I have designed a single-fan PC case.
(See the next post for the URL of the (small) picture.)
Its features:
- 1 fan only (be about 18dBA or less, vibrationless-mounted, insulated)
- powerful (can hold 5 of the biggest expansion cards, 6 big (noiseblocker-encapsulated) HDD/ODD drives (3 of them exposed))
- compact (52 × 32 × 16 cm)
- (simple) straight airflow (one main circuit-flow, one intake point on the one end, one exhaust point at the opposite end)
Single-fan silent, compact PC
Moderators: NeilBlanchard, Ralf Hutter, sthayashi, Lawrence Lee
--Here is the design--
Somebody, please implement it!
Apologization: I am not a case-designer at all, just a (dissatisfied) user.
Somebody, please implement it!
Apologization: I am not a case-designer at all, just a (dissatisfied) user.
Comparing to my Antec SOLO or NSK3300, the dimensions you cite for your case (16 cm wide x 32 cm high x 52 cm deep) are about 1 inch narrower than an NSK3300, less than 2 inches shorter than an NSK3300 (36 cm) and longer than the Antec SOLO (47 cm) by 2 inches. I'm not sure I would call this "compact" but I do like some of the design ideas.
I'm not sure how feasible it would be to manufacturer an L-shape motherboard.
To save space, maybe consider a redesign with less than 5 expansion slots. Some people don't need any. A lot of people have one dedicated graphics card and that's all they'll ever need. Much fewer have two (SLI/crossfire), though it could be argued that the single fan in your design may not be enough to cool down dual graphic cards.
For air flow purposes, consider positioning the 3 HD (symbolized by the aqua-colored box) along the length of the case as opposed to the width.
How do you open the case to add a card? I don't see how your five big cards are accessible to begin with since the motherboard is V-shaped and the heatpipes are attached to the heatsink. Everything is tightly and neatly thought out, but I don't see any room to work in there or add/remove expansion cards, unless I'm missing something?
I'm not sure how feasible it would be to manufacturer an L-shape motherboard.
To save space, maybe consider a redesign with less than 5 expansion slots. Some people don't need any. A lot of people have one dedicated graphics card and that's all they'll ever need. Much fewer have two (SLI/crossfire), though it could be argued that the single fan in your design may not be enough to cool down dual graphic cards.
For air flow purposes, consider positioning the 3 HD (symbolized by the aqua-colored box) along the length of the case as opposed to the width.
How do you open the case to add a card? I don't see how your five big cards are accessible to begin with since the motherboard is V-shaped and the heatpipes are attached to the heatsink. Everything is tightly and neatly thought out, but I don't see any room to work in there or add/remove expansion cards, unless I'm missing something?
Last edited by LAThierry on Tue Sep 25, 2007 10:21 am, edited 1 time in total.
I don't think there's been a motherboard that's not unified in 10+ years. I do recall seing an old Compac Pent -1 that had 2 seperate parts on either side of a central mobo tray.
As the die shrinks move to 65 nm-than 45 nm.....a LOT better thermal efficiency is inevitable.....except we've moved on to the bloat of vista and we think a Web surfer machine needs the punch + speed of 2004's state of the art rig---and beyond.
Barton's and P4's were in a power race to get to 3.0 ghz....with DDR 266 RAM and various bottlenecks. Now....the entry level Sempron can top that..can do it cooler,quieter,cheaper. 150 CFM may be what the hottest OC'd chip wants...but that's not "Quiet" copmputer....it's a Hot Rod tamed somewhat.
Heatpipes MAY ultimately let CPU-GPU-Chipsets share a massive heatsink---even one integral with the case. However....there is so little standardization-that rigid heatpipes can't fit any variety of products. Perhaps some form of flexible/universal heatpipe will appear. It ain't here now.
It IS in theory,possible for a company like Asus or Gigabytye to make a HEATSINK case-with a few matched up mobos,vid cards. You'd only be able to match up certain components.
As the die shrinks move to 65 nm-than 45 nm.....a LOT better thermal efficiency is inevitable.....except we've moved on to the bloat of vista and we think a Web surfer machine needs the punch + speed of 2004's state of the art rig---and beyond.
Barton's and P4's were in a power race to get to 3.0 ghz....with DDR 266 RAM and various bottlenecks. Now....the entry level Sempron can top that..can do it cooler,quieter,cheaper. 150 CFM may be what the hottest OC'd chip wants...but that's not "Quiet" copmputer....it's a Hot Rod tamed somewhat.
