It's no secret that when a computer is running, all its electronic components heat up. Some elements heat up quite noticeably. The processor, video card, north and south bridges of the motherboard are the hottest elements of the system unit. Overheating is generally dangerous and leads to an emergency shutdown of the computer.
Therefore, the main problem of the entire electronic part of computer technology is proper cooling and effective heat removal. The vast majority of computers, both industrial and home, use heat removalair cooling. It gained its popularity due to its simplicity and low cost. The principle of this type of cooling is as follows. All the heat from the heated elements is transferred to the surrounding air, and the hot air, in turn, is removed from the system unit case using fans. To increase heat transfer and cooling efficiency, the hottest components are equipped with copper or aluminum radiators with fans installed on them.
But the fact that heat removal occurs due to air movement does not mean at all that the more fans are installed, the better the cooling will be overall. Several incorrectly installed fans can do much more harm than solve the problem of overheating, when one correctly installed fan will solve this problem very effectively.
Selecting additional fans.
Before purchasing and installing additional fans, carefully examine your computer. Open the case cover, count and find out the dimensions of the mounting locations for additional case coolers. Look carefully at the motherboard to see what connectors it has for connecting additional fans.
Fans should be selected in the largest size that suits you. For standard cases this size is 80x80mm. But quite often (especially recently) fans of sizes 92x92 and 120x120 mm can be installed in cases. With the same electrical characteristics, a large fan will operate much quieter.
Try to buy fans with more blades - they are also quieter. Pay attention to the stickers - they indicate the noise level. If the motherboard has 4-pin connectors for powering coolers, then buy four-wire fans. They are very quiet, and their automatic speed control range is quite wide.
Between fans receiving power from the power supply throughMolex connectorand running from the motherboard, definitely choose the second option.
There are fans on sale with real ball bearings - this is the best option in terms of durability.
Installation of additional fans.
Let's look at the main points of correct installation of case fans for most system units. Here we will provide advice specifically for standard cases, since non-standard cases have such a varied fan arrangement that it makes no sense to describe them - everything is individual. Moreover, in non-standard cases, fan sizes can reach 30cm in diameter.
There are no additional fans in the case.
This is the standard layout for almost all computers sold in stores. All the hot air rises to the top of the computer and is exhausted outside by the fan in the power supply.
The big disadvantage of this type of cooling is that all the heated air passes through the power supply, heating it even more. And therefore, it is the power supply of such computers that most often breaks down. Also, all the cold air is not sucked in in a controlled manner, but from all the cracks of the housing, which only reduces the efficiency of heat transfer. Another disadvantage is the thin air produced by this type of cooling, which leads to the accumulation of dust inside the case. But still, this is in any case better than incorrectly installing additional fans.
One fan on the rear wall of the case.
This method is used more out of desperation, since the case has only one place to install an additional cooler - on the back wall under the power supply. In order to reduce the amount of hot air passing through the power supply, install one fan that works to “blow” out of the case.
Most of the heated air from the motherboard, processor, video card, and hard drives exits through the additional fan. And the power supply heats up significantly less. Also, the overall flow of moving air increases. But the rarefaction increases, so dust will accumulate even more.
Additional front fan in the case.
When the case has only one seat on the front of the case, or there is no possibility of turning on two fans at once (there is nowhere to connect), then this is the most ideal option for you. It is necessary to install one fan on the front part of the case.
The fan must be installed opposite the hard drives. It would be more correct to write that the hard drives should be placed opposite the fan. This way, the cold incoming air will immediately blow over them. This installation is much more effective than the previous one. A directed air flow is created. The vacuum inside the computer decreases - dust does not linger. When additional coolers are powered from the motherboard, the overall noise is reduced as the fan speeds are reduced.
Installing two fans in the case.
The most effective method of installing fans for additional cooling of the system unit. A fan is installed on the front wall of the case for “blowing”, and on the rear wall – for “blowing”:
A powerful, constant air flow is created. The power supply operates without overheating, since heated air is removed by a fan installed under it. If a power supply with adjustable fan speed is installed, the overall noise will be noticeably reduced, and more importantly, the pressure inside the case will be equalized. Dust will not settle.
Incorrect installation of fans.
Below are examples of unacceptable installation of additional coolers in a PC case.
One rear fan is set to "injection".
A closed air ring is created between the power supply and the additional fan. Some of the hot air from the power supply is immediately sucked back inside. At the same time, there is no air movement in the lower part of the system unit, and therefore cooling is ineffective.
One front fan is set to “exhaust”.
