Fridge as a chassis cooling system

[xzec]

Hello again!

I had an idea on using a fridge as a case. I think it's a great idea, since it produce alot of icecold air around the components. Now, my idea was to cut out the side on the chassis, where you put the components on. And put it in the fridge/freezer. And maybe cut some holes in the front, and put some fans that can push out the air. And the fridge push cold air in. But I was thinking, does it get muggy in there? If so, isn't that dangerous for my hardware?
(Edit: A colleague at my work, said that it won't get muggy inside the fridge, if I keep it closed all the time. If I open the door, it'd can get muggy).
If not, I was thinking of setting a watercooling in the fridge where the freezer itself is. So it gets extra cold, and will cool down my components even more.
The noise? Yeah, it'll be really noisy, but I don't care 'bout that. Even though I'll set some Nexus DampTek Noise Absorption Material around the freezer/fridge inside (maybe outside too? If that helps).

Noise Reduction:
- DynaMat
DynaMat is actually for cars. But in great use for this too. Reduce vibration and noise.
Price: 67$
- DampTek
This will reduce noise.
Price: 67$

I will cover the walls inside with these materials. Maybe on the outside too?

Fans:
- Akasa Crystal 80mm LED Fan
Fan speed: 2500 RPM
Airflow: 28.76 CFM
Noiselevel: 27.45 dBA
Price: 19$
- Akasa 120mm LED Fan
Fan speed: 1700 RPM
Airflow: 59.05 CFM
Noiselevel: 29.75 dBA
Price: 25$
- Delta 120mm EFB1212SHE
Fan speed: 3700 RPM
Airflow: 141.96 CFM
Noiselevel: 52.5 dBA
Price: 17$

I'm not using the fans for cooling, but to move the air around in the chassis. I'll be using between 7 to 10 fans for optimal airflow around the chassis. And some extra cooling?
Well, I'll put some fans on the heatsink though, for extra cooling.
My colleague said that I won't be needing to cut holes in the frontdoor and put some fans there to push the air out. The fridge itself will do the job.

The heatsink system:
Motherboard: Thermalright HR-05/IFX
http://www.thermalright.com/new_a_p.../hr05_ifx/product_chitset_cooler_hr05_ifx.htm
CPU: Thermalright Ultra-120 Extreme
http://www.thermalright.com/new_a_p...r_u120ex.htm?art=MTQyMywxLCxoZW50aHVzaWFzdA==
VGA: Thermalright HR-03 GT
http://www.thermalright.com/new_a_p...r_hr03gt.htm?art=MTQyMywxLCxoZW50aHVzaWFzdA==
RAM: Thermalright HR-07 Duo
http://www.thermalright.com/new_a_p..._hr07duo.htm?art=MTQyMywxLCxoZW50aHVzaWFzdA==
MOSFET: Thermalright HR-09 S/U (type 1)
http://www.thermalright.com/new_a_p...ler_hr09.htm?art=MTQyMywxLCxoZW50aHVzaWFzdA==
I don't know if I'll be using only heatsinks, or a combo of watercooling and heatsinks. Maybe you guys got experience enough to tell me what would be best to use. My opinion is to use heatsink only. Since the cold air that flows around will cool down the heatsink even more. But when I'm thinking of to connecting the watercooler to the freezer, I'm thinking that would be even more efficient.
Price: 256$ (All heatsinks)
Price: 117$ (MOS, RAM & MB)

The watercooling system:
- Swiftech H20-220 Ultra + Water Cooling Kit http://www.xoxide.com/swiftech-h2o-apex-ultra-plus.html
If I'm gonna use the watercooling. Then it'll only cool down the CPU, VGA and maybe the MB? And use heatsinks on the rest. But I was thinking, maybe I can make the fridge itself cool down the watercooler, so I get icecold water and air!
Price: 288$ (CPU & VGA Only)

Chassis:

Name: In-Win EAR-010
HxWxD: 415 x 190 x 445 mm
Case size: Mid Tower Chassis
Price: 58$

Fridge:

Name: Samsung SR-G118
HxWxD: 836 x 453 x 495 mm
Weight: 25 Kg
Energyclass: Class B
Noise: 36 dBA
Price: 289$

Freezer:

Name: Elto F11
HxWxD: 850 x 550 x 600 mm
Weight: 45 Kg
Energyclass: Class A
Noise: 45 dBA
Price: 386$

Fridge & Heatsink; Total price: 798$
Fridge, Watercooling & Heatsink; Total price: 947$

Freezer & Heatsink; Total price: 895$
Freezer, Watercooling & Heatsink; Total price: 1044$

Yes, it is expensive, but is it efficient? And if it is efficient, is it efficient enough to be worth the money?
We'll see when I've built it up. Just need to order the products first.
Still, I'm wondering if I should go for Fridge & Heatsink, Fridge, Watercooling & Heatsink, Freezer & Heatsink or Freezer, Watercooling & Heatsink?

