#5gcooling

Thermal Demands of 5G Telecom Equipment

The transition to 5G networks has dramatically increased the thermal demands on base station and core network equipment. A 5G Active Antenna Unit (AAU) may dissipate 2,000–4,000W in a sealed outdoor cabinet, while a 5G BBU (Baseband Unit) in an indoor equipment room can generate 500–1,500W per cabinet. Telecom equipment cooling fans must handle these heat loads continuously, 24/7/365, with carrier-grade reliability targets of 99.999% uptime (< 5 minutes downtime per year). Cooltron supplies telecom-grade fans at https://www.cooltron.com/

NEBS Level 3 Compliance for Telecom Fans

NEBS (Network Equipment Building System) standards, defined by Telcordia GR-63-CORE and GR-1089-CORE, set the benchmark for telecom equipment reliability:

GR-63-CORE (Physical Protection):

Operating temperature: -5°C to +55°C (expanded: -40°C to +65°C)

Seismic Zone 4 vibration testing (earthquake resistance)

Fire resistance: UL 94 V-0 rated materials throughout

GR-1089-CORE (EMC):

Lightning surge protection (±1,500V)

Power cross protection (AC fault conditions)

Radiated emissions to FCC Part 15 Class A

Cooltron's NEBS-compliant fans carry Telcordia SR-3580 qualification documentation.

ETSI Class 3.1 and 3.2 Environmental Standards

For European and Asian telecom markets, ETSI EN 300 019-1 defines environmental classes:

ETSI Class 3.1 (Controlled indoor): +5°C to +40°C, 5–85% RH

ETSI Class 3.2 (Sheltered location): -5°C to +45°C, 5–95% RH

ETSI Class 3.3 (Air-conditioned equipment rooms): same as 3.2 with altitude to 4,000m

Cooltron's telecom fan line is validated to ETSI 3.2 as standard, with Class 4.1E (outdoor extreme) variants for harsh-environment deployments.

Fan Redundancy in Carrier-Grade Telecom Systems

Carrier networks design for < 2 hours of fan maintenance time per year per site. This requires:

N+1 redundancy – one spare fan running in parallel, spins up on failure

Hot-swap capability – fan replacement without system shutdown

Fan health monitoring – each fan reports speed, temperature, and error codes via I²C or UART to the shelf manager (e.g., Pigeon Point BMR)

Predictive maintenance – vibration signature monitoring detects bearing wear 200–500 hours before failure

Cooltron provides fan modules with IPMI/PICMG 3.0 shelf management compatibility.

48V DC Telecom Fan Power Plant Compatibility

Telecom facilities worldwide use the -48V DC power plant standard (ETSI EN 300 132-2, ANSI T1.315). Cooltron's 48V telecom cooling fans are designed for:

Input range: -40V to -60V DC (nominal -48V)

Polarity protection – survives accidental reverse polarity connection

Inrush current < 5A – compatible with distributed power architecture fuse ratings

Conducted emissions: FCC Part 15 Class B / CISPR 22 Class A compliance

SELV isolation between -48V bus and chassis (GR-1089 requirement)

Cooltron Telecom Fan Solutions

Cooltron's telecom equipment cooling fan product line includes:

Fan tray modules for ATCA, MicroTCA, and proprietary 19-inch shelf platforms

Axial fans: 60mm to 120mm, -48V DC, hot-swap with gold contacts

Blower modules: high-static-pressure blowers for dense ATCA blade cooling

Outdoor cabinet fans: IP55, -40°C to +70°C, for 5G street cabinet deployments

Certifications: NEBS Level 3, ETSI 3.2, UL 60950-1, CE