I'm looking into creating a test bench for water cooling products. The purpose is to learn more about water cooling and to eventually provide the public with information about how the products perform in the real world. I'd like to get suggestions on how this should be worked out and what kind of tests I should be performing.
From what I gather, the following things need to be "standardized":
1. ABC amount of tubing between each component/block
2. XYZ ambient temperature
While the following are the variables that can be changed:
1. All water cooling blocks (Material, Flow Rates, etc)
2. Pump (GPM, RPM, and Head)
3. Radiators (adjustable to fans' RPM and CFM, shroud options, etc)
4. Reservoirs (not sure if needed)
5. Tubing size
6. Coolant
The next thing I need suggestions for is how to test the data, the flow rates, the DT, etc. What equipment would be necessary and affordable, not necessarily cheap but not a $6000 heat sensing device. What I'd really be interested in is if these tests can be conducted without attaching any of the parts to any computer components and still obtain relative information (die simulators for all blocks). This way, I could get accurate readings from the blocks instead of relying on the given motherboard temperatures.
The next, what kind of tests would be good to perform, other than the obvious. Such as, should I test component placement through a loop and observe and note the differences.
As a side note, I am of course fairly new to water cooling, just finished my first rig (see sig for info), but because I just finished my Masters degree, I'm really looking into filling up some of that free time I have after work. I have a steady income so I can begin obtaining the right equipment and parts for the tests but I would like suggestions from OCforum gurus. I can't imagine a finalized version of this for several months. Also, I do know there are many other variables, such as the case, other fans, elevation, and other uncontrolled variables, but if we work together, we can create a good test bench for these products. Thanks to everyone in advance!!
From what I gather, the following things need to be "standardized":
1. ABC amount of tubing between each component/block
2. XYZ ambient temperature
While the following are the variables that can be changed:
1. All water cooling blocks (Material, Flow Rates, etc)
2. Pump (GPM, RPM, and Head)
3. Radiators (adjustable to fans' RPM and CFM, shroud options, etc)
4. Reservoirs (not sure if needed)
5. Tubing size
6. Coolant
The next thing I need suggestions for is how to test the data, the flow rates, the DT, etc. What equipment would be necessary and affordable, not necessarily cheap but not a $6000 heat sensing device. What I'd really be interested in is if these tests can be conducted without attaching any of the parts to any computer components and still obtain relative information (die simulators for all blocks). This way, I could get accurate readings from the blocks instead of relying on the given motherboard temperatures.
The next, what kind of tests would be good to perform, other than the obvious. Such as, should I test component placement through a loop and observe and note the differences.
As a side note, I am of course fairly new to water cooling, just finished my first rig (see sig for info), but because I just finished my Masters degree, I'm really looking into filling up some of that free time I have after work. I have a steady income so I can begin obtaining the right equipment and parts for the tests but I would like suggestions from OCforum gurus. I can't imagine a finalized version of this for several months. Also, I do know there are many other variables, such as the case, other fans, elevation, and other uncontrolled variables, but if we work together, we can create a good test bench for these products. Thanks to everyone in advance!!
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