Soak Your PC in Mineral Oil: Puget Systems Announces DIY Aquarium Cooling

[Guest]

Well I think this a good idea but it takes a lot of work if you want to find good results and quality I will do my own case with glass then I tell you how it works..

 

[Fadamor]

On the plus side, the fan's bearings would ALWAYS be lubed. If you forgo the circulating pump/radiator, imagine how QUIET the system would be. Even if you go with circulation, there are submersible aquarium "powerheads" with an intake and a discharge. I have a 50 gallon tank with one of those powerheads for aeration. VERY quiet operation. The bubbles are the only audible noise and they can be valved off.

 

[outacontrolpimp]

[citation][nom]jerreece[/nom]So for about $700 you can have your own computer in a fish tank.......What stupid product in they invent next? I'd rather put $700 into system upgrades, or something more useful. a good case and some fans does well enough for my tastes.[/citation]

Thats a pretty dum question, why do people go out of their we to do lots of things. Why add noss to your car, why make planes faster, why study medicine more, why make lights more efficient. Why not? America is about having the best, being the best, making a submerged aquarium PC is one of the best ideas ive seen (ONE of the best). Your a small minded person who only thinks in the box, grow your imagination.

By the way, when people started adding designs to their computers, you probably said the same thing. I have a case and some fans that works fine, why color your case or put it into a table (ect) when you can just have a normal computer.

 

[Fadamor]

[citation][nom]ultim8wpn[/nom]yes it is sir, those Hawaiians use it to spitfire/ and firespin XDDD[/citation]Yes, fireeaters do use it to "breathe fire". But to do so they have to spray the oil in a fine mist. The flash point of Mineral Oil is way up there (like 600 degrees, farenheit) so it does NOT create vapors until you've heated the oil to that point. If you throw a lighted match in a bucket of mineral oil at room temperature - or the temps a premium system might get the oil up to - the match will just go out because there is no vapors to ignite. Heat that oil up to its flash point, however, and you'll get a different result.

 

[Guest]

If it is ever necessary to remove a component you can clean it with contact cleaner!!

 

[Guest]

For any of you posters, please consider that liquid viscosity decreases exponentially with temperature. In practical terms, it means every so many degrees the temperature goes up, the viscosity halves. Viscosity directly affects power requirements for the oil pumps, inversely affects efficiency of closely spaced fins because of laminar (higher viscosity) versus turbulent (lower viscosity, like with air), with turbulent being far more efficient in dissipating heat.
If I wanted to do this, I would use a low-viscosity mineral oil (without additives, mind you) and aim the oil pump output to all heat sinks, after passing it through a temperature-controlled cooler. A submerged system has the advantage that, when temperature climbs, viscosity lowers and more fluid passes through, so more cooling where needed. Pure mineral oil should cause no corrosion issues on the board.
All in all, a submerged system has inherent self-regulation because of the viscosity factor.
Good idea.

P.S.:
I was thinking on replacing cooling fluid in my car radiator with some sort of high-temperature oil, but then I have to design for a more efficient radiator, higher flow speeds for both oil and air, and so on. The advantage would be the end of corrosion for engine parts and the self-controlling temperature due to viscosity changes.
I heard the old VW motors were cooled by air, but in fact the air cooled the oil, and then the oil cooled down the engine, with varying degrees of efficiency (or not ;-)))