Edit: Remember kids, never submerge a hard drive!
I am thinking about building an oil submersed system, mainly for the novelty but also to see if I can make it a bit simpler and more efficient than dumping it in a fish tank with a pump and radiator.
Please note I realize the drawbacks, and I won't be using an expensive system, this project will be about aesthetics and novelty first, practicality and cooling efficiency second.
The main issue for submersed systems is that they remove heat from the components into the oil very efficiently, but then the heat accumulates in the oil unless a radiator system is employed. I read someone comment that for this to work without a radiator and pump your entire tank would need to be a heat sink. So lets submerge a system in a heat sink!
(Numerical references here are very much approximate)
Perspex, while pretty, would be a terrible heat transfer medium, glass fares better at about 5x the thermal conductivity, but steel (200x) or aluminium (800x) would be much better. Copper or silver would, of course, be best but are out of the price range.
I couldn't find any suitable aluminium containers for what I have in mind, but we have tonnes of 18L steel oil drums at work.
So that would do for a prototype. I would plan to cut out a window then use silicon glue to seal a piece of perspex in place, followed by loosely bolting it on for aesthetic and extra sealing. I recon I would also need a frame, slightly thinner than the silicon, between the perspex and container to stop it warping when the bolts are tightened.
As you can see from the less than convincing photoshop job, this is what I would plan for it too look like.
I recon this would do the job for a low power build, but to make sure I need some thoughts on cooling.
I would use fish tank aerators and possibly a small propeller to provide oil circulation but as the oil conducts heat about 6x better than air I am more concerned about the steel to air phase. I want to try and keep everything internal so my plan would be to put ventilation slits in the side of the can above the oil level and on the top then attach a large, slim fan to draw air in from the sides and expel it through the top. Even lower the oil level and solder on a flat radial heat sink, though I can't quite figure out how to do this without actually obstructing airflow considerably.
Thanks for your thoughts on my next crazy project!
I am thinking about building an oil submersed system, mainly for the novelty but also to see if I can make it a bit simpler and more efficient than dumping it in a fish tank with a pump and radiator.
Please note I realize the drawbacks, and I won't be using an expensive system, this project will be about aesthetics and novelty first, practicality and cooling efficiency second.
The main issue for submersed systems is that they remove heat from the components into the oil very efficiently, but then the heat accumulates in the oil unless a radiator system is employed. I read someone comment that for this to work without a radiator and pump your entire tank would need to be a heat sink. So lets submerge a system in a heat sink!
(Numerical references here are very much approximate)
Perspex, while pretty, would be a terrible heat transfer medium, glass fares better at about 5x the thermal conductivity, but steel (200x) or aluminium (800x) would be much better. Copper or silver would, of course, be best but are out of the price range.
I couldn't find any suitable aluminium containers for what I have in mind, but we have tonnes of 18L steel oil drums at work.
So that would do for a prototype. I would plan to cut out a window then use silicon glue to seal a piece of perspex in place, followed by loosely bolting it on for aesthetic and extra sealing. I recon I would also need a frame, slightly thinner than the silicon, between the perspex and container to stop it warping when the bolts are tightened.
As you can see from the less than convincing photoshop job, this is what I would plan for it too look like.
I recon this would do the job for a low power build, but to make sure I need some thoughts on cooling.
I would use fish tank aerators and possibly a small propeller to provide oil circulation but as the oil conducts heat about 6x better than air I am more concerned about the steel to air phase. I want to try and keep everything internal so my plan would be to put ventilation slits in the side of the can above the oil level and on the top then attach a large, slim fan to draw air in from the sides and expel it through the top. Even lower the oil level and solder on a flat radial heat sink, though I can't quite figure out how to do this without actually obstructing airflow considerably.
Thanks for your thoughts on my next crazy project!
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