Fan Unit - Cooling for Uptime Industries Compute Blade

The Compute Blades were designed to work 24/7. For high loads, it is therefore advisable to add active (forced) ventilation. Advanced Computing requires Advanced Cooling! An effective cooling solution could be the difference between your CM4's overheating and running at reduced performance (throttling), and a stable, reliable operation.

The Fan Units are designed to work seamlessly with  up to two Compute Blades each, providing a comprehensive cooling solution even in packed Rack spaces. Both are simple to install and fully compatible with the Uptime Industries Compute Blade platform.

There are two versions:

The Smart Fan Unit enhances your Compute Blade setup by providing numerous functions, features, and the flexibility to customize the operating logic. It incorporates an additional Raspberry Pi, the RP2040, to expand the capabilities of your system. For example, using the Smart Fan Unit, you will add additional sensors into your cluster.

To interface with the Compute Blades, the smart fan unit utilizes two separate UART interfaces, one for each blade. Furthermore, the smart fan unit is powered directly through the Compute Blade, eliminating the need for any additional wiring.

The STA Fan unit is a simplified version of the smart fan unit, featuring the same form factor and fan, but without  the capability to execute or be controlled by custom applications. The STA fan unit is powered and controlled directly by the compute blade, without the need for any additional wiring.

Key Features (Smart Fan Unit)

2 temperature sensors
Programmable RP2040 microcontroller with 16M-Bit Flash
fan controller EMC2101 (includes precise temperature monitoring unit)
Noctua NF-A4x20 5V PWM fan
integrates within Compute Blade enclosures

Interfaces

USB-C Port
2 UARTs for interfacing with Compute Blades

Additional features:

2 LEDs for Compute Blade status indication
2 user-programmable Digital RGB LEDs
1 user programmable LED to GPIO25
user-programmable button
boot and reset buttons
Smart Power MUX chip

A Compute Blade System is required to use this device, and is sold separately. The compute blade, compute modules and other accessories shown in the images are shown for illustration purposes.

Specifications (Smart Fan Unit)

Compability	Compute Blade RC2, V1.0 Compute Blade Enclosures
Storage	16M-Bit Serial Flash Memory
Compute Blade Interface	UART – Fan Unit Connector
GPIO	2 x UART (RP2040 – UART0, UART1) Fan Unit Port Boot Button User Button 2 x Digital RGB LEDs (19-C47/RSGHBHC-5V01/2T) 1x LED to GPIO25
Operating Voltage	5V - Fan Unit Port (provided by Compute Blade) 5V - USB-Type C Connector
Input Power (max.)	0.5W
Airflow Control Unit	EMC2101
Temperature Monitoring Unit	EMC2101
Fan	PWM Fan, 5V, 40x20mm (Noctua NF-A4x20 5V PWM)
Dimensions	40 x 95 x 43.2 mm

Specifications (STA Fan Unit)

Compability	Compute Blade RC2, V1.0 Compute Blade Enclosures
Compute Blade Interface	PWM Compute Blade Interface
Operating Voltage	5V - Fan Unit Port (provided by Compute Blade)
Input Power (max.)	0.5W
Fan	PWM Fan, 5V, 40x20mm (Noctua NF-A4x20 5V PWM)
Dimensions	40 x 95 x 43.2 mm

Versions

The Fan Unit is available in two different versions:

features	Smart Fan Unit	STA Fan Unit
UART Compute Blade Interface	yes
PWM Compute Blade Interface		yes
Fan Unit Connector	yes	yes
PWM Fan	yes	yes
Raspberry Pi RP2040	yes
Reset Button	yes
Boot Button	yes
Programmable Button	yes
Compute Blade Status LEDs	yes
Temperature Sensors	yes

Documentation

Documentation
Getting started includes From Zero to SSH
Discord
GitHub
Data sheet
3D Models

Accessories for the Compute Blade platform

The Compute Blade platform is a product family, consisting of products optimized to work with each other:

