Throughout our go to, the corporate confirmed off its new BF360 case, which follows up their HS 420.
Taking a more in-depth have a look at the corporate’s new fan design, you may see some cautious shaping to the fan’s hub, which is meant to assist with guiding air movement. We’ll should see the way it performs in our testing, however the thought is taking a thicker fan strategy and thickening it much more. The corporate ended up utilizing a 40mm-thick fan, which ought to assist with stress.
The corporate additionally makes use of 2x180mm followers mounted to the entrance of the case.
Whereas we have been there, HAVN ready some CFD simulations for the movement and a few simulations for mechanical stresses, on the panel for instance, which is fairly attention-grabbing.
Having a look on the BF360, the entrance panel pops out with a tug because it makes use of magnets to connect itself to the entrance of the case and has 3 plastic ft that assist it snap in on the backside.
The inside of the case’s entrance panel has a detachable fan tray. Its design is considerably typical however refined from what we’ve seen. HAVN has executed loads of iterations on it.
The highest panel pulls off and its design is acquainted to the HS 420 with its structural design. When you take away the highest panel, it exposes the case’s prime fan/radiatory tray, which has rubber bumpers and a slide mechanism that allows you to pull it out of the case, offering full entry to the highest of the chassis and may assist with ease of set up.
Quite a lot of the metal on the case is both .8mm thick and there’s some that’s 1.0mm, which is thick by right this moment’s requirements.
Having a look on the bottom of the case, we will see that it has marked cable administration pathways, very like the HAVN HS 420 (learn our assessment). This was form of a pleasant factor for model new system builders. Whereas the HS 420 used stickers, the BF360 incorporates it into the molding. Our understanding is that they might refine its design to attempt to get extra mild reflection so it’s simpler to see. This can be a good consideration to element that provides to the convenience of set up.
HAVN realized from the HS 420 on the three and ½-inch drive help and improved its implementation. There are 2 bays on the again aspect of the case for these drives and they are often eliminated. HAVN additionally modified the way it handles the grommets with the case. The string-like materials in between is similar however there’s now a bit of rubber tab that helps to forestall it from coming out by chance as soon as it’s crammed with cables. The purpose right here is that HAVN is making an attempt to be taught from what they’ve executed with the HS 420 and to refine their designs.
Having a look on the BF360’s entrance panel, it’s imagined to seem like stone, however is manufactured from plastic as stone can be extraordinarily heavy. Behind the entrance panel within the unit we noticed are 2x180mm followers. HAVN has shoved a chunk of metal on the prime, which is meant to forestall recirculation. This was an enormous problem in previous BitFenix instances, the place because of the firm’s design, it could recirculate sizzling air again into its followers. This design can enhance efficiency in massive methods.
HAVN tells us that the most effective setup for the BF360 is to have the highest entrance fan be consumption and the highest again fan be exhaust, offering you’re utilizing 180mm followers on the highest. This matches our testing for different instances prior to now. We’ve additionally discovered that in case you’re populated the highest slots, doing consumption in entrance of an air cooler works higher as a result of in any other case air will get within the entrance and would get stolen by an exhaust fan out of the highest.
The case we checked out had 4x180mm followers (2 within the entrance and a pair of on prime) and 1x140mm within the rear.
HAVN tried several types of energy provide shroud designs. One had an angled scoop to herald air from the entrance backside 180mm fan.
One design had what we’re calling a “toilet-bowl” design, however that in the end didn’t undergo. The following design we checked out featured a extra cylindrical/conical design. We requested one of many firm’s thermal engineers why that design didn’t work higher because it appears like it could challenge air in direction of the GPU, which might be a sizzling spot, and the rep advised us that going with a wider design ended up performing thermally higher. HAVN offered us some numbers for that, which we’ll check out beneath, however we’ll finally do our personal testing if we will get an early pattern.
Having a look on the first mock-up of the case, we will see some rails for the entrance followers. This design didn’t progress into the ultimate. It makes use of a rail system and we’ve seen it in different instances. Corsair has carried out it and has a trademark for it which they name the “InfiniRail.”
Trying on the second mock-up, the corporate moved to vertical rails coupled with horizontal slats.
HAVN ended up ditching that design altogether and moved to a tray design, which is kind of transferring to a tried-and-true strategy.
The corporate included one other change the place they’ve stamped and folded the tooling.
Then we took a have a look at a design that was nearer to last, which has its full nook lined.
HAVN confirmed us 3 totally different prototypes for the entrance panel of the case. The primary one we checked out featured a wooden panel design, which we’ve seen on loads of instances recently. Wooden has sure manufacturing challenges to contemplate. The white panel you see above is manufactured from aluminum, which could be very costly.
