total immersion, sub-zero - Can I do this?

Wondered if the following makes sense, it’s something I would really like to try to keep my potential gaming dream machine cool when I crank up the over-clocking.

Could anyone tell me if I'm living in dream land, or would it work!





Just a quick sketch... Basically I would like to do the following:

- Have a cooler box (or heavily insulated enclosure)
- Fill it with oil (or appropriate fluid)
- Using parts ripped off a freezer, drill holes into this and install a cooling system for the oil (or appropriate fluid)
- Have pumps at the other end of the enclosure keeping the oil (or appropriate fluid) flowing across the motherboard
- Install lots of large heatsinks on core components (CPU, GPU)

I would put my components inside the enclosure, seal it up (allowed holes for cables etc...) and then slowly cool the contents to sub-zero temperature (lets say -20C). I'd then keep the cooling system running at all times (to avoid the damage of constant temperature change). The whole system would be completely sealed with no air inside.


Can anyone see any problems here?


Bearing in mind that I accept that the oil or fluid may reduce the lifespan of the electronics (not a concern) and that it would be messy! ) But I would like to try and get my CPU and GPU running at sub-zero.

oil, would probably get very sticky, and doesnt transfer heat well (so the cpu/gpu would quickly rise above 0 degree) it would make your energy bill quite high, etc..

a better idea would be to build an insulated water loop and fill it with pure antifreeze, and make a direct water to freezer heat exchanger, or stuff the freezer heat exhanger in as small as possible box or tube, put the water loop a few rounds (of copper tube) trough the tube/box and fill the tube/box with antifreeze too (and seal it)...
that way it should be possible to get -20 fluid temps, without getting your mobo etc too messy... (it would be a good idea to make sure your boards are all isolated from moist, as a -20 setup *will* condense water on it...
preferrably get a desktop (flat) case and put it upside down (so the board is on the 'ceiling' and the water can drip down) also use vaseline to insulate in and around the socket...

Phase change system will achieve sub zero without all the problems.

its an OK idea. Use motor oil and use an air conditioner compressor. a frezer one is too small and will die. This is a good idea but its also bad. And don't do it just to do it, its been done before.

I would like to note that this will only work in the short term. In the long term this would destroy the computer.

Capacitors do not like cold, fridges keep cool items cool, they don't make hot items cold, and they are not made for this.


not practical or worth your bother.

Consider a combination of Phase change + water cooling.

Phase for the CPU, water for GPU, NB. Put sinks on all mosfets on your mobo.

It's been done before, it works. For a 24/7 rig a phase cooler is your best option.

Better off using a coolant like this

http://www.evanscooling.com/main20.htm

The benefits are extreme and numerous over oils, water and antifreeze whatever.. .

This thread did give me an idea about a system that could be built and be very effective at the same time. You might see a new thread started by me in the near future about an unconventional way for a fluid cooling system.

... 99.999% of all fluids out there will seep into capacitors and destroy them. The ones that won't present that issue, tend to cost ludracise amounts of money.

sunrunner20 said:

... 99.999% of all fluids out there will seep into capacitors and destroy them. The ones that won't present that issue, tend to cost ludracise amounts of money.

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yes, I can back most of this statement up.

However, my thoughts are not about submersing a rig in a fluid. Just using the EVANS fluid for a "Tubed" water cooling rig in general.

I wouldn't, those are designed for much higher temperatures than are ever seen in a watercooling loop. Thus, the traits those are designed to provide are pretty much useless.

Also, as taken from the website "Evans NPG Coolant is 100% inhibited Propylene Glycol."
Translation- its just antifreeze. Propylene Glycol has a higher viscosity and a lower specific heat than water: A double whammy against its usefulness.

sunrunner20 said:

I wouldn't, those are designed for much higher temperatures than are ever seen in a watercooling loop. Thus, the traits those are designed to provide are pretty much useless.

Also, as taken from the website "Evans NPG Coolant is 100% inhibited Propylene Glycol."
Translation- its just antifreeze. Propylene Glycol has a higher viscosity and a lower specific heat than water: A double whammy against its usefulness.

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it's not just antifreeze.. . but I'm not going to argue that on the internet.. .

I'm pretty sure propelyne glycol is lethal to small animals too.

Ethelyn Glycol is in most 'green' antifreezes and is very bad for animals.

The oral toxicity of propylene glycol is very low. In one study, rats were provided with feed containing as much as 5% PG over a period of 104 weeks and they showed no apparent ill effects.[3] Because of its low chronic oral toxicity, propylene glycol is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for use as a direct food additive.

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From Wikipedia

Oh right, got mixed up heh.

zebkoolindc said:

Ethelyn Glycol i

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For the record, it's spelled Ethylene Glycol.

Note that pure ethylene glycol freezes at a much higher temperature than propylene glycol, though 50/50 water mixtures of both freeze at about the same temperature. So, for those that live in the cold climes, never put pure antifreeze in your car, unless it's propylene glycol based.