If you install only one front cooler and it works as a blower, then you end up with very low pressure inside the case and ineffective cooling of the computer. Moreover, due to the reduced pressure, the fans themselves will be overloaded, since they will have to overcome the back pressure of the air. The computer components will heat up, resulting in increased operating noise as the fan speeds increase.
The rear fan is for “blowing”, and the front fan is for “blowing”.
An air short circuit is created between the power supply and the rear fan. The air in the area of the central processor works in a circle.
The front fan tries to “lower” the hot air against the natural convection rise, working under increased load and creating a vacuum in the case.
Two additional coolers are set to “blowing”.
An air short circuit is created in the upper part of the housing.
In this case, the effect of the incoming cold air is felt only for the hard drives, since it then enters the oncoming flow from the rear fan. Excessive pressure is created inside the case, which complicates the operation of additional fans.
Two additional coolers operate as a blower.
The most severe operating mode of the cooling system.
There is reduced air pressure inside the case; all case fans and inside the power supply operate under reverse suction pressure. There is not enough air movement inside the air, and, therefore, all components work overheating.
These are, in principle, all the main points that will help you in organizing the correct ventilation system for your personal computer. If there is a special plastic corrugation on the side cover of the case, use it to supply cold air to the central processor. All other installation issues are resolved depending on the structure of the case.
The processor, video card and other integral components of the computer become more powerful with each new generation and, as a result, generate more and more heat. Increased heating can lead to constant computer freezes, premature failure of individual components and annoying fan noise. The situation is aggravated by dust, which regularly accumulates in the system unit. PC owners usually rely on the fans already installed in the case by the manufacturer. However, they are often unable to provide proper cooling of the computer, and over time, the situation with heat removal from components becomes more and more problematic.
The only way to organize more efficient air cooling is by installing additional fans in the computer case. The correct choice of case fans determines not only how efficiently the internal components of the computer will be cooled, but also the noise level, which is often no less important.
Computer air cooling system
Before purchasing additional case fans, you should first of all look into your computer - open the case cover and look at the dimensions of the mounting locations for case coolers, and also count their possible number. It is necessary to study what connectors for connecting additional fans are available on the motherboard. Additional case fans should be selected based on their size that is suitable for your PC - this can be 80 x 80 mm, 92 x 92 mm or 120 x 120 mm.
Of course, the largest fans are preferable if they suit you. Because a larger fan will be quieter. In addition, at the same rotation speed of 120 mm, the fan will be approximately twice as efficient as a 92 mm model, not to mention an 80 mm cooler.
The operating principle of PC air cooling is very simple. All the heat from the heated components of the computer is transferred to the surrounding air, and the hot air, in turn, must be removed from the system unit case using fans. In other words, the air heated by the processor and video card needs to be “thrown out” somewhere from the system case, while simultaneously replacing it with cold air. If such air circulation does not occur in the case, then the heating of individual PC components will increase sharply. To cool extremely hot elements of a computer system, radiators are additionally installed. They must quickly remove heat from the electronic chip, distributing it over the largest possible heat exchange area.
In most cases, in order to save money, the system unit is equipped with only one or two case fans, which naturally does not prevent excessive heating of the components. How to properly organize an air cooling system and how many case fans need to be installed for this? The standard air cooling scheme is when the air, heated by the components of the system unit, rises to the top, and then is thrown out through the power supply fan. This scheme is not very efficient, moreover, all the heated air constantly passes through the power supply, which is why the latter often fails prematurely.
Instead of this standard approach, you can use a scheme with the installation of two additional case fans - one, located on the front wall of the case, will work as a “blower”, and the other, located on the rear wall, will work as a “blow”. The pressure inside the case will equalize, dust will stop settling, and the internal components will be cooled more efficiently.
If necessary, for example, to effectively cool a powerful gaming system, you can install several additional fans in the case. When installing several fans, to achieve the best air exchange, you can place them in such a way that they work only in one direction - for blowing. At the same time, free access of outside air to the housing must be ensured due to a sufficient area of ventilation openings.
Of course, you can simply hang as many fans as possible. But this does not make much sense, since installing each new fan in the case increases the cooling efficiency by a smaller amount than installing the previous one. At the same time, the noise level increases disproportionately. In a word, here you will need to ensure maximum cooling efficiency of the system unit with a minimum number of active elements.
In general, installing additional case fans reduces the temperature inside the system unit. Also, with optimal organization of the air cooling system with additional fans, the noise level can be slightly reduced. Indeed, under overheating conditions, the fans on the processor and video card begin to accelerate to values close to the maximum.
A decrease in the temperature inside the case will contribute to a drop in speed and a decrease in noise. True, here the problem of noise arises from working case fans. But here a lot depends on the correct choice of additional coolers.