The very last thing that HAVN is engaged on that they confirmed off are followers. There’s been loads of fan improvement in the previous couple of years. One of many massive advertising and marketing phrases you hear lots nowadays is LCP (liquid crystal polymer), which is one thing we talked lots about on the final Computex. One of many advantages of LCP followers (which HAVN isn’t utilizing right here) is which you could get the blades manner nearer to the inside of the body. The draw back is that it’s extremely costly. We’ve an interview with Noctua’s Jakob Dellinger from 2 years in the past that delves into how the corporate needed to keep away from utilizing LCP for a very long time however decided it was essential to get the efficiency they needed. HAVN isn’t utilizing LCP however has designed a fan that has some “enamel” reduce out on its blades, which is one thing we’ve seen earlier than. The corporate has additionally formed its fan hub to have the ability to scoop air in additional. HAVN tells us that having the hub protrude out like a bit of mountain would provide the most effective efficiency however this presents clearance/compatibility points, particularly if you wish to put a radiator up in opposition to it.
Having a look on the 180mm fan, there’s a 2.0mm distance from the blade to the body of the fan. We requested if HAVN tried to get it nearer and have been supplied with loads of information. The corporate confirmed us 3 revisions. 1 had a 1.8mm spacing, one other had 2.0mm of spacing, and the third had 2.2mm. What they ended up seeing for stress in mmH2O, is {that a} 2.0mm spacing ran at 2.19. The 1.8mm fan ran at 2.23, which is an enchancment. The CFM (cubic ft per minute) for each was almost indistinguishable at round 165. The two.2mm spacing, nevertheless, had an enormous drop off, which is a design they didn’t go together with. It had a 2.21 mmH2O stress, which is kind of inside error of the others, however the 159.9 is the place that drop off happens within the CFM. Evaluating the 1.8 vs the two.0mm spacings, they’re principally hitting diminishing returns. Seeing this data is sweet. We think about that the advantages right here weren’t definitely worth the yields and prices as a result of getting the blades nearer to the inside body might result in a nasty yield throughout manufacturing or might need the blades broaden and hit the body because it ages with time. That is what occurred with loads of Enermax followers prior to now.
Now we’re going to go over HAVN’s first-part numbers, however we plan to do our personal efficiency assessment of the case and followers as soon as they’re obtainable. First-party information ought to be checked out with some cheap care.
Thermal comparisons ought to solely be made in opposition to their very own outcomes right here, not in opposition to ours, because the benches are totally different. The flat, typical shroud type was corresponding to the oblong sort in consequence, with the oblong sort barely higher. We predict it will see a bigger affect in our testing, however we might want the three sorts to know for positive. The vital comparability is in opposition to the cylindrical sort, the place HAVN noticed worse outcomes by a measurable quantity. Efficiency worsened by 1-2 levels on the CPU and about 2 levels on the GPU. That is a big GPU temperature improve.
Of their subsequent take a look at slide, HAVN examined numerous fan configurations with the flat shroud. The outcomes have been largely as anticipated: CPU efficiency is harm drastically by having solely a backside consumption fan, to no shock.
Extra apparently, the ramp sort shroud makes comparisons in “B” with a fan stage with the highest of it and “A” with a fan sunken to the ground of the ramp. The sunken strategy resulted in marginally worse CPU thermals in A as in comparison with B, with GPU thermals largely unchanged.
This slide exhibits CFD simulation and movement mapping for ramp angles at 120 and 135 levels. HAVN has drawn a number of highlights round areas of re-circulation or warmth accumulation, significantly marked at “1” the place the 120-degree ramp angle exhibits worse areas of warmth build-up. HAVN examined this in 5-degree increments from 120 to 140, discovering that 135 was a very good stability when noise normalized.
Within the above picture, they present the fan spacing once more, with a 20mm top improve benefiting efficiency.
HAVN did not shrink back from aggressive comparisons. The corporate says its BF 360 with its last entrance panel, proven above in mild blue, had aggressive efficiency in opposition to the H6. Additionally they counsel vital reductions in movement resistance (which is an efficient factor) versus the Lancool 3, with the HS 420 additionally making some appearances right here.
HAVN started finding out its slot spacing and porosity of the air flow slots within the panels subsequent. The corporate discovered {that a} ratio of size divided by depth being ideally about equal to six was optimum for minimizing movement resistance, with the one draw back being potential structural challenges. These charts present their movement efficiency with totally different slot sizes.
