Reverse Cpu Air Flow

[vanvock]

I'm thinking if trying one of these fan duct products on the cpu to pull air out through the heatsink via a larger fan at the case end. The idea is to keep the hot air blown out of the cases & lower temp air moving through the heatsink. The cpu will be an Athlon64. Has anyone tried this? Any thoughts? I read CRICKET's response in another thread that most heatsinks are designed to have the fan blow in,which I know is industry standard, but what is the difference in one designed to flow the other way? Can you tell me of any heatsinks that are designed for "reverse" airflow? I plan to eliminate the fan mounted directly to the heatsink (less turbulance, don't need one on both ends) & just use a 80-92mm fan exhausting through the duct tube. A HVAC man I talked to used the analogy that its easier to pull a string than to push it. Any input is appreciated.

[Nickoli]

that's a reasonable argument... I'm throwing it around in my head and I still think it's best to have the fan blowing down onto the heatsink. why not do an experiment? when you get your duct built, try the fan blowing in for a couple hours, monitor the temp, then switch it around and compare the CPU temp. simple, and you find out whats best for your setup

[vanvock]

This is planning for a build. I don't want to risk frying a cpu if I can help it. I'll try it that way unless I get some input otherwise. Thanx.

[Cricket]

Alpha heatsinks are designed to have the fan suck heat away from the heatsink. The heatsinks have a shroud around the top half and the bottom half is left exposed. This allows cool air to be drawn in near the bottom of the heatsink (the part that makes contact with the CPU) and the heat is pulled up and away from the CPU. Without the shroud, the heatsink wouldn't be nearly as effective as it is.

I think you could put a duct around the top half of the heatsink, route it to the case side and have a 92mm or 120mm fan blowing outward and have the CPU temps kept under control.

Some name brand computers use a duct design similar to this. The HP I use at work incorporates this idea. It uses a real slow spinning NMB fan that is at the end away from the CPU and it's virtually silent. There is no fan on the heatsink itself...the heatsink is a massive thing with lots and lots of fins. This computer has never experienced a heat related problem...but then, it's only a PIII 500MHz

Cricket

[vanvock]

Thanks Cricket. I found them at Newegg. Looks like my solution.