Selecting case fans for PCs
In addition to overall dimensions, case fans have several other important characteristics that you should pay close attention to when choosing:
— Rotation speed/noise level
Rotation speed (RPM) is measured in revolutions per minute. The higher the fan speed, the more efficiently the system unit is cooled. But higher speed also leads to increased noise. The average fan rotation speed is considered to be between 2000 and 3000 rpm. High-speed fans - over 3000 rpm, and low-speed fans - up to 2000 rpm.
It is important to understand that the noise level largely depends on the number of fan revolutions. And even a high-quality and expensive cooler will make noise at speeds above two and a half thousand per minute.
Excessive noise, as you know, is a very nasty thing. Especially when you need to spend several hours at the computer - then the noise from running fans begins to seriously irritate. Therefore, it is necessary to find a compromise between cooling efficiency (number of revolutions) and fan noise.
The noise level, by the way, is usually indicated by the manufacturer. If the noise level is approximately 21 to 30 dB(A), this is normal, but if it is higher or around 35 dB(A), it is already quite noisy and a reason to think about choosing a different model.
— Bearing type
The next characteristic of the fan that affects the reliability, durability of the product and noise level is the type of bearing used. The simplest and cheapest solution is considered to be fans on a plain bearing, which is an ordinary copper bushing. The main advantages of a plain bearing are the low price of the cooler and the relatively low noise level. True, in the absence of the proper level of lubrication, the bushing begins to make more and more noise over time and wears out quickly.
The obvious disadvantages of the sliding bearing are its rather low service life and limited scope of application (it does not tolerate work well in high temperature zones and in a horizontal position).
An alternative to a fan with a plain bearing is a cooler with a double ball bearing (rolling bearing). The resource of such a device can already reach 150,000 hours of continuous operation. In addition, it can work inside the housing in any position and in an area with high temperatures. But such fans are somewhat noisier than those mentioned earlier. Although here a lot depends on the quality of workmanship.
But fans with rolling bearings are distinguished by the fact that their characteristics practically do not deteriorate over time. Objectively, they are preferable to standard fans with a plain bearing. True, they cost more.
Fans with hydrodynamic bearings are also available on sale. This is practically the same sliding bearing, but capable of self-lubrication during its operation. Due to constant contact with the lubricating fluid, there is virtually no bearing wear during fan operation. Therefore, the service life of such case fans is quite high. Their undoubted advantage is also their quiet operation. The only negative is the high price.
You can also see a variety of exotics on sale today. For example, bearings with sleeves made of self-lubricating materials or one ball bearing with a sleeve instead of two ball bearings. Of course, such products are unlikely to boast any high performance characteristics.
— Impeller design
From the point of view of cooling efficiency, the design of the fan impeller itself, the shape and number of blades, is very important. Here it is necessary to remember that a fan with a larger impeller diameter is capable of providing the same “air flow” (cooling efficiency) at lower speeds than its smaller counterpart. And the noise level will be lower. With the same maximum performance and power, the efficiency will still be higher for a case fan with a larger diameter, compared to a faster cooler with a smaller diameter. It is also recommended to pay attention to the number of blades - the more blades a fan has, the quieter it operates.
Unfortunately, many PC owners still do not approach the choice of case fans very responsibly or carefully. The result of this approach is excessive noise, computer emergency shutdowns, and premature failure of individual components of the system unit. It is worth remembering that without an effective cooling system, any new and expensive video card or processor can become unusable in a matter of seconds. Therefore, it is so important to correctly select and install additional fans in your PC case for effective heat removal and cooling.
You don't need a degree in electrical engineering to properly install a CPU cooler. As is the case when installing many PC components, however, the procedure involves some subtleties that can have a noticeable impact on the performance of the computer. Simply fixing the cooler on the processor without doing any additional preparatory work can lead to a completely non-functional system. If you are downloading a Microsoft Office document (such as a Word document (.DOC, .DOCX)), then you need a viewing application (such as Microsoft Word) installed to view or edit. But what if you don't have any viewing apps installed? Don't worry, you can view or edit documents inside your web browser.
However, if you need some extra time to thoroughly clean the integrated processor heatsink, be sure to clean the surface of the processor and cooler and properly apply high-quality thermal insulation material to keep your processor temperature lower, sometimes even much lower than what is written in the processor manual.
And lower CPU temperatures will often result in a quieter system that will also be more stable and easy to overclock. Keep the chips cooler and last longer over extended periods of use. With all the potential benefits to properly installing a CPU cooler, I thought it would be a good idea to walk you through the entire installation process, step by step, with both AMD and Intel systems. Keep in mind that in this article I'm focusing on desktop processors, so the steps in this article generally apply to all types of processors and other chips that require a heat sink to help them cool.
