New Industry Products

Orion Fans Introduces Fan Trays To Cool Telecom Applications

February 25, 2009 by Jeff Shepard

Orion Fans, a manufacturer of standard and custom ac and dc fans, has developed a variety of standard and custom fan trays for telecommunications applications. Available in 3-, 6- and 9-fan trays as well as custom configurations, the fan trays operate from 12 to 48Vdc and 115 to 230Vac, making them highly suitable for telecommunications equipment applications. Dual voltage VAC fans are also available.

Each fan may be equipped to adjust its speed in direct relation to the ambient air temperature between 55% and 100% of full speed, maximizing fan life, saving energy and minimizing noise, thus making the trays suitable for telecom enclosures, free-standing servers, WiMax transmitters, and wide area networks (WANs).

"Recently, we engaged with a telecom enclosure customer who had been manufacturing their own fan trays, yet needed a higher functionality, more cost-effective solution," said David Luna, Product Marketing Manager for Orion Fans. "We provided a complete turnkey solution by developing a custom fan tray for $150 in a quantity of 100-pieces, which represented a 35% cost-reduction for the customer." According to Luna, Orion also offers an expansion module that allows customers to add or subtract fan modules quickly and easily as their cooling needs change.

Orion’s fan trays are constructed of heavy-duty steel with extruded aluminum side rails, feature EZ-mount clip nuts and fasteners, and are UL/cUL-recognized and TUV-certified. Standard Orion AC fan trays come with an IEC320, C14-type connector on the back, as well as standard 115 or 230Vac power cords, while the dc fan trays use standard screw terminals for power termination. Orion’s standard fan trays measure 19 x 19 x 1.75" high (standard 1U configuration), and Orion’s short fan trays measure 14 x 19 x 1.75. An ultra-short 3-fan tray, which is suitable for racks and enclosures, is also available.

Special features available with almost all fan trays include dual voltage selector switch, lighted on/off rocker switch, fan monitor and alarm, and warning lights. Ultra-high speed fans are available for substitution, as are medium and low-speed fans, which are well suited for low-noise applications. Orion Fans will also produce fans and fan trays outside these specifications and with additional functions to meet any customers’ needs.