So what do you guys think about this solution for chassis cooling?

Kind regards,
Nymph.

 

[LukeBird]

Expensive and incredibly inefficient.
A better idea for the cost would be phase-change cooling.
In a fridge you'd have massive condensation problems, you would need something to keep the humidity low, otherwise you woudl ruin your components.

 

[xzec]

Expensive and incredibly inefficient.
A better idea for the cost would be phase-change cooling.
In a fridge you'd have massive condensation problems, you would need something to keep the humidity low, otherwise you woudl ruin your components.

That's what I also thought, but my colleague told me that the humidity will be low, if I just keep the door closed. And I don't need the door open, only when I'm gonna change parts or so, but I'll just shut everything down before opening the door.
But I'm gonna test this chassis solution on some crappy old parts, and see how it'll work out.

But inefficient? I don't think so, since you can control the temperature on the fridge. I was thinking something around 5-10 celcius, and have 7-10 fans to move the cold air around. Plus, I'll be using heatsink and/or watercooling.
So, I think this will be very efficient! But we'll see.

Kind regards,
Nymph.

 

[tstebbens]

I think you really would be better off with phase-change cooling. That's what I'm using on a couple of FX-74's and it works brilliantly. Cost a whole heck of a lot less than your proposed system and I don't need to worry at all about condensation. That's going to be your biggest problem. Just keeping the door shut won't help as fridges aren't completely air-tight. Think about it, if they were air-tight you wouldn't be able to open the door easily when the outside air-pressure rises....

 

[Ironnads]

I think a fridge computer would be fantastic!
Ryan

 

[blashyrkh]

...Or maybe the world first quad core freezer??

 

[tonyp12]

Not a good idea.

The fridge can't remove enough heat per unit time to keep up with the computer's heat output. Since the fridge itself is a big insulated box, it means that putting a computer in a fridge will accelerate heating rather than reduce it.

http://totaldrek.blogspot.com/2005/09/return-of-icebox.html

 

[tstebbens]

Actually, thinking about it... why not just hermetically seal the whole room and mount the fridge/freezer - minus door - in a whole in the wall. Instant cooling for all electronic cooling in the room

If you want a really cheap cooling solution try Tom's oil cooled PC. Watertight your case, take off all the fans and fill it up with cooking oil. Works a treat apparently.

 

[Ironnads]

Wouldn't that write off the guarantees on ALL the parts though?
RyaN

 

[xzec]

I think you really would be better off with phase-change cooling. That's what I'm using on a couple of FX-74's and it works brilliantly. Cost a whole heck of a lot less than your proposed system and I don't need to worry at all about condensation. That's going to be your biggest problem. Just keeping the door shut won't help as fridges aren't completely air-tight. Think about it, if they were air-tight you wouldn't be able to open the door easily when the outside air-pressure rises....

You've gotta point there. But I'm sure it really is air-thight, since it got a very thick rubber lining around the door that keeps the air out. I guess? Or that's what I've been told.

Kind regards,
Nymph.

 

[mi1ez]

This wouldn't work in the long run I fear, the heat your computer would generate would heat up such a small area incredibly quickly in comparison to the cooling action of the fridge itself.

 

[xzec]

Not a good idea.

The fridge can't remove enough heat per unit time to keep up with the computer's heat output. Since the fridge itself is a big insulated box, it means that putting a computer in a fridge will accelerate heating rather than reduce it.

http://totaldrek.blogspot.com/2005/09/return-of-icebox.html

First off, he didn't have any airflow at all. Secondly, you can turn up or down the temperature, wich I will have at 5-10 celcius. I'm almost sure that this will work. But we'll see when I've rigged it up.

Kind regards,
Nymph.

 

[xzec]

This wouldn't work in the long run I fear, the heat your computer would generate would heat up such a small area incredibly quickly in comparison to the cooling action of the fridge itself.

Well, I'll turn the temperature at 5-10 celcius, with 7-10 fans moving the icecold air around the case. And having heatsinks or/and watercooling. I'm almost sure that this will work. But we'll see.