Installing a cooler on an AMD processor
Although current AMD desktop processors use several different socket types (AM2, AM3, AM3+, and FM1), the process for installing a CPU cooler is similar for all of them.
Step 1: Make sure the processor is fully inserted into the socket
If nothing is interfering with the processor and it fits perfectly in the socket, the chip should sit flat and level. To be sure it is installed correctly, lift the socket retention lever and apply slightly reduced pressure with your finger on the CPU. Then, applying pressure, push the lower lever to lock the processor into place. Finally, make a final visual inspection to ensure that the processor is fully seated in the socket.
Step 2: Cleansurface processor and heatsink
The base of the cooler must be cleaned for optimal contact with the processor's integrated heatsink, and both surfaces must be clean and free of dirt or particles of any kind. Use a lint-free cloth and a small amount of isopropyl alcohol (or an alcohol-based mixture used for cleaning electronics, and which will not leave behind any residue) to clean the base of the heatsink and the top of the integrated heat spreader processor. It is important to remove any adhesive or any other potential contaminant that may be preventing the surfaces from sealing tightly together.
Step 3: Apply thermal paste to the surface of the processor and heatsink
Some people argue that this step is not necessary, but I have done this for years with great success. The reason for using thermal interface material, or TIM, between the heatsink and the processor is to minimize or eliminate any potential air gaps. TIM is a better conductor of heat than air, and it acts as a means to facilitate heat migration from the processor to the heatsink. Primering the surface with a small amount of thermal paste (our choice TIM) will fill microscopic imperfections in the metal that the final application of thermal conductive material cannot fill as the heat sink compresses it. Priming the surfaces and lubricating them helps ensure that the final application of TIM spreads more easily and evenly when compressed.
The CPU's heat is scattered onto the base heatsink unless you apply a very small amount of thermal paste and don't rub it into their surfaces in a circular motion. The purpose of this is to remove imperfections on the surface until you see what it looks like a slight mist in the metal.
Step 4: Apply Thermal Conductive Material
Once the processor and base heatsink are clean and you've primed them, it's time to apply a thermal interface material, preferably a high-quality ceramic or silver-based thermal paste. Apply a small amount of thermal paste to the center of the integrated processor heatsink - just enough to cover the metal surface of the paper with a thin layer of paste. when it spreads over the entire surface of the processor. Apply a little more paste, but less than a pea. You don't want excess paste oozing out of the sides when installing the heatsink. The goal is to use the least amount of thermal paste that can be coated on the surface of the integrated heatsink, thereby eliminating any air gaps and allowing for maximum heat transfer between the integrated heatsink and the cooler heatsink. Using too much thermal paste can reduce performance, so be smart about how you apply it.
Step 5: CPU Cooler
Most AMD CPU air coolers use a simple clip-locking mechanism to ensure the heatsink assembly is in the socket. The installation process consists of lowering the heatsink in place, mechanically locking with two clips on the mounting bracket around the CPU socket, and firmly securing the heatsink with the locking mechanism installed. On the cooler, as a rule, there is a lever with a cam or screw.
The cooler I used was a Thermaltake model, it had a simple lever with a cam. To install it, I set it in position, making sure to keep it level and parallel to the surface of the CPU so that the thermal paste would spread evenly in all directions. I then positioned the metal hook clips on the mounting bracket, and by applying slight pressure to the heatsink, I moved the lever to the closed position. The cam on the lever engages the metal in place on the mounting bracket, and applies constant pressure to the heatsink so that it makes good contact with the surface of the processor. Finally, I install the cooling fan connector in the panel for connecting fans on the motherboard, and everything is ready.
Understand the efficiency of the air cooling system. Fans don't just supply air to computer components (it's not the most efficient way to cool a computer). Fans must create air flow inside the case - drawing in cold air and expelling hot air.
Examine the fan. Fans create air flow in one direction, indicated by an arrow (indicated on the fan housing). Look at the new fan housing and find the arrow on it; it indicates the direction of air flow. If there is no arrow, examine the sticker on the fan motor. The air flow is usually directed towards such a sticker.
Install fans to create proper air flow. To do this, install fans to blow in and out air. It is better to install more fans for exhaust than for injection to create something like a vacuum inside the case. This effect will cause cold air to enter the housing from any opening.
- Back panel. The power supply fan located at the rear panel of the case blows air. Therefore, install 1-2 more fans on the rear panel, which will work for exhaust.
