Which fan placement offers the most airflow for cooling electronics?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the optimal placement of two identical fans for cooling electronics within an enclosure. Participants explore different configurations and their effects on airflow and cooling efficiency.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Technical explanation, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that the first arrangement of fans can overcome more pressure, while the second arrangement is said to produce more airflow.
  • One participant emphasizes the importance of high mass flow at critical locations rather than just high air velocity for effective cooling.
  • Another participant proposes that relocating both exhaust vents to higher positions in option B could enhance the cooling effect.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on which fan arrangement offers the best airflow and cooling, indicating that multiple competing perspectives remain without a clear consensus.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention the need to consider pressure vs. flow curves for the fans and the enclosure's resistance, suggesting that assumptions about these factors may influence the discussion.

garyTheSnail
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TL;DR
Best fan position for airflow.
I have two identical fans to cool electronics within an enclosure. From the two drawings/options, which option offers the most airflow?
Thank you.
 

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russ_watters said:
The first arrangement can overcome more pressure, the second arrangement produces more airflow.
https://www.rotron.com/tech-corn/series-and-parallel
Yes, this. And you can have some control on the pressure differential with the design of your vents. Higher air velocity isn't going to help cooling too much, what you want is high mass flow (at the critical locations, of course). The answers lie in the pressure vs. flow curves for your fans combined with a rough model of the enclosure resistance, another pressure vs. flow curve.
 
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Relocating both exhaust vents to higher positions, option B offers the most cooling effect.
 
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Thank you all for the information.
 
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