Water cooling the Zalman heatsink

[Re-inventDaily]

Today's proposed reinvention is a water-cooled Zalman

I'm thinking of cutting open the pipe and attaching water cooling supplied via an external evaporation tower (office fan & copper coil with film of water continually applied).
I'm hoping that by having a good water flow rate I could also cool the case interior, and thereby reduce necessary air flow.
Any suggestions or comments?

My daily re-inventions take a week - but that's another story.

 

[jaedaliu]

Is cost an issue? If so, you can give it a shot You'll probably want to use some type of radiator (used car heater core) instead of just copper piping for the increased surface area for heat dissipation.

But, if you have some funds, get a cpu waterblock.

 

[Re-inventDaily]

Is cost an issue? If so, you can give it a shot You'll probably want to use some type of radiator (used car heater core) instead of just copper piping for the increased surface area for heat dissipation.

But, if you have some funds, get a cpu waterblock.

jaedaliu,
Thank you for your helpful response.
I'm very limited on funds but this is mostly for experimental fun/learning purposes.
I could do the specific CPU temp reduction just by purchasing an off-the- shelf unit but I really don't need to do anything.

It's on an old Athlon64x2 3800+.

My idea is that by using bare coil it makes the water phase change occur right on the pipe instead of further away from the pipe. I would not be using air change to remove the heat from the coil - instead I would be using evaporation, although the fan makes it happen.
This would bring the water temperature inside the coil to below room temperature

Any cooling of the surrounds, including cooling the air, removes the ability to cool on the surface I want cooled: the coil only.

That's my thinking on it so far.

I already have lots of small pumps to try. I'm thinking of using 20' of 1/4" OD copper tubing coiled up.

 

[T_Yamamoto]

This seems like a terrible idea and a waste of money.

 

[jaedaliu]

hrm, misunderstood your initial idea.

I think you're going to have a hard time using evaporating water to cool your CPU. For one thing, constant running water won't evaporate off your coil easily.

How's your humidity as summer approaches?

 

[Re-inventDaily]

This seems like a terrible idea and a waste of money.

T Yamamoto,

Thank you.

I can see opening it up and finding the pipes are blocked and do not connect to make a circuit. That would be a waste.
There's more than that one way which could make it a waste, but not having a circuit of tube inside would be an instant game-ender.

 

[Re-inventDaily]

hrm, misunderstood your initial idea.

I think you're going to have a hard time using evaporating water to cool your CPU. For one thing, constant running water won't evaporate off your coil easily.

How's your humidity as summer approaches?

It gets bad for maybe a month (in Toronto Canada). Here is a discussion
about a commercial unit output during hot humid summer days.
http://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=207683

At worst it would be acting like a regular radiator only very much bigger and without fins.

Here they give tests and formulas
http://www.daeilaqua.com/index2.html

I would make the application of water very sparing as thicker coat of water means cooling is further from the metal and less effective. I'd be looking to get zero standing water underneath from drips, i.e., so little that nothing accumulates with the fan going.

 

[Re-inventDaily]

I'm curious as to what is inside the Zalman.
Discussions indicate there is some kind of liquid in a heat pipe which changes phase and then travels as a gas to the other end of the pipe.

I don't see how it could work like that for a Zalman. Wouldn't it need to be positioned upright for the liquid to sit where the hot spot is? My guess is that they are not real heat pipes
So I'm curious but not curious enough to cut it open just yet

Edit:

Found something on the subject of Zalman heat pipes

The vaporized fluid then condenses back to liquid (cold-end) and the heat is dissipated into the air from the metal cooling fins. The working fluid returns to the hot end via capillary action thru an internal wicking structure (sintered metal coating, fine wire mesh, or grooves) so the heat pipe does not have to rely on gravity to recycle the working fluid.

 

[SithSolo1]

I'm curious as to what is inside the Zalman.
Discussions indicate there is some kind of liquid in a heat pipe which changes phase and then travels as a gas to the other end of the pipe.

I don't see how it could work like that for a Zalman. Wouldn't it need to be positioned upright for the liquid to sit where the hot spot is? My guess is that they are not real heat pipes
So I'm curious but not curious enough to cut it open just yet

I can almost guarantee you the pipes are not interconnected. I have never seen a heat pipe cooler where they were.

