Results: Cooling performance per watt, airflow
Venturi fans have some of the softest mounting corners. The transmission of vibrations from moving parts further away to anything (case plates, heatsink fins, …) is thus very significantly damped. Compared to other (even more modern Fractal Design models), these fans have more robust blades, which are both thicker and wider, and as a result, higher static pressure is also achieved at comparable speeds.
Results: Cooling performance per watt, airflow
Explanatory note: From airflow measurements, you know how efficient the fans are when set at the same noise level. We also measure the operating power draw in fixed noise level mode tests, so we can easily quantify which fan is not only more cooling efficient, but also more energy efficient. That is, which fan achieves higher airflow per unit of power draw.
Why is there a missing value sometimes? There may be more reasons. Usually it is because the fan could not be adjusted to the target noise level. Some have a higher minimum speed (or the speed is low, but the motor is too noisy) or it is a slower fan that will not reach the higher decibels. But the results in the graphs are also missing if the impeller is brushing against the nylon filter mesh. In that case, we evaluate this combination as incompatible. And zero in the graphs is naturally also in situations where we measure 0.00. This is a common occurrence at extremely low speeds with obstructions or within vibration measurements.
- Contents
- Details of the Fractal Design Venturi HP-14 PWM
- Overview of manufacturer specifications
- Basis of the methodology, the wind tunnel
- Mounting and vibration measurement
- Initial warm-up and speed recording
- Base 6 equal noise levels…
- ... and sound color (frequency characteristic)
- Measurement of static pressure…
- … and of airflow
- Everything changes with obstacles
- How we measure power draw and motor power
- Measuring the intensity (and power draw) of lighting
- Results: Speed
- Results: Airlow w/o obstacles
- Results: Airflow through a nylon filter
- Results: Airflow through a plastic filter
- Results: Airflow through a hexagonal grille
- Results: Airflow through a thinner radiator
- Results: Airflow through a thicker radiator
- Results: Static pressure w/o obstacles
- Results: Static pressure through a nylon filter
- Results: Static pressure through a plastic filter
- Results: Static pressure through a hexagonal grille
- Results: Static pressure through a thinner radiator
- Results: Static pressure through a thicker radiator
- Results: Static pressure, efficiency depending on orientation
- Reality vs. specifications
- Results: Frequency response of sound w/o obstacles
- Results: Frequency response of sound with a dust filter
- Results: Frequency response of sound with a hexagonal grille
- Results: Frequency response of sound with a radiator
- Results: Vibration, in total (3D vector length)
- Results: Vibration, X-axis
- Results: Vibration, Y-axis
- Results: Vibration, Z-axis
- Results: Power draw (and motor power)
- Results: Cooling performance per watt, airflow
- Results: Cooling performance per watt, static pressure
- Airflow per euro
- Static pressure per euro
- Results: Lighting – LED luminance and power draw
- Results: LED to motor power draw ratio
- Evaluation
I wonder the reason why these type of corners, despite being so effective, are uncommon. Is it a lack of necessity due to inherent low vibrations, rubber pads/mounts being good enough/better, or some kind of cost or mechanical concerns?
It’s hard to say anything for sure. But I will dare to speculate.
Let’s assume that higher vibrations characterize mainly the cheaper fans, where the goal was to make them as cheap as possible. All-rubber corners don’t fit into this scheme (lowest cost) (such Arctic P12 don’t even have rubber pads), so they are usually not used. And again, when there is a bigger budget for fans, the funds can be put into things that suppress vibrations more effectively than perfect anti-vibration corners. Whether it’s a stiffer material (just with a larger thickness or a different composition, for example LCP instead of PBT) or a less vibrating motor etc.