As proven on this set of photos, the purpose is that HAVN is basically mocking up a ton of various kinds of panels, from the shrouds to the slot spacing, to attempt to decide the thermal efficiency and optimize for it. This can be a main development for them. It’s loads of work to do all of this, which is cool to see. In fact, we now have to check the product to see the way it got here collectively, however the CFM efficiency of sort 4, as they referred to as it, was the most effective, however we’re in the end tiny variations right here. Nonetheless, all of these small variations throughout the case will add up in concept.
This picture was cool: In spite of everything of this thermal testing, HAVN subsequent did mechanical stress simulation for torsional forces in opposition to the panel, which allowed them to dial-in the thickness and make-up of the plastics.
That continued on this picture, the place the so-called “sort 4” will get one other spotlight.
HAVN highlighted “Design C” for having a 0.8mm steel thickness with the chosen gap sizing.
By shaping the fan hub itself to information movement, HAVN claims that it will possibly higher preserve stress throughout the hub of the fan and alongside the inside wall of the blades. That is the realm of worst efficiency in each fan, so optimizing right here may assist reduce useless zones behind the hub. HAVN says that the molded movement information within the hub benefited its noise considerably. The corporate claims its movement charge additionally improved considerably for the guided hub.
The picture above is basically cool. Referencing whale-fin evolution, HAVN used tooth-like main edges on the fan to enhance its thermal efficiency. We have seen this loads of occasions prior to now, nevertheless it by no means appears to stay round and we’re undecided why. On this simulation although, HAVN means that the air stream is extra uniform alongside the wavy blade design.
Utilizing a 30% glass fiber composite, HAVN noticed efficiency with the brand new design barely enhance in CFM however largely enhance in static stress, going from 2.21 to 2.40 mmH2O.
There is a ton extra that HAVN did. The P/Q chart above exhibits the mock-up efficiency, together with the stall area centrally. We’ll save all this dialogue for the assessment, although.
HAVN had about 41 pages of this technical presentation, which is definitely tremendously appreciated. Quite a lot of what stays can be lined in our assessment, so we’ll go away that for now.
The bearings are additionally attention-grabbing to speak about. These are referred to as FDBs (Fluid Dynamic Bearings), relying on the way you wish to outline that. We checked out one which was designed for the corporate’s 180mm fan. It was a 15mm-tall FDB. One of many issues with followers, when it comes to the help, is how the fan’s rod seats into the bearing. As we’re advised, the longer the bearing is, the extra it’s going to assist with the wobble of the blades.
Internally wanting on the 15mm-tall bearing for the 180mm fan, you may see 3 grooved channels. In our bearings-factory tour, we realized that the grooves are a part of the mechanism that permits the fluid to flow into to maintain that stress even throughout the bearing. That’s imagined to be what’s particular right here however we don’t take a look at bearings individually, however the thought is that 3 channels are supposed to assist with the steadiness of the fluids throughout the bearing.
For the 120mm followers, HAVN goes for roughly a 12mm tall bearing. The corporate claims that almost all are between 9-11mm tall for 120mm followers.
HAVN allowed us to take a look at the corporate’s thermal chamber. There are professionals and cons to HAVN’s resolution. The professional is that it’s supposed to assist management the thermal surroundings because it circulates the air. The draw back to the chamber is that we discovered it will possibly affect the outcomes, although it relies on the chamber. We discovered that for our testing particularly, having a bigger, open-room surroundings works higher. It is extremely environment-specific.
The corporate additionally had a flow-rate tester, which is analogous to ours, that may do PQ charts, which the corporate used to check its new followers. It has a throttle management and a laser tachometer, which offers a studying of the pace of the fan. On one aspect of the flow-rate tester, there are tubes for the counter blower, which our system additionally has. Their flow-rate tester additionally has an air compressor, which is used for actuating among the nozzles contained in the system. We additionally noticed that their flow-rate tester additionally got here with a cheap desktop OEM pc (on this case, a ThinkCentre PC working an i5-12400).
HAVN additionally has an acoustic chamber, which has a pass-through on the surface coupled with a noise meter, which collects noise ranges. One factor we preferred seeing as soon as we seemed contained in the chamber is that we noticed a mechanical rigging for the fan, which permits it to be free flowing. They put their microphone within the nook, which we used to do after we had a chamber of the same measurement. Placing the mic right here lets you maximize the space of the chamber by going diagonal, offering possibly a half a meter of house. Additionally they have a foam flooring as properly, which makes it nearer to an anechoic chamber versus one thing like our hemi-anechoic chamber.
HAVN is focusing on a launch round September for its new merchandise at which level we intention to run our personal benchmarks to see the way it all performs.
