Fan Coolers

Cooling fans for electronics operate on the same principle as any general household fan.  They are designed to efficiently push air from one location to another.  Looking at this from an electronics cooling perspective, fans can serve one of two purposes.  It can be used to take cool air and push it towards a component within an electrical system, or it can be used to push hot air out of a system, thus drawing in cool air.

Cooling fans are often used in conjunction with a device called a heat sink.  These are usually not part of the circuitry of the unit but serve to provide a means for heat to escape from whatever device they are attached to.  Most typically a heat sink is made of many thin fins that conduct heat through them and transfer that heat to the air.  A fan helps clear the hot air away from the fins and cool the entire structure.

Most fans used in electrical systems now are made from a brushless motor system, which gives them a quieter, more efficient operation.  They are also variable speed in most cases so that they can push through more air when devices are expelling more heat.