Looking for ideas on parts that could be used in water cooling system for 100 x 200 mm surface

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › Looking for ideas on parts that could be used in water cooling system for 100 x 200 mm surface

RUKI

1402 posts

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#173217 15-May-2015 10:55

Anyone has came accross parts that could be used in water cooling system - something bigger than those used in computers?

Is there any industrial water cooling heatsink from whatever equipment with the flat surface?

Surfaces which I need to be cooled are flat, size could vary, for example 100 x 200 mm more or less.

Temperature rises to above 100 degrees C.

4 x server type fans are doing the job in one application, but the next prototype requires even better cooling.

wellygary

8312 posts

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#1305697 15-May-2015 11:05

You could use a cold plate and compressor from an old bar fridge,

RUKI

1402 posts

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#1305801 15-May-2015 13:34

wellygary: You could use a cold plate and compressor from an old bar fridge,

Thanks.

Cold plate with a flat surface is what I am after. If someone has it - happy to trial / buy that.

Instead of compressor I intend to use 12V water pump as those are very easy to source.

Aredwood

3885 posts

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#1305955 15-May-2015 16:41

Probably need to get it custom made. Anyone who is good at using a TIG welder should be able to easily.

Get a normal heatsink of the size you need. Then enclose the fins and add some pipe connections. And add car radiator coolant to the water.

RUKI

1402 posts

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#1307005 18-May-2015 10:38

Aredwood: Probably need to get it custom made. Anyone who is good at using a TIG welder should be able to easily.

Get a normal heatsink of the size you need. Then enclose the fins and add some pipe connections. And add car radiator coolant to the water.

That is the plan.

The size of heatsink I am after is not in PC / Telco equipmnet, I am aware off, hence I am seeking advice from others.
The heatsink can be even bigger, there is no constrain in size. Whatever can fill empty PC box is fine.

New cars have 12V colant pumps and the whole coolant/heater system can be bought for cheap at a friendly wreck yards.

Copper pipe inside aluminium plate is how these cold plates look.

I do not have anyone who can make me one or get second hand one.

frankv

5680 posts

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#1307055 18-May-2015 11:07

If the water removes the heat from the plate, how are you going to remove the heat from the water? Cars have water pumps, not to cool the water but to move it through the radiator, which is what cools it. Of course the radiator depends on airflow to remove the heat from the water... presumably you'll have a radiator with a fan? Or will you just pour away the hot water and replace it with cold?

I suggest that a fridge system full of water coolant and driven by a 12V pump won't work effectively... fridges (and aircon units and heatpumps) are designed to work by evaporating the coolant to extract heat from the surroundings. You won't be able to do that with water.

A well-designed air-cooling system can be just as effective as water-cooling, without the need for all the complexity of water, radiators, pumps, and their associated plumbing.

richms

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#1307102 18-May-2015 12:07

I have seen water blocks made simply by sandwiching a pipe between 2 plates pulled together by bolts thru both of them.

Was a copper pipe and aluminum plates. Pipe just bent into a zigzag with a row of bolts every 3rd or 4th pipe run.

Richard rich.ms

RUKI

1402 posts

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#1307196 18-May-2015 14:04

frankv: ...
I suggest that a fridge system full of water coolant and driven by a 12V pump won't work effectively...
A well-designed air-cooling system can be just as effective as water-cooling, without the need for all the complexity of water, radiators, pumps, and their associated plumbing.

That's right I am not replicating fridge or aircon but rather wish to replicate car system - where low-noise fan blows through small climate control radiator (those are small but still bigger than PC liquid radiators). Plumbing is not an issue - that is easy part.

I do have few air cooling systems right now - effectively cooling up to 1.2KW load and they work perfectly well and have relatively small form factor - but the use of server type fans make them too noisy. Moving towards even bigger loads like 4.8KW will require more air to push and even more noise.

Current solution to avoid noise - was to make remote access to the system and stay away from noise but still be in full control. Which works perfect, but still wish to reduce that noise when I need to be on site for more than few minnutes.

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RUKI

1402 posts

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#1307199 18-May-2015 14:07

richms: I have seen water blocks made simply by sandwiching a pipe between 2 plates pulled together by bolts thru both of them.
Was a copper pipe and aluminum plates. Pipe just bent into a zigzag with a row of bolts every 3rd or 4th pipe run.

That could be what I am after. But unfortunately I do not have bending tools for pipes, do not have bricks of aluminium or tools to make trenches for pipes in it.
Surely there is something out there that can be DIY for purpose.

Athlonite

1828 posts

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#1307281 18-May-2015 15:54

maybe sketch something up and ask a local engineering firm about building and cost

floydie

474 posts

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#1316426 2-Jun-2015 19:08

aliexpress shows many 120x40mm heat exchanger blocks for about $12USD. so hook up 5 and youll have a 120x200 block for about $60-$70 NZD i'd imagine.

heres 5 for 43USD
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Free-ship-free-track-number-5pcs-120-40-12mm-M-type-Flow-channe-Aluminum-CPU-Water/32292947410.html

raytaylor

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#1316512 2-Jun-2015 23:37

So jaycar has heatsinks of varying large sizes.
I buy them for linear voltage converters to get rid of heat and use a saw to cut them down to the right size.
Actually we made a heater for the dog kennel using a similar type of design - some resistors bolted to the heatsink create heat, and its mounted to the wall of the kennel and the dog can lie against it.
It puts out 50 watts of heat for him, and the heatsink is about 40cm long x 10cm wide for the one we chose.

I also like the idea of the copper pipe sandwiched between two plates.

My suggestion therefore would be to use a copper plate, layer over some thin copper pipe and use a heatsink as the top plate, held together with some bolts.

Then use a series of radiators outside to take away the heat.

The copper pipe will transfer the heat from the bottom plate, to the top heatsink if you use heaps of it. And the water or coolant within the copper pipe being pumped away to a radiator will also remove heat.

Make sure you have a vent for pressure release

Ray Taylor

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