What about alternative coolant fluids?

The alternative to direct air cooling

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hall1k
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Joined: Mon Jun 06, 2011 10:45 pm

What about alternative coolant fluids?

Post by hall1k » Wed Jun 08, 2011 6:08 pm

I was just thinking, wouldn't a thicker fluid like maybe some good old 10w30 be able to absorb more heat and thus not need to circulate as fast as your typical water-based setup? Or would it not absorb heat quickly enough?

fumino
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Location: ontario

Re: What about alternative coolant fluids?

Post by fumino » Wed Jun 08, 2011 7:34 pm

it'd be more stable at higher temperatures, but you'd be having a few more issues than your fluid breaking down if you did hit those temps. that and i doubt it would heat as efficiently. i would actually guarantee that much. then, pumping it would also be more of a chore because of its viscosity. more work for the pump, probably a noisier pump.

im not actually sure that there is a more efficient fluid for heat transfer in the temperature ranges that you'd be dealing with than water... not that it doesnt have its downsides, but in a properly maintained loop i would think it'd be the best option.

ces
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Re: What about alternative coolant fluids?

Post by ces » Wed Jun 08, 2011 8:20 pm

There are some PCs which operate in tanks filled with oil that serves as a coolant.

Jim G
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Re: What about alternative coolant fluids?

Post by Jim G » Wed Jun 08, 2011 8:26 pm

While this is probably not quite the way of doing it that you're thinking of, here's some interesting info re: oil as a coolant:

http://www.pugetsystems.com/submerged.php

lodestar
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Re: What about alternative coolant fluids?

Post by lodestar » Wed Jun 08, 2011 10:32 pm

ces wrote:There are some PCs which operate in tanks filled with oil that serves as a coolant.
You can buy a kit to do this http://www.pugetsystems.com/aquarium_co ... module.php

Image

hall1k
Posts: 32
Joined: Mon Jun 06, 2011 10:45 pm

Re: What about alternative coolant fluids?

Post by hall1k » Wed Jun 08, 2011 11:11 pm

lodestar wrote:
ces wrote:There are some PCs which operate in tanks filled with oil that serves as a coolant.
You can buy a kit to do this http://www.pugetsystems.com/aquarium_co ... module.php

Image
Or I can do it myself for $600 less haha.

faustus
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Location: Norway

Re: What about alternative coolant fluids?

Post by faustus » Thu Jun 09, 2011 10:36 am

hall1k wrote:I was just thinking, wouldn't a thicker fluid like maybe some good old 10w30 be able to absorb more heat and thus not need to circulate as fast as your typical water-based setup?
Quite the reverse, I think - oil has only half the heat capacity of water.
According to wikipedia water has the second highest specific (by weight) heat capacity of all known substances. Ammonia appears to be the only contender, and is ~50% better at high temperatures (100 C), which you hopefully won't see from your CPU.

My physics is rather rusty, but I think this means that e.g. oil would need to circulate faster to remove the same amount of heat. And getting an efficient (turbulent) flow in the water blocks will be harder the ticker the fluid is.

Series-8
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Re: What about alternative coolant fluids?

Post by Series-8 » Mon Aug 22, 2011 9:06 am

There are always disadvantages for coolant fluids other than modified water.

Fluorocarbon always come to mind (Liquid cooled super computers) - Costly stuff.


Or a Liquid Metal...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galinstan

However it corrodes various other metals (like aluminum...) makes it very problematic.
(Also costly...)

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