Compute Blade, compatible with Raspberry Pi Compute Module CM4
Compute Blade Fan Unit (this product page) (Basic Fan Unit & Smart Fan Unit versions) - one fan unit cools two compute blades.
Compute Blade Heatsink - available in black, red, blue
BladeRunner Compute Blade Enclosures - available in a 19''-rack mountable version, and a 4-unit housing version
(coming soon): AI accelerator module, adds two Coral TPUs to the compute blade
(coming soon): BladeCluster Pro and BladeCluster ProSW - fully assembled 19'' 1U metal racks, including compute modules and software (ProSW only)

FAQ

What is a Compute Blade?

The Compute Blade, is a enterprise grade rack-mountable, PoE-powered carrier board for Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4, allowing you to create a blade server.

What is a blade server?

A blade server is a compact, self-contained computer server, specifically designed to minimize the use of physical space and energy. Unlike traditional rack-mount servers, which are standalone servers that require individual components such as network and storage interfaces, blade servers are housed in a chassis that provides these resources collectively. This setup allows for a high density of servers, which can share power, cooling, networking, and storage facilities provided by the chassis.

Blade servers are particularly suitable for environments requiring high compute density without the need for a lot of individual storage, like web hosting, virtualization, and cloud computing services.

Where can I find out more about Uptime Industries, what is their story?

Uptime Industries was founded in April 2023 by Ivan Kuleshov and Sascha Bührle following a successful Kickstarter campaign “Compute Blade: Your Rack-Mountable ARM Cluster,” where the first 12,000 blades were sold and the community expanded.

Based on community requests, Uptime Industries decided in early 2024 to extend the Compute Blade platform with multiple modules and accessories, besides working on its own software products for a holistic Compute Blade experience, innovating in the cluster computing space.

During the same time, a well-recognized VC, TrueVentures, joined forces to expand and scale the Compute Blade platform rapidly besides developing an upcoming edgeAI focused product line.

You can find out more about Uptime Industries on their homepage:

What support options are available for Compute Blade users?

Uptime Industries offers comprehensive support for all Compute Blade users. This includes an extensive online knowledge base, a user forum for community assistance, and direct customer service for more complex inquiries. Please refer to the following links to get started:

Documentation
Getting started includes From Zero to SSH
Discord
GitHub
Data sheet
3D Models

Our team (buyzero.de) is also dedicated to ensuring you have all the resources you need to succeed with your Compute Blade, please reach out to us if you have any inquiries.

How does active ventilation enhance the performance of my Compute Blade?

Active ventilation is crucial when your Compute Blade operates under high loads. By maintaining optimal temperatures with our Fan Unit, you ensure peak performance and longevity of your server components, preventing thermal throttling and potential hardware damage.

What makes the Smart Fan Unit a smart choice for my cooling needs?

The Smart Fan Unit goes beyond basic cooling with its advanced RP2040 microcontroller. This allows for customizable operating logic, integration of additional sensors for detailed environmental monitoring, and precise temperature control, all contributing to smarter energy usage and improved server performance.

Can I control and monitor the Smart Fan Unit remotely?

Yes, the Smart Fan Unit's smart features include remote monitoring and control capabilities. This allows you to fine-tune your cooling strategy from anywhere, ensuring that your Compute Blade operates within the ideal temperature range at all times.

How does the STA Fan Unit differ from the Smart Fan Unit?

While the STA Fan Unit shares the same high-quality fan and form factor as the Smart Fan Unit, it operates without the programmable microcontroller, making it a plug-and-play solution for those who prefer simplicity without the need for custom applications.

Is installation of the Fan Units complex?

Not at all. Both the Smart and STA Fan Units are designed for seamless integration with the Compute Blade enclosures, requiring no additional wiring or complicated setup. They are an easy-to-install, efficient solution to maintain the optimal operating temperature of your Compute Blade.