submerging, what fluid to use?

[trenchypost]

I have an old mobo with a K62-450,and with some other junk lying around, thus I wanna test submerging this (mainly because I am a halfcrazy overclocker...). This obviously raises the question of what fluid to use, fluorinert is out of the question, too expensive. I have seen articles about oil and aceton, but it was all pretty inconclusive. -Any ideas?

 

[bdf24]

I believe the article I saw a few years ago used Mineral Oil to submerge the system. They then pumped the mineral oil constantly thru an airconditioning unit to keep the liquid VERY cold.

Sound's a little messy if you ask me. But go for it. I'd love to see some pics!

 

[CSaddict]

Minerall oil is used on most refrigeration applications today. Easy to find at any heating and cooling store.

 

[donny_paycheck]

I've seen articles about this before. They used this stuff called Fluorinert, which is made by 3M. It has the highest thermal conductivity of any electrically inert liquid with a water viscousity. It can be pumped with standard pumps.

 

[mustangman]

Checkout this link: http://www.liquidimmersion.com/
and the thread in here is:http://forum.oc-forums.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=77424
There is another thread from a couple days ago on this in here but I can't find it right off. Do a search on submersion and you should find it. It had a few other ideas about fluids to use.
Good luck and let us know how the gurgling goes!

 

[trenchypost]

I like the idea of using mineral oil, sounds inexpensive and simple. But how about methanol? Isn't that electrically inert? The thing about the oil is that it will be hell to get it off afterwards.

 

[Cupe|ix]

It's been suggested that mineral oil and alcohols (such as methanol) will eat at certain places on the motherboard (plastics, particularly AGP, PCI, processor sockets etc)

Not only that, but mineral oil would make it impossible to later turn the system back to air cooling.


I'd look around for used Flourinert, or find a few other people who want to buy some, and split the cost with them. It's a lot cheaper to buy a 50-something gallon drum and split the cost than it would be to pay $500 for one gallon (I think)

 

[rossd]

I don't think you'll gain much by submersion.

Although submersion is cool, the limiting factor is the heat conductivity and liquid circulation around the processor.

Any usable liquid has much much lower thermal conductivity than copper. Hence you need a copper heat spreader to obtain optimal performance, even in a submersed system. Then you need rapid (and turbulent) circulation of liquid over the surface of the heat spreader. So you end up with a system which is functionally no different than a water block.

Sure, with a submersed system you get cooling on the back of the die as well as the front. But the back of the die has poorer thermal contact and, as noted above, you need to put a heat spreader and liquid circulator on it to get optimal effect.

Then you've got the hassle of capacitors rupturing if left submersed in mineral oil, or the expense of fluorinert.

Still, it'll look cool.
rossd.

 

[Cupe|ix]

I disagree, I think there's a LOT to gain with complete immersion.

Logically, of course, you're going to use some kind of refrigeration to cool the immersion fluid, which will be in direct contact with the heatsink (or just the die, if you're adventurous), leading to better cooling than a waterblock.

Not only that, but with immersion, you cool EVERYTHING, not just the processor. Memory, motherboard chipset, those AGP video card heat factories...everything except for your drives.

And finally, if you're smart, you'd be running everything in a tightly sealed up system so nothing goes in or out. No Flourinert evaporating, and no dust or other contaminants coming into the system. Actually, I'm not sure if Flourinert evaporates easily, but anyway, moot point in a properly sealed system.

 

[Cupe|ix]

Oh, and one point I forgot to mention, Flourinert is an investment. But a worthwhile one, I think. If you take care of it, you should be able to pretty much keep it forever, and use it for ANY future systems you will own.

And when it comes time to upgrade, just take the old one out, let it dry, and you can sell it no problem. When you settle on your new one, just stick it into your ready to go cooling system!

The only real downside is the high upfront cost (unless you can find some of it used).

 

[rossd]

I see your point. If submersion is a means of cooling everything without having to make half a dozen water blocks, then it makes sense. I was really talking about optimizing CPU core temp.

If it's CPU core temp that you're optimizing, I still think a water block with refrigerated liquid is practically equivalent to submersion in refrigerated liquid.

rossd.

 

[CyberFed]

always wanted to see florenert in action, if someone does it please post pics, i have heard the stuff goes for $500/gallon

 

[dreadlord79]

You guys want to see some extreme cooling projects including florenert and liquid nitrogen, here you are:
http://www.octools.com/index.cgi?caller=supercool.html
You get pics, videos, and articles! These guys are warped, but cool (yes, pun intended).

 

[trenchypost]

I just recently called my local 3M representative and he told me that 3M no longer sells fluorinert, that it was sold to some company in sweden?? Trying to find out more about this...