device, which may decrease the fan performance. In this study, we focus on an obstruction near a fan, which is electronic components such as PCBs, capacitors and heat sinks, as one of a factor which decreases fan performance. We installed a perforated plate which simulated the above components near a fan and measured the P-Q curve. To investigate a relationship between a fan performance decrease and an opening position near the fan, a part of the perforated plate was closed. Closed position was changed and explored an opening condition which caused the dominant fan performance decrease. From experiments, it was found that the fan performance was decreased when flow passage in front of a fan was blocked by an obstruction. Especially, when flow passage in front of a fan hub was blocked, a dominantly reduction of fan pressure was caused. An obstruction rear a fan has no effect on a fan performance curve itself. In addition, opening conditions in front of a fan tip had a little influence on a fan pressure characteristic when there was no obstruction in front of a hub.