Also, how heat pipes work:
http://www.overclock.net/t/382271/guide-how-heatpipes-work

 

[dma0991]

Its doable but not the best idea simply because the heat transfer would be less efficient compared to a nozzle jet and micro fin commonly found in waterblocks.

As to whats inside a normal heat pipe, it is usually just water and the inner structure of the pipe has a wick which allows the heatpipe to work even if it is placed sideways which is usually the orientation that air coolers are usually put.

Another thing to consider is the flow rate of the evaporation tower will provide. If the pressure is too high, you'll need more than just cable ties to keep it in place, probably worm drive works best. The heat pipe ID is too small, which makes too high water pressure a real problem.

 

[Re-inventDaily]

I can almost guarantee you the pipes are not interconnected. I have never seen a heat pipe cooler where they were.

Also, how heat pipes work:
http://www.overclock.net/t/382271/guide-how-heatpipes-work

SithSolo1,
Thank you for that.

 

[Re-inventDaily]

Its doable but not the best idea simply because the heat transfer would be less efficient compared to a nozzle jet and micro fin commonly found in waterblocks.

Thank you, dma0991.
For this experiment, getting a significantly lower temp than the Zalman ( which is better than the stock Thermaltake Silent) would be success. I don't think to compare it with the top tech. However the evaporation tower might empower a good waterblock at a far cheaper price than the tiny dry rads.

As to whats inside a normal heat pipe, it is usually just water and the inner structure of the pipe has a wick which allows the heatpipe to work even if it is placed sideways which is usually the orientation that air coolers are usually put.

Yes, thanks! I was just finding that out and editing my post above to include that finding when you guys posted the info for me.

Another thing to consider is the flow rate of the evaporation tower will provide. If the pressure is too high, you'll need more than just cable ties to keep it in place, probably worm drive works best. The heat pipe ID is too small, which makes too high water pressure a real problem.

Oh, with the wicking materials or whatever occupying space in there, it's a lot smaller than a similar copper pipe?
Supposing I got 10 degrees below ambient at the tower. It could cool less than the Zalman does when intact?
Too small might be a fatal impediment.

 

[Re-inventDaily]

Maybe I could just cut off all three pipes and ream out the remaining sections

 

[aigomorla]

no ur not understanding the notion and physics of how water works.

DONT.

You have no idea how water channels are made, how waterblocks are made and how to make them correctly.

You can not just slap on 3 crushed tubes on a copper plate and expect anything to happen.

You probably wont even have the required head pressure pump to push water though those small tubings effectively to get any decient performance.

Go study how watercooling works.
Go Look at the waterblocks we use in our hobby on the inside, and follow the water movements illustrated in diagrams on reviews.
Once u do the top 2, you'll realize how silly this whole topic is.

 

[dma0991]

Oh, with the wicking materials or whatever occupying space in there, it's a lot smaller than a similar copper pipe?
Supposing I got 10 degrees below ambient at the tower. It could cool less than the Zalman does when intact?

There many wicking methods and they're unknown until you actually cut it open. Worst case scenario might be sintered type as it is not removable and further constricting the flow of the pipe.

Suffice to say that it would be a waste to chop a perfectly functioning air cooler just for the sake of lower temps. There are better ways of solving this problem but of course, it involves spending more money.

If it is for the sake of experimenting and you're fully aware of what might happen, good or bad, go ahead.

 

[Re-inventDaily]

no ur not understanding the notion and physics of how water works.

DONT.

You have no idea how water channels are made, how waterblocks are made and how to make them correctly.

You can not just slap on 3 crushed tubes on a copper plate and expect anything to happen.

You probably wont even have the required head pressure pump to push water though those small tubings effectively to get any decient performance.

Go study how watercooling works.
Go Look at the waterblocks we use in our hobby on the inside, and follow the water movements illustrated in diagrams on reviews.
Once u do the top 2, you'll realize how silly this whole topic is.

Thanks aigomorla
I have pumps that would push the water, not a problem there.

 

[Re-inventDaily]

There many wicking methods and they're unknown until you actually cut it open. Worst case scenario might be sintered type as it is not removable and further constricting the flow of the pipe.

Suffice to say that it would be a waste to chop a perfectly functioning air cooler just for the sake of lower temps. There are better ways of solving this problem but of course, it involves spending more money.

I could leave the sides off the case and just put the office fan back on to lower temps a few more degrees. The old Zalman lowered it a few degrees more than the Thermaltake Silent.

Not knowing what's inside makes me not chop.