Mineral Oil Submerged Computer

[ObiQuiet]

Why not add air bubbles that are bigger, like the oysters that open up and release a big bubble? Wouldn't that cut down on foaming? If I added say, 10 oyster bubblers to the bottom wouldn't the large bubbles hold more heat and release it better at the top?

It would cut down foaming, but it won't help with heat exchange. Heat transfer is always dependent on the surface area. One big bubble has less surface area than N smaller bubbles of the same total volume. (As you take a big bubble and make N smaller ones, the total surface area available for heat transfer increases as a function of the cube root of N.)

Also, air isn't a good conductor of heat -- it has a high R value -- which is why it works in double-pane windows. When I measured the difference with bubbles and without, I got _maybe_ 0.1C, less than the measurement error of the thermometer.

Would adding copper dish washing scrubbie things with little floats to make them float in an oil bath cool the oil better than a radiator with the oil wicking upwards out of the bath of oil onto the copper?

That's a clever idea -- lots of surface area, copper is a great heat conductor, and it's a cheap source too. To make it most effective you'll have to make sure the copper is exposed to room temperature or colder.

[hello im sean]

hey guys im new to this forum but ive been researching mineral submerged pc's for a bit and ive heard some cases of oil getting trapped without circulation in tight places like between the pins uner the cpu. Im not afraid it will conduct electrical current but ive heard since there is virtually no flow under there the oil actually acts as an insulator and heats up the chip significantly regardless of the cooling you have going over top, this ultimately inhibits chip performance and can lead to failure. have you expericenced this? or maybe your compnents dont throw off enough heat for this phenomena to occur.

[Hawkwings]

Hello, all! Another first time writer here on the post.
I'm wondering if any one has ever submerged a ribbon cable like the one in the photo I'm submitting. It's the silver foil/ribbon cable left of center in the image.


http://content.techrepublic.com.com/...ontent;leftCol

Are there any adverse affects to the cable?

[ObiQuiet]

Oops, I need to correct this:

When I measured the difference with bubbles and without, I got _maybe_ 0.1C...

Looking back in my notes, I found that the difference was 2C. Two degrees. That's a comparison between no bubbling versus a "wall of bubbles" from a fish-tank bubble bar about 16cm long at the bottom of the tank.

Still not a usefully big difference, but much more than I remembered.

[kevanesh]

Bubbles are so cool. Different colored bubbles would be even more cool. Metaphorically, not literally speaking.

Oops, I need to correct this:



Looking back in my notes, I found that the difference was 2C. Two degrees. That's a comparison between no bubbling versus a "wall of bubbles" from a fish-tank bubble bar about 16cm long at the bottom of the tank.

Still not a usefully big difference, but much more than I remembered.

[Hogan]

So a couple of friends and I are probably going to be using the DYI-kits for this as a project for my new computer. Yay for being the test guinea pig. But first I've got a couple of questions:

I've got a huge Zalman 9500 CPU cooler on my computer as of right now. I can buy a mounting bracket from Zalman and just use the cooler again on my new build, but I'm curious to know if it would fit in the aquarium. The dimensions are 85 x 112 x 125mm. Would it fit?

Speaking of CPU fans, what is it exactly that you guys are using?

I've also noticed that you guys have mentioned that the fans only run at around 9rpms and that they really don't do too much. With that statement, should I just buy a passive heatsink and give myself some more room, or would that cause some heating problems?

And lastly, when is that new DYI-kit coming out? I would love to get my X-Box sized hands on it.

[Shajrus]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgWos...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rW89yBCaIGI

[PCC-Jon]

We like to use CPU fans that can use convection to move the oil through them. Arctic Cooling Freezer 7, Gelid Tranquillo, Scythe Mugen 2, they would all work well. You should be just fine without the fan.

The power supply should fit, but it is really tight and a pain. We're finalizing the V3 kit now, should be launching in the next few days...MAYBE even today!

[dk560]

Hi everyone, new here at the forums. I have one burning question I need answered before I pull the trigger into the whole mineral oil pc idea!

I've read quite a few times that thermal paste "dissolves" in mineral oil potentially making it conductive (if the paste has conducting properties).

Is this true? because PCC-Jon suggests using regular Arctic cooling 7 etc which contridicts that notion (or is the cpu sealed?)

What alternatives are there if its needed?
(thermal epoxy, ceramics, just the mineral oil, etc)

Anyone with experience with this that can shed light on the topic will be greatly appreciated!!

[BUBBA]

I've read quite a few times that thermal paste "dissolves" in mineral oil potentially making it conductive

well there are many schools of thought on this one,

what i have done is i bought a zilman cpu cooler (the big flower type) it came with a tiny tube of paste which i used the bare minimum of i thought i could get away with in an air cooled system, and spent a few minutes spreading it as thinly as possibe (also i didnt touch the gpu heatsink at all)

i believe that a "drip of water" sized amount of thermal paste in 20 odd litres of non conductive oil will have no effect .... and my system is just fine