GHz, you have a valid concern. Cooling the HDDs is (to me) an absolute necessity. That's why I mount my two HDDs 3 to 3.5" apart, bottom facing bottom, and place a Scythe 100mm 1000RPM spot cooling fan in the middle. Then I surround those on 5 of 6 sides with McMaster buna rubber. I add a shortish "air flow separator" so the input cooling air does not mix with the output heated air (not heated very much!)
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
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This means I do not need any cooling air passing thru the front panel
at all! So I cover the front panel, and all the holes not related to the floppy and optical etc, with 1/8" buna rubber, with the complete fan-HDD(s) package then suspended with Stretch Magic. I've posted pics of this in the "show your HDD suspension" sticky (page 7) in the General Gallery.
The 22cm fan, which has a low blade pitch, is (correctly) designed to pressurize the case. The air then naturally finds the PSU and exhaust fan outlets. Very simple. The 22cm fan is not, itself, directly involved in determining the case air flow. This is an important point.
Since no fan is needed at the exhaust position, in the PSU, or as an intake (other than the big fan itself), all rotating machinery in the computer except for the floppy, optical, and the big fan itself are suspended.
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Further, I have already posted where I suspended a Silent Wheel 13cm fan which was additionally treated with a very soft foam. I plan to expand this concept to the 22cm fan. I only use the floppy and optical for backups, once every week or two.
Ideally, all rotating machinery should be suspended.
I hope this has clarified my idea of a big fan in a small case, and also some details of its implementation.
P.S.: after looking around, I now think those two cases are really the same fundamental case with bezel changes etc. Just as the Athenatech A301 is the same fundamental case as the TJ-08.
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)