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ChampionAtTufshop

Platinum Member
Nov 15, 2002
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Originally posted by: Jeff7181
Maybe building a PC inside a sealed freezer would be more effective =) Just don't open it and let moist air in

like in a vacuum?
you would have to seal off cables somehow too....hmmm...could be done maybe...

htats if it would even work .
 

Idontcare

Elite Member
Oct 10, 1999
21,110
64
91
Originally posted by: ChampionAtTufshop
Originally posted by: Jeff7181
Maybe building a PC inside a sealed freezer would be more effective =) Just don't open it and let moist air in

like in a vacuum?

Not to be hard on you but that would be the worst possible way to remove heat from your computer. ;)

You've got convection, conduction, and radiation to get heat from one place to another.

You use conduction to get the heat from the transistors in the chip to the fins on your heatsink, and then convection to get the heat from the heatsink to someplace outside your computer box. Put the box in a vacuum and you shut off convection and essentially trap the heat on your chip and heatsink (conduction through your mobo and case will be second if not third order, i.e. negligible).

Your CPU would survive provided the conduction portion were extended beyond the heatsink via water or vapor-phase cooling, but all the other chips on every component in your system would give themselves some heat-death luvving...uh oh!

Oh, and radiation, specifically black body radiation (think of an incandescent light bulb), occurs whether or not the system is in a vacuum, but contributes relatively little to heat transfer at the temperatures we run our chips (<500C).
 

Jeff7181

Lifer
Aug 21, 2002
18,368
11
81
No, I didn't mean create a vacuum... I meant put it in a freezer that's sealed so no moisture gets in to form condensation... wonder how cool you could get it to run if the case temp was -10 degrees C =)
 

Idontcare

Elite Member
Oct 10, 1999
21,110
64
91
Originally posted by: Jeff7181
No, I didn't mean create a vacuum... I meant put it in a freezer that's sealed so no moisture gets in to form condensation... wonder how cool you could get it to run if the case temp was -10 degrees C =)

Here's a project I've been toying around in my mind. What if you use one of those stand alone window-mount A/C units? Build a box not much bigger than your comp case, seal it up and crank the A/C to max. How cold would it get inside? Below freezing maybe?
 

Jeff7181

Lifer
Aug 21, 2002
18,368
11
81
If the A/C is working correctly, it should stay right about 35-40 degrees F. A malfunctioning one will get colder, but soon the evaporator will freeze, no air will flow through, and it will get hot and melt the ice and start working again.
I was thinking... how bout if you just build something inside a little mini fridge. Cut holes for wires/cables, then seal them up with something like Great Stuff. Maybe even put the CD and Floppy drives outside the fridge so you never need to open it.... or use external USB stuff. That would be so much fun to do =) Wish I had the money.
 

Idontcare

Elite Member
Oct 10, 1999
21,110
64
91
Yeah, that would work a lot better now that you mention it...LOL that's so much simpler since basically the fridge/freezer is the box I was thinking to build for the A/C unit.

Condensation/frost on the computer should be minimal too since the surfaces of the computer are likely to always be slightly warmer than the surfaces of the freezer.

So what do you think, drill a hole for power + cables and seal it with??? Plumbers putty is about all that comes to mind.

I've got the money, so I want to put together a prometeia cooled system and then put the whole shabang inside a microfreezer like you are suggesting. Funny, the system should be quieter inside a box with all that insulation.

I'd probably keep the CD-ROM outside the freezer though so I don't risk messing with the bearings. Fans and h-drive don't concern me since they will be running 24x7 generating their own minutes amount of heat.
 

ChampionAtTufshop

Platinum Member
Nov 15, 2002
2,667
0
0
Originally posted by: Idontcare
Originally posted by: ChampionAtTufshop
Originally posted by: Jeff7181
Maybe building a PC inside a sealed freezer would be more effective =) Just don't open it and let moist air in

like in a vacuum?

Not to be hard on you but that would be the worst possible way to remove heat from your computer. ;)

You've got convection, conduction, and radiation to get heat from one place to another.

You use conduction to get the heat from the transistors in the chip to the fins on your heatsink, and then convection to get the heat from the heatsink to someplace outside your computer box. Put the box in a vacuum and you shut off convection and essentially trap the heat on your chip and heatsink (conduction through your mobo and case will be second if not third order, i.e. negligible).

Your CPU would survive provided the conduction portion were extended beyond the heatsink via water or vapor-phase cooling, but all the other chips on every component in your system would give themselves some heat-death luvving...uh oh!

Oh, and radiation, specifically black body radiation (think of an incandescent light bulb), occurs whether or not the system is in a vacuum, but contributes relatively little to heat transfer at the temperatures we run our chips (<500C).

dont forget i said that if that would work even;)
i know that it wouldnt be plausible to seal off the entire comp in a vacuum
:)