Heatpipes MAY ultimately let CPU-GPU-Chipsets share a massive heatsink---even one integral with the case. However....there is so little standardization-that rigid heatpipes can't fit any variety of products. Perhaps some form of flexible/universal heatpipe will appear. It ain't here now.
It IS in theory,possible for a company like Asus or Gigabytye to make a HEATSINK case-with a few matched up mobos,vid cards. You'd only be able to match up certain components.
Yes this design needs some finishing, but I expect that the problems can be solved. (I am just a user, not expert.)LAThierry wrote:I'm not sure I would call this "compact" [..]
I'm not sure how feasible it would be to manufacturer an L-shape motherboard.
To save space, maybe consider a redesign with less than 5 expansion slots. [..] the single fan in your design may not be enough to cool down dual graphic cards.
For air flow purposes, consider positioning the 3 HD (symbolized by the aqua-colored box) along the length of the case as opposed to the width.
How do you open the case to add a card?
"Compact" - okay, let's say "relatively compact". (Compare it a 6 5.25", 5 big cards machine.)
L-shape board: may be 2 plates, cable-connected?
Redesign: in fact, I have studies with fewer drives, and/or fewer and smaller-factor cards. (E.g. for only 2 or 3 8×17 cm cards.) But these easily can be derived from this. This 16 cm "base-length" is optimal because a drive is about 16 cm width. The fan is square, so 16×16 is the air-tunnel's dimension. The air-tunnel is a circle, so the 16 cm doubles, this gives the 32 cm total height.
One variant may be e.g. 9-10 cm fan, 2×10=20 cm case dimension is one direction. If you turn "up" the case (intake bottom, exhaust at top), it can hold 2 drives (in place of the 6 drives). (2*4+gap= 10 cm). (But it is less convenient, because the drives open closer to the desk..) (Or, if you keep the drives' direction, you loose some room. (there will be some empty gap under the drives 16<20))
"For air flow purposes, consider positioning the 3 HD (symbolized by the aqua-colored box) along the length of the case as opposed to the width.
"
I do not clearly understand. (You must not block the airflow!) (That is a fron view!)
"How do you open the case to add a card?":
"When there is no plenty of interior room, make the parts/modules of the system removable, turnable." (I think this rule of thumb could lead to some solution. Think of the removable cardholder assemblies (howdoyoucallit).)
If less is enough, that better.ronrem wrote:150 CFM may be what the hottest OC'd chip wants...but that's not "Quiet" copmputer....it's a Hot Rod tamed somewhat.
I thought of the 8-9 fan cases.. (summing their CFM-s I guess it reaches even 150CFM)
Perhaps even with rigid heatpipes it can be manufactured. (Heatsink+pipes alignable as a whole.) Of course it will be a "non-standard" cooler.ronrem wrote:Heatpipes MAY ultimately let CPU-GPU-Chipsets share a massive heatsink---even one integral with the case. However....there is so little standardization-that rigid heatpipes can't fit any variety of products. Perhaps some form of flexible/universal heatpipe will appear. It ain't here now.
Or, maybe (a small motor and) water-cooling (with felxible pipes)? (A plus noise source..)
you know their specifications are all lies, right? a quick search of this forum with the term "SilenX" will reveal this.I extrapolated from the SilenX fans. (Excuse for the ad.)
it may push 90CFM but it sure as anything will not be 18dBA in a real case. just the turbulence noise alone will be more than that.There exist a 18dBA, 90CFM fan.
you cannot just add CFM like that:I thought of the 8-9 fan cases.. (summing their CFM-s I guess it reaches even 150CFM)
http://www.comairrotron.com/airflow_note.shtml
in an enclosure with a very high system impedance, adding fans might not increase flow at all.Parallel operation is defined as having two or more fans blowing together side by side. The performance of two fans in parallel will result in doubling the volume flow, but only at free delivery.
http://www.nmbtech.com/engineering_101.html
http://www.comairrotron.com/engineering_notes_02.asp
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NeilBlanchard
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Hello,
It is possible that the fan can be as quiet as 18dBA, and it is possible that it can move as much as 90CFM -- but not at the same time! At minimum RPM (~400-600?) it might be just 18dBA, and maybe at maximum RPM it could move 90CFM -- as long as there is zero back pressure...