Kind regards,
Nymph.

 

[Ironnads]

How air-tight it is or isn't depends on the fridge, surely? (where are fridge experts when you need one??) Trouble is you need contact cooling, rather than convection cooling, on the hot parts. It would be better to use the fridge to cool say 20 litres of water and run the water through a water cooled system.
Ryan

 

[xzec]

Actually, thinking about it... why not just hermetically seal the whole room and mount the fridge/freezer - minus door - in a whole in the wall. Instant cooling for all electronic cooling in the room

If you want a really cheap cooling solution try Tom's oil cooled PC. Watertight your case, take off all the fans and fill it up with cooking oil. Works a treat apparently.

But if I sealed the whole case, how I'm supposed to get to my components?

Well, I'm not actually looking for a cheap cooling solution. BUT! If everything goes to hell, I still got the heatsinks and/or the watercooler. Then I'll just throw the fridge away, and use a normal chassis, wich will be Cooler Master Cosmos Silver.

Kind regards,
Nymph.

 

[xzec]

How air-tight it is or isn't depends on the fridge, surely? (where are fridge experts when you need one??) Trouble is you need contact cooling, rather than convection cooling, on the hot parts. It would be better to use the fridge to cool say 20 litres of water and run the water through a water cooled system.
Ryan

Indeed, and I guess these ones is. But not completely sure.

Yeah, that's what I've wrote.

But I was thinking, maybe I can make the fridge itself cool down the watercooler, so I get icecold water and air!

If I'm gonna use a watercooler, I will try to get the fridge to cool down the water.

Kind regards,
Nymph.

 

[Guest]

Interesting idea. Don't think it can work though for reasons already mentioned.

 

[mi1ez]

Well, I'll turn the temperature at 5-10 celcius, with 7-10 fans moving the icecold air around the case. And having heatsinks or/and watercooling. I'm almost sure that this will work. But we'll see.

I'm pretty sure most any fridge won't be efficient enough to lose all the heat a pc generates.

Give it a try and let us know how it goes.

 

[xzec]

How air-tight it is or isn't depends on the fridge, surely? (where are fridge experts when you need one??) Trouble is you need contact cooling, rather than convection cooling, on the hot parts. It would be better to use the fridge to cool say 20 litres of water and run the water through a water cooled system.
Ryan

Found out that the freezer and the fridge is completely air-thight. But as soon as I open the door, it'll be high humidity. That's why I shut everything down, before opening the door, by then nothing will get harmed.

Kind regards,
Nymph.

 

[xzec]

I'm pretty sure most any fridge won't be efficient enough to lose all the heat a pc generates.

Give it a try and let us know how it goes.

I don't either think that any fridge will be efficient enough, if you don't modify it. If I make the freezer inside the fridge push out more air and make it colder. And having fans moving the air around to the important areas, also having heatsinks (with fans onto 'em) and/or watercooling. This will really work ...or I can't say for sure, that's why I'll say: "We'll see".

Kind regards,
Nymph.

 

[xzec]

Interesting idea. Don't think it can work though for reasons already mentioned.

I myself, is also worried that it might won't work, but I got a good feeling that it will. But as stated before; we'll see.

Kind regards,
Nymph.

 

[ainarssems]

I had this idea about two years ago. But I dropped it because of :

1. Powerfull pc produces more heat than cheap average small/medium sized fridge, that You would like to use, can take away. Not even talking about overclocking which is probably reason why You want to put it in a fridge.
2. HDD and CD/DVD drive would need to be mounted outside of fridge.
3. Taking too much space.

Modern powerfull PC's produce more heat than my average system 2 years ago so You will need even more powerfull cooling.

If You are going this way I would suggest to use powerfull (industrial) fridge or even better freezer. Keep moving parts like CD/DVD drive and HDD out of it. I would not worry to much about condensation as it will happen on the coldest part - evaporator of the fridge/freezer. If You want to be 100% sure You can spray Your system with silicon spray that is used for car ignition systems to keep moisture away.

If You want to know what I did:
1. 320W Peltier cooling for cpu and Peltier element cooled by water.
2. Video card cooled by the same watercooling system that was cooling Peltier.

My old Athlon XP 3200+ (2.2GHz) was running stable at 2.8GHz at 7-10 degrees Celsium on full load.

Anyway if You want best results use phase coolig system but You may need more than one. One for cpu and separate for VGA, don't forget chipsets as well.

