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Further to my previous thread (http://www.overclock.net/air-cooling/1028622-thermal-management-outside-case.html), this thread continues the sharing of my experience of the title subject.
Employing 2 fans in a push-pull formation to gain thermal performance for a CPU cooler or radiator is well known. I extend the same concept to a graphics card.
Aim:-
For a typical 'front-centrifugal fan-intake-and-rear exhaust' design, a 'pull' fan is positioned at the card's rear exhaust to examine the degree of thermal benefit.
Hardware+Software used:-
-Microcool Banchetto 101
-GTX570 + GTX285 (both with Nvidia reference cooling)
-Lian Li 140mm fan (LI-121425BL) at 1140rpm as the pull fan
-MSI Afterburner for temperature measurement
-Mafia II benchmark (GTX570 as main rendering card + GTX285 for Physx)
Test method:-
i. Three arrangements are compared: (A) without fan ; (B) with fan (pic 1) ; (C) with fan and shroud (pic 2)
ii. 'Without fan' arrangement is used as the control
iii. Two conditions are tested for each arrangement. Light load refers to browsing. Heavy load refers to running Mafia II benchmark with GTX570 for rendering and GTX285 for Physx
Result:- (Degree with respect to the Control)
Light Load Condition
(A) Without fan: 0
(B) With pull fan: 2C lower
(C) With pull fan + shroud: 4C lower
(both cards exhibit the same temperature drop and so they are not distinquished)
Heavy Load Condition
(a) Without fan: 0
(b) With pull fan: 3C lower for both 285 and 570
(c) With pull fan + shroud: 4C lower for both 285 and 570
Conclusion:-
This study concludes that having a pull fan positioned at the rear exhaust of a graphics card brings an appreciable temperature drop by 2-3C (fan only) and 4C (fan with shroud).
I hope you have fun reading this little report as much as I have fun in playing with the pull fan + shroud.
Edit 1:
CoolerMaster ACTS 840 chassis has an accessory (see pics 3 and 4) that will perform similar function. I have done something similar with my HAF932 when it was positioned in a relatively more confined environment and the max temp drop I got was about 5C.
Edit 2: (30th March 2012)
I finally took the time to 'upgrade' the shroud from hard construction paper to 1mm thick flexible transparent plastic. This is aesthetically more appealing. Additionally, I made a minor improvement of providing a full height side cover (left side in the pic) which brings another degree C drop of temp!

Employing 2 fans in a push-pull formation to gain thermal performance for a CPU cooler or radiator is well known. I extend the same concept to a graphics card.
Aim:-
For a typical 'front-centrifugal fan-intake-and-rear exhaust' design, a 'pull' fan is positioned at the card's rear exhaust to examine the degree of thermal benefit.
Hardware+Software used:-
-Microcool Banchetto 101
-GTX570 + GTX285 (both with Nvidia reference cooling)
-Lian Li 140mm fan (LI-121425BL) at 1140rpm as the pull fan
-MSI Afterburner for temperature measurement
-Mafia II benchmark (GTX570 as main rendering card + GTX285 for Physx)
Test method:-
i. Three arrangements are compared: (A) without fan ; (B) with fan (pic 1) ; (C) with fan and shroud (pic 2)
ii. 'Without fan' arrangement is used as the control
iii. Two conditions are tested for each arrangement. Light load refers to browsing. Heavy load refers to running Mafia II benchmark with GTX570 for rendering and GTX285 for Physx
Result:- (Degree with respect to the Control)
Light Load Condition
(A) Without fan: 0
(B) With pull fan: 2C lower
(C) With pull fan + shroud: 4C lower
(both cards exhibit the same temperature drop and so they are not distinquished)
Heavy Load Condition
(a) Without fan: 0
(b) With pull fan: 3C lower for both 285 and 570
(c) With pull fan + shroud: 4C lower for both 285 and 570
Conclusion:-
This study concludes that having a pull fan positioned at the rear exhaust of a graphics card brings an appreciable temperature drop by 2-3C (fan only) and 4C (fan with shroud).
I hope you have fun reading this little report as much as I have fun in playing with the pull fan + shroud.
Edit 1:
CoolerMaster ACTS 840 chassis has an accessory (see pics 3 and 4) that will perform similar function. I have done something similar with my HAF932 when it was positioned in a relatively more confined environment and the max temp drop I got was about 5C.
Edit 2: (30th March 2012)
I finally took the time to 'upgrade' the shroud from hard construction paper to 1mm thick flexible transparent plastic. This is aesthetically more appealing. Additionally, I made a minor improvement of providing a full height side cover (left side in the pic) which brings another degree C drop of temp!