Optimum Fan Placement?

[essential]

i did a search but didn't find any specific posts that reference my question.

anyway, for optimum cooling of a computer, what is the ideal placement of the fans in the case?

for example:
1 top exhaust fan
1 side intake or exhaust fan
1/2 front intake
1/2 rear exhaust

most of the cases i've seen have front intake and rear exhaust fans, but do the top/side fans add a lot of extra cooling or no?

also, i've been seeing several cases lately with a side air duct instead of an intake/exhaust fan, is that a better cooling solution than an intake/exhaust fan?

 

[RallyMaster]

Depends on your case and how you're doing the component cooling.

 

[essential]

well, i was thinking of getting a coolermaster praetorian 730 ... it has a 120mm intake, two 80mm exhausts, and a side panel air duct. i didn't know if that was enough alone. i was going to remove the air duct, and replace it with a 120mm intake fan (i've read a 120mm fan would fit in that spot), then i was going to remove the top i/o panel, and have a 80mm exhaust up there. i'm going to have a thermaltake A1772 cpu fan, and my video card (probably another 6600gt will have a fan on it, and i'll probably get another neopower power supply. that's as much information as i have at the moment.

 

[dunkster]

In my experience, classic front-to-back air flow is the best configuration for cooling all system components.

Side-vents, both passive and forced, create an alternate-flow path from the side to the rear case vent fan, reducing cooling air flow over hard drives, resulting in warmer drive operation. Passive rear case vents also create alternate air flow paths.

Negative case pressure should be avoided, since it tends to stall air flow through the PS, resulting in warmer PS operation. If only one case ventilation fan is used, it should be front intake - to avoid negative case pressure.

Top-venting 'blow hole' fans can also result in negative case pressure, stalling PS air flow.

Intake and exhaust fans should have matched flow-rate. If two fans with unequal flow-rates are in series air flow configuration, the lower-flow fan will be a flow restriction.

Any well-designed case with matched 120mm front intake and rear vent fans, configured for front-to-back air flow, should provide adequate cooling for all components.

Air flow can be improved by eliminating case flow restrictions, such as:
- Restrictive case fan grills.
- Restrictive case front bezels.
- Restrictive air filters media.
- Side-mounted hard drive cages tend to restrict air flow.

Hope this helps!

 

[pkme2]

Top outlet would be nice. My LL has one.