Antifreeze liquid cooling
- Thread starter I Am Zac
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bgunner
Judicious
- Feb 13, 2009
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There are a couple of reasons why automotive anti-freeze is not used in PC cooling.
1. Water is actually a better heat conductor than the anti-freeze, this is why most cars have a 50/50 mix. Unless you live in an extreme cold environment then the mix will be heaver on the anti-freeze side.
2. Anti-freeze is more toxic than the Water cooling additives. This also includes the toxicity of the kill coil also.
3. Corrosion. The additives and kill coil prevent corrosion of the aluminum components. Some time pull the upper radiator hose off the Block of an engine and look at the pits in the metal. While they were never perfectly smooth to start with, this is because of sand casting, the water in the 50/50 mix actually corrodes the aluminum in the coolant galleries. You don't want this to happen to your radiator on your PC or pump/block components.
4. Anti-freeze helps raise the boiling point of the water. While in an automotive use the radiator cap helps, this is due to a pressurized system, the water would still boil around the 212°F mark it helps raise it to around 250°F before boil-over occurs. Today's CPU's usually fry around 170°F or between 62-80°C give or take depending on manufacture.
I'm sure there are more reasons for not using automotive anti-freeze but you should start to get the idea that it just is not the coolant for PC's.
EDIT: I just thought of another reason. Anti-freeze is meant to keep the water in your coolant system from freezing, unless you plan on putting PC in a freezer... Well there is a thought. lol
1. Water is actually a better heat conductor than the anti-freeze, this is why most cars have a 50/50 mix. Unless you live in an extreme cold environment then the mix will be heaver on the anti-freeze side.
2. Anti-freeze is more toxic than the Water cooling additives. This also includes the toxicity of the kill coil also.
3. Corrosion. The additives and kill coil prevent corrosion of the aluminum components. Some time pull the upper radiator hose off the Block of an engine and look at the pits in the metal. While they were never perfectly smooth to start with, this is because of sand casting, the water in the 50/50 mix actually corrodes the aluminum in the coolant galleries. You don't want this to happen to your radiator on your PC or pump/block components.
4. Anti-freeze helps raise the boiling point of the water. While in an automotive use the radiator cap helps, this is due to a pressurized system, the water would still boil around the 212°F mark it helps raise it to around 250°F before boil-over occurs. Today's CPU's usually fry around 170°F or between 62-80°C give or take depending on manufacture.
I'm sure there are more reasons for not using automotive anti-freeze but you should start to get the idea that it just is not the coolant for PC's.
EDIT: I just thought of another reason. Anti-freeze is meant to keep the water in your coolant system from freezing, unless you plan on putting PC in a freezer... Well there is a thought. lol
- Oct 6, 2014
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Are you worried about your coolant freezing?
Antifreeze does 3 things, lowers the freezing point temperature, has additives to fight corrosion, raises the boiling point temperature.
For being toxic you could buy food grade glycol.
The denser the liquid used more cooling ability must be added, example get a cup of water and a cup of syrup (use 50/50 if you wish still the same results) heat both to 200F set them right next to each other and come back in 10 minutes and check each temperature the thicker syrup will be hotter because it will hold it's heat longer.
Antifreeze does 3 things, lowers the freezing point temperature, has additives to fight corrosion, raises the boiling point temperature.
For being toxic you could buy food grade glycol.
The denser the liquid used more cooling ability must be added, example get a cup of water and a cup of syrup (use 50/50 if you wish still the same results) heat both to 200F set them right next to each other and come back in 10 minutes and check each temperature the thicker syrup will be hotter because it will hold it's heat longer.
- Oct 6, 2014
- 22,338
- 2,408
- 104,240
bgunner :
you missed one other thing anti-freeze does, lubricates the water pump. Just wanted to through that out there.
Not really water pumps are sealed, sealed bearing with fan hub (unless electric fan then no hub) on it, bearing in a housing with another seal between the impeller and the bearing. When the seal between the impeller and bearing goes out it starts leaking.
I rebuilt water pumps for NAPA about 30 years ago.
http://asc-ind.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/PUMP-w-raw-mat-callouts.jpg
bgunner
Judicious
- Feb 13, 2009
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- 32,540
wont get into an automotive discussion on a PC site but the antifreeze lubes the inner seal. This is taught first year in any automotive repair program. Been a mechanic now going on 20 years. If the seal is no lubed the seal will deteriorate and you will leakage out the weep hole. Rubber can not ride on metal for long without lube before it will burn and leak.
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