Slower is better...isn't it?

[Stoanhart]

I've been researching watercooling, and saw in one guide on overclockers.com, that someone put a simple loop into one of their hoses, and the extra distance the water had to cool in dropped the CPU temp by 1.5 C. It was also stated that if you had a slow pump (200gph or slower), this wouldn't be necessary. Then there are the Waterblocks with the jagged edges inside in order to slow the water so it can grap more heat. If everyone is trying to slow down their water, why is everyone buying fast pumps and wide hoses?

[Diggrr]

A rough surface inside the water block does two things, It gives slightly more surface area of copper, and it prevents "Laminar Flow" (a very smooth surface actually slows water down..air too)

I think the loop you refered to is supposed to slow the water through the radiator, so it spends slightly more time cooling the water. (just a guess, can't see how it'd help anything unless the loop was in front of the radiator getting an extra boost in cooling)

[Yodums]

I sort of thought what diggrr was thinking that the water obviously gets more time to cool...

[Spartacus51]

Flow rate really depends on your rad. and the fans around it for cooling. Look at what the professional engineers have done in cooling. All the blocks you'll buy from a company are smooth edged to increase flow and because turbulence will allow water to set into whirlpools, thus never passing through your rad. Another example is in your car, where the entire cooling system is smooth and has extremely high flow rates. The key is to move enough air across your fins. Don't expect water cooling to be much, if any, quieter, just cooler. Your old case fans can be removed, but should be put on your rad. to move the air.

[Spartacus51]

Originally posted by tsunami
I sort of thought what diggrr was thinking that the water obviously gets more time to cool...

It also gets more time in the block to heat up. Ideally you get the water away from the proc. ASAP. You can't slow down the water only in front of the rad. the entire system has to slow if any one place does. A bottleneck is a bottleneck.

[Ploaf]

Originally posted by Spartacus51


It also gets more time in the block to heat up. Ideally you get the water away from the proc. ASAP. You can't slow down the water only in front of the rad. the entire system has to slow if any one place does. A bottleneck is a bottleneck.

You could probably do this one of two ways without completely destroying the flow rate of the water, but it will still hamper it. The water can be slowed in certain points by either using a larger diameter tubing in the area that you want to slow the water or by using the same diameter tubing, but have two pieces run parallel and reconnect. The parallel tubing would provide better cooling, but it will also create more turbulence as a bottle neck would be created where the tubing reconnects. It may not be a real problem in this instance either since we are only talking about 3-4 gpm or slightly more. Changing pipe sizes will also increase turbulence but it won't be as bad. Both of these will slow the flow of water only where you want it although there will be some added restriction throughout the entire system it should not be noticeable.
The other way to do what you want would be to increase the length of the tubing where you want to extend the travel time, which would give the water more time to cool. This also creates added restriction and could slow the flow for the entire system, although when done within reason I can't see it being a problem.

I can't see how slowing the water flow inside the water block would be a good thing. The radiator - yes. The water block - no. With colder water running through the block you will get a much more efficient transfer of heat. If you slow the water through the block it will become warmer and less effective.

[Spartacus51]

Simple solution to all of this... switch to a bong and pump like mad!:D :D

[Yodums]

Originally posted by Spartacus51
Simple solution to all of this... switch to a bong and pump like mad!:D :D


What I hate about bong though is how much water it evaporates. And considering I am a lazy guy and the bathroom is is like 6-9 meters away heheh..

[muddocktor]

The reason for the high capacity water pumps is not so much for the "high gal/hr" that the pump maker claims, but the higher capacity pumps generally deal with back pressure a lot better as they can pump at a higher psi on the line. I have fish tanks and use a cheap pump on water changes to pump water back in the tanks. This pump is rated at 135 gal/hr but will only move water at 50-60 gal/hr at a 4 ft head pressure(1.73 psi) and quits pumping at about 5 ft of head pressure(2.16). Now an Eheim 1250 is rated at 317 gal/hr and according to their graph, will pump up to 6.56 ft of head pressure before it can't pump, which yields a head pressure of 2.83 psi. This extra pressure helps to keep water flow through your radiator and blocks higher.

[Spartacus51]

Originally posted by tsunami



What I hate about bong though is how much water it evaporates. And considering I am a lazy guy and the bathroom is is like 6-9 meters away heheh..

See, I only have to 4 meters..

But anyway I think a well built bong can get by on a fairly small amount of water. Try some way of autofilling perhaps.