But these two specs are more likely exaggerations to begin with, and they certainly cannot both be taken together.
It is possible that the fan can be as quiet as 18dBA, and it is possible that it can move as much as 90CFM -- but not at the same time! At minimum RPM (~400-600?) it might be just 18dBA, and maybe at maximum RPM it could move 90CFM -- as long as there is zero back pressure...
But these two specs are more likely exaggerations to begin with, and they certainly cannot both be taken together.
FYI I have a compact PC that is 11.5" x 11.5" x 8.0" approx with one fan and one 2.5" HDD, and that runs at about 21 Db.
If you are using a 120mm fan that makes as much noise as mine does (and therefore has the same minimal airflow), you are going to have some cooling problems when you add in 3 full size (3.5") HDD's as the airflow disruption that they will cause alone will reduce the cooling ability to a minimum.
I dont think that it is feasable, especially with that design, it might be possible with 2.5" HDD's and no add-in cards getting in the way and adding heat, but pressure is going to be the problem, even a 38mm deep fan might not be able to cope.
So something is going to have to give, be it HDD's, performance, design and layout, fan(s), or overall noise, but right now you cant have all of them with that design
Andy
If you are using a 120mm fan that makes as much noise as mine does (and therefore has the same minimal airflow), you are going to have some cooling problems when you add in 3 full size (3.5") HDD's as the airflow disruption that they will cause alone will reduce the cooling ability to a minimum.
I dont think that it is feasable, especially with that design, it might be possible with 2.5" HDD's and no add-in cards getting in the way and adding heat, but pressure is going to be the problem, even a 38mm deep fan might not be able to cope.
So something is going to have to give, be it HDD's, performance, design and layout, fan(s), or overall noise, but right now you cant have all of them with that design
Andy
As far as fans go... I got one of these for my 2nd PC.
http://www.svc.com/a2368.html
silent? not at full speed.. but it IS quiet and it moves a huge amount of air
http://www.svc.com/a2368.html
silent? not at full speed.. but it IS quiet and it moves a huge amount of air
Decibels are measured in MANY ways. The REALITY is that noise will be related to RPM. Stock....there's just a few 120 mm fans that run under 1000 rpm. Of those,Scythe's has nice quality overall....if a fan running at a lot higher RPM is claiming LESS DB..it's just a claim. Nothing at 1000 rpm + will be as quiet at that Scythe at 800.
Quite a few other very good fans CAN run slower that 800 rpm when undervolted and besides Scythe..Nexus,Yate Loon,Panaflo.....Silenex,and a few others do well at 600 rpm...more or less---in terms of noise. Nothing among the 120's can get a big CFM at under 1000 rpm. No free lunch.
A BIGGER fan 140....180.....220 mm,will tend to move more air at 800 rpm (or whatever speed) than a 120. Number and shape of blades will give some variation.
Quite a few other very good fans CAN run slower that 800 rpm when undervolted and besides Scythe..Nexus,Yate Loon,Panaflo.....Silenex,and a few others do well at 600 rpm...more or less---in terms of noise. Nothing among the 120's can get a big CFM at under 1000 rpm. No free lunch.
A BIGGER fan 140....180.....220 mm,will tend to move more air at 800 rpm (or whatever speed) than a 120. Number and shape of blades will give some variation.
A smaller variant (heatsink above the RAM)
Here is a smaller variant of my silent PC concept:
http://w3.externet.hu/~p_tclrg7jter/2dr ... -case.html
Room for only 2 drives (of normal common size) and 3 small exp. cards. Heatsink above the RAM (!) (no room elsewhere). Common fan size (12 cm). Single-plate motherboard (not "L"). Overall dimensions: 12×24×40 cm.
(Strict airflow, "one big air loop", filter - has not changed.)
If 1 fan is few, then try to double it (and apply a bit smaller PSU). (Perhaps rotating in opposite directions.)
http://w3.externet.hu/~p_tclrg7jter/2dr ... -case.html
Room for only 2 drives (of normal common size) and 3 small exp. cards. Heatsink above the RAM (!) (no room elsewhere
). Common fan size (12 cm). Single-plate motherboard (not "L"). Overall dimensions: 12×24×40 cm.(Strict airflow, "one big air loop", filter - has not changed.)
If 1 fan is few, then try to double it (and apply a bit smaller PSU). (Perhaps rotating in opposite directions.)