Hello everyone,
I have recently started looking at the idea of using a Vapor Compression refrigeration unit to cool a PC and was wondering if anyone here has any experience in the area.
At the moment my system is running a water loop, with the CPU and GPU block's running in series with the radiators, so I have a bit of experience with setting the piping and other components up.
The main questions I have are;
Can the blocks I have installed currently (XPSC RayStorm CPU Block, EK FC7950 GPU Block) be co opted to work for a phase change cooling system?
Aside from making sure the pipes are properly insulated to prevent condensation from threatening exposed components, what other precautions would need to be taken to ensure the safety of the system?
Considering that the cooling effect is from the phase change, clearly the blocks cannot be run in series with each other, so would I be able to set it up to cool both the CPU and the GPU? (It has been suggested to me that it may be possible to run two loops in parallel using the venturi effect of the vapour through the pipes, but I'm not sure how to set that up.)
Whilst I know that such a system is a little excessive, I am still interested in seeing if it is possible, and building it if it turns out to be.
Thanks to anyone who can give me information or advice.
they sell phase change cooling kits, it looks like it will only do a cpu with the kits, i dont know very much about it myself though so i wish you luck on your journey.
http://www.frozencpu.com/cat/l1/g49/Phase_Change.html
You can most certainly do it, condensation though will be you biggest enemy as you needs lots of insulation and with lots of blocks the build can quickly start to look ugly. Unless you got real creative with sleeving it i suppose. Phase change on the cpu alone, then a normal water loop for the gpu's, board etc works well though.
Phase change though is noisy, one of these cases >>link<< are way cool (excuse the pun). Cost a shiite load but are the bee's knees I reckon.
I tried building my own some years back using parts from an old motorhome fridge and other makeshift parts, epic fail and temps werent any better than an average water loop. So I would really invest in the right gear and do a lot of homework and be prepared to spend big.
Best of luck with it mate if you do go ahead.
Yay! I love phase changing; after I build my water chiller, I'm going to step it up and build a phase changer.
You can definitely cool your GPU with a phase changer; however, just like with the CPU socket, you will have to deal with insulation around the GPU die, highly insulated tubing (for condensation), and you'll have to physically make room for your honking massive phase changer.
One question, before I go into this much; are you looking into single-phase, or multi-phase, and are you trying to use one unit for both CPU and GPU?
Thanks for your responses guys!
Brennanriddell, I'm still looking at both single-phase and multi-phase and determining which one would be more appropriate for the system itself. Basically which one would be easier to set up a couple of blocks with.
The one thing that I am having trouble conceiving is how you would run multiple blocks off of a single condenser. I don't see how you would get the capillary tube to route like that while still functioning. I think your best bet is to make either a phase changer for your CPU or GPU alone, or build a water chiller, which is like phase changing, just without the change in phases.
Water chillers still provide sub-zero temperatures, not as low as a phase-changer can go, but are a lot easier to setup, and cheaper up-front. I am going to build one soon following this guide over at Kingpin forums. Basically, you rip apart an air conditioner, use the evaporator to cool liquid, and pump that liquid through your loop. Stupidly easy to build, and very low up-keep. Pretty power-hungry, yes, but so is a phase-changer.
If you do want to build a phase changer, though, I recommend a single-phase unit (we are trying to be some-what practical here). But seriously, I would build a water chiller.
Yeah that is the same problem that myself and others have come across.
For the moment I'll say I'll look at the water chiller. Whilst my system is far from small is is quite heavy, I do move it around fairly often, so exterior parts are not really an option. Assuming that I'm willing to upgrade my case size (currently using a HAF 922) would it be possible to run a water chiller as an airtight loop inside the case?
That is the same reason that building two separate phase changers would be difficult, as available space is limited.