Method And System For Cleaning A Fan Inlet
A system includes a housing; a first fan having a first inlet and a second fan having a second inlet, the first fan and the second fan mounted in a wall of the housing, the first fan and the second fan oriented to draw air into the housing; a device in the housing, the device positioned to receive airflow from the first fan and the second fan; and a controller for controlling the first fan and the second fan, wherein the controller is configured to initiate a cleaning cycle during which the first fan is on and the second fan is off to cause backpressure airflow to flow through the second inlet in a reverse direction for a first time period and the first fan is off and the second fan is on to cause backpressure airflow to flow through the first inlet in a reverse direction for a second time period.
1 . A system comprising:
a housing;
a first fan having a first inlet and a second fan having a second inlet, the first fan and the second fan mounted in a wall of the housing, the first fan and the second fan oriented to draw air into the housing;
a device in the housing, the device positioned to receive airflow from the first fan and the second fan; and
a controller for controlling the first fan and the second fan, wherein the controller is configured to initiate a cleaning cycle during which the first fan is on and the second fan is off to cause backpressure airflow to flow through the second inlet in a reverse direction for a first time period and the first fan is off and the second fan is on to cause backpressure airflow to flow through the first inlet in a reverse direction for a second time period.
2 . The system of claim 1 wherein:
the first inlet is a mesh.
3 . The system of claim 1 wherein:
the first inlet is a filter.
4 . The system of claim 1 wherein:
the device includes a heat sink.
5 . The system of claim 4 wherein:
the device includes a voltage regulator component.
6 . The system of claim 5 wherein:
the voltage regulator component is part of a motor vehicle electrical system that converts AC voltage from an alternator to DC voltage.
7 . The system of claim 6 wherein:
wherein the DC voltage is 28 VDC.
8 . A method of cooling a device comprising:
providing a housing;
providing a first fan having a first inlet and a second fan having a second inlet, the first fan and the second fan mounted in a wall of the housing, the first fan and the second fan oriented to draw air into the housing;
providing a device in the housing, the device positioned to receive airflow from the first fan and the second fan; and
providing a controller for controlling the first fan and the second fan, wherein the controller is configured to initiate a cleaning cycle during which the first fan is on and the second fan is off to cause backpressure airflow to flow through the second inlet in a reverse direction for a first time period and the first fan is off and the second fan is on to cause backpressure airflow to flow through the first inlet in a reverse direction for a second time period.
9 . The method of claim 8 wherein:
the first inlet is a mesh.
10 . The method of claim 8 wherein:
the first inlet is a filter.
11 . The method of claim 8 wherein:
the device includes a heat sink
12 . The method of claim 1 wherein:
the device includes a voltage regulator component.
13 . The method of claim 12 wherein:
the voltage regulator component is part of a motor vehicle electrical system that converts AC voltage from an alternator to DC voltage.
14 . The method of claim 13 wherein:
wherein the DC voltage is 28 VDC.