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How to Select Suitable Cooling Fans for Small Shipborne Servers in Special Environments with High Humidity, Low Temperature, and Strong Vibration


Categories:

Industry news

Technology

Author:

rain

Origin:

capital

Time of issue:

2025-10-21 09:15:37.000

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Small shipborne servers operate in special environments characterized by high humidity, low temperature, and strong vibration.

When selecting cooling fans for such servers, multiple factors including environmental adaptability, heat dissipation performance, and mechanical stability must be comprehensively considered.

 

The following are specific recommendations:

 

1. Addressing High-Humidity Environments

 

(1)Focus on IP Protection Rating:

In high-humidity environments, fans must have excellent dust and water resistance.

At a minimum, fans with an IP54 rating should be selected, as they can prevent dust ingress and resist splashing water, making them suitable for damp indoor scenarios with mild condensation.

If the server is located outdoors or in areas close to the sea, fans with an IP65 rating or higher (such as IP67 or IP68) are required. These higher-rated fans can withstand water immersion, continuous water flushing, and even operate underwater.

 

(2)Check for Moisture-Resistant Coatings and PCB Potting Technology:

High-quality moisture-resistant fans undergo overall conformal coating on internal PCBs and potting sealing in key areas.

These treatments prevent short circuits caused by moisture.

When making a selection, confirm whether the manufacturer specifies "Coating PCB" or "triple-proof treatment" (referring to protection against moisture, mildew, and salt spray).

 

(3)Choose the Appropriate Bearing Type:

Oil-impregnated bearings are not suitable for high-humidity environments, as their lubricating oil tends to leak over time under prolonged exposure to moisture.

It is recommended to use dual-ball bearings or HTLS (High-Temperature, Long-Life, Sealed) special bearings.

Dual-ball bearings feature a highly sealed structure, while HTLS special bearings are specifically designed for long service life in high-temperature and high-humidity conditions, offering strong corrosion resistance.

 

2. Addressing Low-Temperature Environments

 

(1)Consider Low-Temperature Startup Performance:

Low temperatures may cause difficulties in fan startup. Fans with a high starting torque design should be selected to avoid failure to start due to component adhesion.

Additionally, fans with a wide voltage operating range (e.g., 10.8-13.2V or 21.6-26.4V) are preferred to cope with potential voltage fluctuations in low-temperature environments.

Fans equipped with soft-start control functionality can also be chosen to reduce startup shock.

 

(2)Pay Attention to Low-Temperature Adaptability of Materials:

The materials used for fan components such as impellers and bearings must not become brittle or rigid at low temperatures, as this could affect the fan's normal operation.

Fans with impellers made of cold-resistant plastic materials and lubricating grease with excellent low-temperature performance should be selected to ensure good flexibility and lubricity even in low-temperature environments.

 

3. Addressing Environments with Strong Vibration

 

(1)Robust Structural Design:

Fans should have a sturdy housing and frame to withstand strong vibrations.

Metal-housed fans are recommended, as their strength and vibration resistance are superior to those of plastic-housed fans. Meanwhile, internal components of the fan should be securely installed using reliable fixing methods (such as screw fastening or snap-in fastening) to prevent loosening during vibration.

 

(2)Stable Bearing System:

In addition to considering bearing types suitable for moisture resistance, dual-ball bearings are more adaptable to vibrating environments compared to other bearing types.

They offer better stability and vibration resistance, which can reduce the impact of vibration on the bearings and extend the fan's service life.

 

4. Other General Considerations

 

(1)Airflow and Air Pressure:

Select fans with appropriate airflow and air pressure based on the heat generation and internal structure of the server. If the server has a compact internal structure and complex air ducts, high-air-pressure fans are needed to overcome airflow resistance.

If the server generates a large amount of heat, high-airflow fans are required to achieve rapid heat dissipation.

 

(2)Service Life and Reliability:

Servers typically operate for long periods, so the fan's Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) should be high.

Fans from well-known brands are recommended, as they offer more reliable quality and performance. Additionally, reference can be made to the fan's relevant certifications and test reports (e.g., high-temperature aging tests, vibration tests).

 

(3)Intelligent Control Functions:

Fans with intelligent control functions can automatically adjust their speed based on the internal temperature of the server (e.g., supporting PWM speed regulation).

This not only ensures sufficient heat dissipation capacity when temperatures are high but also reduces fan speed at low temperatures, thereby lowering noise and power consumption.

 

 

 

Capital Technology Co., Limited is the chief agent of SANYO DENKI, one of the leading enterprises of the cooling fan industry. We are a factory who also have our own independent brand CAPITAL product series. The main products are cooling fan, DC/AC fan, radiator, filter, reactor etc. We can provide customer with the most professional and perfect technical support, welcome to contact me at anytime at rainlee@szcpt.com.

 

 

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