 

[Slobogob]

Let's take a look at it under the assumption that fridge is highly power efficient and that all computer components turn their electrical energy into heat (1:1).

The Elto F11 has a power consumption of 0,4 kw per day (Elto F11).
Under the assumption that the heatpump used within that fridge is very advanced, it may have a coefficient of performance (COP) of 5. Multiplying the Wattage with the Coefficient results in a daily cooling power of 2000 Watts or 2 kw.

A processor like the core 2 duo e6400 (Intel Thermal Specifications) with a TDP of 65 watt (the processor actually produces less than 50 Watt, let us stick to intels specs though) produces, under full load, a daily heat of 65*24=1560 Watt.

The Elto F11 would be sufficient to cool an operating intel dual core processor.


Since you can not physically separate the processor from the mainboard, the mainboard chipsets will need cooling too. Given that the mainboard will have a graphics adapater, as well as other things, the cooling requirements rise.

Taking an average system (THG Test) like the Intel System THG tested, you will end up with 87 Watts with all components idling. That is 87*24=2088 Watts. Since not all power drawn from the socket is turned into heat, it should work - theoretically. Bad insulation etc. will make this a pretty close call already. Once you start using the system and the power consumption rises to 163,5, which turns to ~4kw of heat per day. Twice the amount the Elto F11 can handle under perfect working conditions.

Since you want to cool your components in a more extreme way, i assume you are not running an ordinary office pc. A quad core with a GTX or two will produce enough heat to turn your fridge, thanks to it's insulation, into a perfectly capable oven. I suggest using a nail gun to secure your electrical fuse, fire up 3dmark 06 and set a stop watch to roughly 15 minutes. Don't let the smell of burnt plastic, thre cracking sound of fire or the toxic fumes deter you from your mission.

Fun aside, if you really want to make this work, i would suggest using water cooling. Put the radiator outside of the case and run a loop on GPU, CPU and chipset. Generally the cooling of a fridge is not strong enough to handle all your components. The insulation is not necessary an advantage and the size isn't quite the benefit either. The idea is nice, but a few fans and a decent water cooler will work better.

 

[uk_gangsta]

This has to be the dumbest idea i have ever seen on toms forums.

 

[xzec]

I had this idea about two years ago. But I dropped it because of :

1. Powerfull pc produces more heat than cheap average small/medium sized fridge, that You would like to use, can take away. Not even talking about overclocking which is probably reason why You want to put it in a fridge.
2. HDD and CD/DVD drive would need to be mounted outside of fridge.
3. Taking too much space.

Modern powerfull PC's produce more heat than my average system 2 years ago so You will need even more powerfull cooling.

If You are going this way I would suggest to use powerfull (industrial) fridge or even better freezer. Keep moving parts like CD/DVD drive and HDD out of it. I would not worry to much about condensation as it will happen on the coldest part - evaporator of the fridge/freezer. If You want to be 100% sure You can spray Your system with silicon spray that is used for car ignition systems to keep moisture away.

If You want to know what I did:
1. 320W Peltier cooling for cpu and Peltier element cooled by water.
2. Video card cooled by the same watercooling system that was cooling Peltier.

My old Athlon XP 3200+ (2.2GHz) was running stable at 2.8GHz at 7-10 degrees Celsium on full load.

Anyway if You want best results use phase coolig system but You may need more than one. One for cpu and separate for VGA, don't forget chipsets as well.

It's like no-one reads my thread and just post what they think about my cooling solution.
Okay, listen, I'm going to use a freezer or a fridge, and I will also use fans to move the icecold air to the important areas. Also I will use heatsinks and/or a watercooler. Wich the watercooler will go through the freezer itself (if possible).
Plus, I will lower the temperature to 5-10 celcius and make the freezer pump out more air. But if I'm gonna use a freezer, the temperature will be at 10 minus, wich can't be good, when the computer are on idle. Wich will make all the components to ice. But setting the freezer up to 1-5 celcius will make it totally safe.

But I was wondering, why do I need to have the HDDs outside? I do understand with the CD/DVD drivers, since I can't open the fridge when the computer is on. But that's no problem, I'll just have the CD/DVD drivers outside and make a room where the CD/DVD drivers will be onto. But taking space is no problem for me, I've got plenty of space. But when it comes to LANing, it would be another problem. But I guess I'll figure that out, when that time comes.

Silicon spray? On my components? ...Is that safe? Won't it be like throwing water on my components?
And what will it help for?

Kind regards,
Nymph.