Strato Pi & Iono Pi modules temperature range extended

25th February 2021

Sfera Labs

Alex Lynn

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Sfera Labs has announced that, for even greater operation reliability, its Raspberry Pi Model B DIN-rail modules are now available with internal active cooling. The company’s Strato Pi Fan can be included as an optional extra to improve the thermal management of these modules. This means that it will be possible for them to be deployed in applications where there are elevated temperature levels to contend with.

Strato Pi Fan is a high-performance temperature-controlled fan with compact dimensions and a low profile. It can be factory installed into all of the following modules before shipment - Strato Pi Base, Strato Pi UPS and Strato Pi CAN, plus the Iono Pi and the Pi Touch Display units. The fan is mounted directly above the Raspberry Pi CPU to allow optimal heat dissipation. The fan speed is 9100 RPM and is capable of delivering 4.9 cubic feet per minute (CFM) of airflow. The noise level is only 23.6dBA.

The embedded temperature sensor and fan controller featured in the Strato Pi Fan mean that it works independently of the Raspberry Pi operating system and the CPU’s own dedicated temperature sensor. All that is needed is for the temperature thresholds to be set, which is done via the I2C interface, then it is ready to run. An open source kernel plug-in is available for Raspberry Pi OS to simplify configuration of the fan controller.

As well as being offered with Sfera Labs’ Raspberry Pi Model B DIN-rail modules, Strato Pi Fan can be supplied as a separate stand-alone board. Thanks to its slim design and pass-through installation on the GPIO connector, this hardware is mechanically and electrically compatible with many of the third party expansion boards currently on the market.