- Front Panel. Install one fan on it that will blow air. You can install a second fan in the hard drive bay (if possible).
- Side panel. Install a fan on it that will blow out air. Most cases only allow one side fan.
- Top panel. The fan on this panel should be blowing. Don't think it needs to be set to blow because hot air rises - this will simply result in too many blow fans and not enough blow fans.
Install fans. To do this, use four screws (supplied with the fan). Fix the fan firmly so that it does not make noise. Tighten the screws so that you can remove them if necessary.
- Make sure that cables (including the cable that powers the fan) do not get caught in the fan blades. If necessary, pull the cables to the side using cable ties.
- If you have trouble fixing the fan with screws, tape it to the vent and then fix the fan with the screws. Do not apply tape to any components or chips. Be sure to remove the tape after securing the fan.
Connect the fans. Connect two fans to the headers on the motherboard and the rest to the power supply (via Molex connector).
- If the fans are connected to the power supply, you will not be able to control their speed (they will run at maximum speed).
Close the case. It is understood that an air flow will be created inside the case to cool the components, and an open case will not allow such a flow to be created. Remember that components in open cases cool much less efficiently.
Check the operation of the fans. If your fans are connected to the motherboard, you can check their operation by
Cooler (from the English cooler) - literally translated as cooler. Essentially, it is a device designed to cool the heating element of the computer (most often the central processor). The cooler is a metal radiator with a fan that drives air through it. Most often, a fan in a computer system unit is called a cooler. This is not entirely correct. A fan is a fan, and a cooler is precisely a device (a radiator with a fan) that cools a specific element (for example, a processor).
Fans installed in the computer system case provide general ventilation in the case, the entry of cold air and the removal of hot air to the outside. This results in a general decrease in temperature inside the housing.
A cooler, unlike case fans, provides local cooling of a specific element that gets very hot. The cooler is most often located on the central processor and video card. After all, the video processor heats up no less than the CPU, and sometimes the load on it is much greater, for example, during a game.
The power supply also contains a fan, which simultaneously serves both to cool the heating elements in the power supply, as it blows air through it, and for general ventilation inside the computer. In the simplest version of a PC cooling system, it is the fan inside the power supply that provides air ventilation inside the entire case.
In which direction should the fans in the case spin?
So, let's look at the computer ventilation and cooling scheme. After all, many beginners, when assembling a computer on their own, have the question “Where should the fan blow” or “Which direction should the cooler spin?” In fact, this is really important, because properly organized ventilation inside the computer is the key to its reliable operation.
Cold air is supplied to the housing from the front lower part (1). This must also be taken into account when cleaning your computer from dust. It is imperative to vacuum the area where air is sucked into the computer. The air flow gradually heats up and in the upper rear part of the case the already hot air is blown out through the power supply (2).
In the case of a large number of heating elements inside the case (for example, a powerful video card or several video cards, a large number of hard drives, etc.) or a small amount of free space inside the case, additional fans are installed in the case to increase air flow and improve cooling efficiency. It is better to install fans with a larger diameter. They provide more air flow at lower speeds, and are therefore more efficient and quieter than fans with a smaller diameter.
When installing fans, consider the direction in which they blow. Otherwise, you can not only not improve the cooling of your computer, but also worsen it. If you have a large number of hard drives, or if you have drives operating at high speeds (from 7200 rpm), you should install an additional fan in the front of the case (3) so that it blows air through the hard drives.
If there are a large number of heating elements (a powerful video card, several video cards, a large number of cards installed in the computer) or if there is not enough free space inside the case, it is recommended to install an additional fan in the upper rear part of the case (4). This fan should blow air outside. This will increase the air flow passing through the case and cooling all internal components of the computer. Do not install the rear fan so that it blows inside the case! This will disrupt normal circulation inside the PC. On some cases it is possible to install a fan on the side cover. In this case, the fan should spin so that it sucks air inside the case. Under no circumstances should it be allowed to blow it out, otherwise the upper part of the computer, in particular the power supply, motherboard and processor, will not be sufficiently cooled.
Which direction should the fan on the cooler blow?
I repeat that the cooler is designed for local cooling of a specific element. Therefore, the overall air circulation in the housing is not taken into account here. The fan on the cooler should blow air through the radiator, thereby cooling it. That is, the fan on the processor cooler should blow towards the processor.
On some cooler models, the fan is installed on a remote radiator. In this case, it is better to install it so that the air flow is directed towards the rear wall of the case or upward towards the power supply.
On most powerful video cards, the cooler consists of a radiator and an impeller, which does not blow air inward from above, but drives it in a circle. That is, in this case, air is sucked in through one half of the radiator and blown out through the other.