They are not quite available yet but Cooler Master have announced two new all in one watercoolers, the Nepton 120XL and 240M which incorporate a new Silencio fan which as you may expect offers good performance with low noise. If the pricing follows the previous generation of Nepton you can expect to see the 120mm model retail for around $100 and the 240mm for around $120.
Taipei, Taiwan — Oct 21st 2014 — Cooler Master, a leading creator, innovator, and manufacturer of desktop components and peripherals as well as mobile accessories today announced the Nepton 120XL and 240M, the latest additions to the Nepton all-in-one liquid cooling family. See full details on the Nepton 240M product page here.
Keeping It Cool
Nepton 120XL and 240M are introducing a brand new Silencio fan from Cooler Master. This fan is designed with unique fan blades and technology in order to maximize air flow and static pressure with minimal noise output. The result of these fans and Nepton’s skived fin micro-channel technology brings Nepton 120XL and 240M to a whole new level of cool, mirroring the thermal success of the Nepton 140XL and 280L models.Maximum Compatibility
The Cooler Master Nepton series was introduced with the 140XL and 280L models, which sported 140mm and 280mm radiators respectively. The new Nepton 120XL is equipped with a 120mm radiator while the Nepton 240M is equipped with a 240mm radiator. These sizes allow more opportunity for builders and enthusiasts to get their hands on the incredible performance from the Nepton line.Sealing the Deal
Using Cooler Master’s exclusive design, the pump of the Nepton series pushed 120 Liters of liquid per hour through the flexible and robust FEP tubing to maximize thermal transfer. Topping the pump with a simple geometric design and illuminated Cooler Master logo, the Nepton series continues to turn heads. Backed by a 5-year warranty, Nepton 120XL and 240M will be cooling systems for years to come.Availability
Nepton 120XL and 240M is now shipping to vendors in North America and will be available soon. Price and availability may vary based on region.
The new fan blade design
The new fan blade design looks interesting…a bit like a boat propeller. It makes me wonder what the subjective sound profile is like across its RPM range.
I’m surprised few if any radiators use some sort of plenum or spacer between the fan outlet and radiator fins. There is quite a bit of turbulence at the outlet of an axial fan. If they really want to drop perceived noise, then providing a bit of space for flow to stabilize and become more laminar prior to being shoved through an array of fins could be pretty significant. It could also allow air to pass over the entire cross section of the radiator rather than be focused in the circular pattern of the actual fan blades (ie. not much air actually passes behind the corners and center hub of a fan when butted up to a radiator). The effective increase in cross-sectional area would also serve to reduce the static pressure drop across the radiator as well as potentially lower the net velocity of the air passing through it (these effects should increase overall air flow and/or reduce perceived noise). The most obvious downside would be the increase in overall dimensions.
Would there be a difference
Would there be a difference in turbulence and noise using a pull vs push config?
I have yet to move in to water cooling – my next build will have it. So the more info the better.
In general, fans are more
In general, fans are more efficient when pushing air rather than pulling it. That said, I am pretty sure some kind of spacer/plenum could also benefit fans in a pull configuration. Essentially, one is trying to better organize air flow (a vortex pattern is great for a fan but laminar flow would seem required for the grid-like fins of a radiator). If you have ever seen a Dyson Air Multiplier fan, that is an example of organized air flow.
All fans get louder and less efficient due to turbulent flow if you restrict/obstruct it’s inlet. A restricted fan inlet can lead to a significantly lower stall RPM (point at which more RPM fails to yield more flow and noise noticeably increases). I found a surprisingly pertinent, but highly technical reference on the subject if you feel like dabbling in fluid dynamic theory.
http://www.digikey.com/Web%20Export/Supplier%20Content/ComairRotron_25/PDF/Comair_Noise_StallAxialFlowFans.pdf
Perfect air flow is great for noise but actually hurts cooling performance. Impingement velocity and turbulence actually benefit a radiator’s ability to transfer heat by stirring up the air. I expect it’s a balancing act of noise vs thermal performance.
Thanks for the link. I can’t
Thanks for the link. I can’t say that I understood all of it. But, I came away with a greater appreciation for the engineering behind the not so humble case fan.
AIO just aren’t quiet because
AIO just aren’t quiet because they all have stupid pumps!