Silent PC?

[Amphetamine Machine]

I'm not doing this with anything seriously valuable.
I'm just taking apart a Dell from 2000, and running it in oil.

1.Couldn't you install a couple high tension fans at the bottom, and then put have one side of the case be aluminum?

2.A test was run by another enthusiast. He ran it for 48 hours, and no overheating. It managed to stay at around 110 degrees F.

[Hivetyrant]

Originally posted by Lavindathar: You could use a radiator or an intercooler. Both would work, but would require pumps for the flow of oil and water/air (depending which way around you'd want it). The oil has to move to release the heat. The water/air in the radiator/intercooler has to be cycled as well, to release the heat. Basically this is not a feesable idea. It takes too much aux equipment. Minimum of two pumps etc. A refrigeration plant would also work, but then, you need even MORE stuff. Condersor, Compressor, Expansion Valve and evaporator. Plus the refrigerant itself. And you could either have the oil flowing through a refriegerator, or make the housing the fridge. Either way, another stupid/pointless/expensive idea. Sorry Amphetimine Machine, if you actually decide to make this your an idiot.

Exactly!

Unless you have a truck and a forklift, you are gonna have trouble showing it off to people

EDIT: This is how it should be done [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ 09-13-2006, 09:35 PM: Message edited by: Hivetyrant ]

[Lavindathar]

I imagine on this test, that he didn't do anything constructive with it.

I reckon yes, a PC could run the OS for 48 hours. It won't have done anything else useful.

Play Oblivion on it, I reckon it will last 15mins. Most games it'll fry within the hour.

And no, fans won't work. You can't place a fan inside the "tank" as if you fix it at the top it will only cool the top. The heat rising from the parts will negate this. And still the bottom will fry.

You can't place fans inside the tank at the bottom, as you'll just churn oil around. No heat dissapating.

And if I understand you correctly, you mean have one side aluminium, and then cool this side with the two fans? If so, it still wont work.

Firstly, there is still no flow of oil. You may have slight heat exchange from the oil to the aluminium, but it will be minimal. It will only cool the oil right next to the aluminium, leaving 90% of the tank still roasting.

I doubt the aluminium would be cooled enough by the fans anyway. I think oil at say 80 degrees C or whatever (and yes it probably would rise that high over time) would still overpower one sheet of cool aluminium.

Whichever way you dress this up, it's a stupid idea unless you want to spend a lot of time on it, and have a cool looking pc with a massive set of auxy pumps etc, that would also cost a fortune.

Sorry dude.

[B]NICE LINK HIVETYRANT. YES THATS HOW IT SHOUD BE DONE. BUT I WOULDNT WANT TO ESTIMATE THE COST. IT WOULD BE VERY HIGH. PLUS LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THE AUXY SETUP. YOU CAN SEE THE PUMP SYSTEM AS WELL. HUGE. AT LEAST THIS GUY HAS DONE IT PROBABLY, WITH A PROPER CYCLE INCLUDING PUMP.

[ 09-13-2006, 09:41 PM: Message edited by: Lavindathar ]

[Amphetamine Machine]

Originally posted by Lavindathar: I imagine on this test, that he didn't do anything constructive with it. I reckon yes, a PC could run the OS for 48 hours. It won't have done anything else useful. Play Oblivion on it, I reckon it will last 15mins. Most games it'll fry within the hour. And no, fans won't work. You can't place a fan inside the "tank" as if you fix it at the top it will only cool the top. The heat rising from the parts will negate this. And still the bottom will fry. You can't place fans inside the tank at the bottom, as you'll just churn oil around. No heat dissapating. And if I understand you correctly, you mean have one side aluminium, and then cool this side with the two fans? If so, it still wont work. Firstly, there is still no flow of oil. You may have slight heat exchange from the oil to the aluminium, but it will be minimal. It will only cool the oil right next to the aluminium, leaving 90% of the tank still roasting. I doubt the aluminium would be cooled enough by the fans anyway. I think oil at say 80 degrees C or whatever (and yes it probably would rise that high over time) would still overpower one sheet of cool aluminium. Whichever way you dress this up, it's a stupid idea unless you want to spend a lot of time on it, and have a cool looking pc with a massive set of auxy pumps etc, that would also cost a fortune. Sorry dude.

Not a big deal, I'm just taking apart a no longer used computer and submerging it in oil, just as my first step into building more exotic boxes.

[Luvian]

Well it sure would make an interesting pc anyway.

[Lavindathar]

If you want to do something cool, either use a pump cooling system, or just make a really good case with 2 or 3 really good fans. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Amphetamine Machine]

Originally posted by Lavindathar: If you want to do something cool, either use a pump cooling system, or just make a really good case with 2 or 3 really good fans. [img]smile.gif[/img]

I'm not doing it for cooling. I just want to try it. It has nothing to do with cooling.

[Lavindathar]

Originally posted by Amphetamine Machine: I just want to try it.

Why?

[Thoran]

It will work just fine... there doesn't need to be a pump to move the oil, thermodynamics and convection will take care of that. If the dissipation through the top and case is insufficient to maintain a reasonable temp you add a passive cooling option like a passive radiator.

You don't need active components for heat transer... all they do is reduce the required cross section. Heat transfer into the oil is far more efficient on the board level... then heat transfer out of the oil into the environment will depend on the case material and overall surface area. The reason it'll work is that there's a LOT of surface area even without using a radiator.

[Thoran]

And next time before insulting all the posters on a thread you may want to think about the problem a bit! [img]smile.gif[/img]