Why do I need a reservoir?

[BSOD]

I'm finally getting around to putting together my watercooling rig, and I'm starting to ask myself, "Whats the point in a resevoir?".

I'm using a large (9 inch by 6 by 2) radiator, a home-made maze2 clone, an eheim 1048 waterpump and 3/8 inner diameter tubing. That all has a large capacity for water, and I'd really like to have a closed loop system so that I can fit it all inside my case.

Can anyone give me an idea as to why I might consider putting a resevoir in, and what size one I should consider if that is the best route to go?

 

[BSOD]

(bump)!

 

[dannybin1742]

i thought i didn't need a reservior, but then i noticed that after a while, teh heat from the processor, will actually evaporate some of the water and create little bubbles, and when the went throught e rad, they would make this annoying noise, so i installed a reservior from dangerden and it does a great job of trapping te bubbles, so every few months, i add about 2-3 ml of coolant to fill in the area that the bubbles took up, not to mension if you ever want to change your coolant, its super easy using a reservior, and its alot easier to fill the system with a reservior.

i say go for it, it can't hurt you

 

[techfuzz]

I believe they serve 2 purposes.
1. Indirectly they help cool the water by creating a larger surface area.
2. In a closed loop system you have to ensure than the water pressure on either side of the pump(s) match or you'll quickly burn it out. Using a reservoir alleviates that problem allowing the pressure to vary.

techfuzz

 

[ErikaeanLogic]

hi, BSOD, welcome to the forums!

Have you created a watercooling circuit before? If not, there are quite a few considerations to take into account. The main point is, of course, to cool the water. Understand what the water circuit does: water flows into the cpu block, displacing heat from the block to the water; the water moves out of the block into the pump, which propels it into the radiator which displaces the heat from the water; in order for this to happen, the radiator must be able to displace heat, or it will lose the ability to wick away any additional heat from the water (I use a shroud/fan to pull air through my rad and out of the case); the newly cooled water now exits the radiator and re-enters the cpu block. Simple, right?

Haha, not exactly. You'll need to eliminate air from the mix, which is where the reservoir comes in. It has been highly suggested that placing a reservoir just before the inlet of the pump is the perfect placement for it, since the pump can draw off of the reservoir and any bubbles in the air circuit (from the rad, etc.) will rise to the surface of the reservoir before the pump can pass them. Make sense? You can read more about that (and other elements of H2O cooling) here. The reservoir I finally went with is this one.

Hope that helps. Remember, a little planning goes a loooong way; the "ounce of prevention beats a pound of cure" cliche is never truer than when you have to bleed the coolant (mixology is a whoooole other topic), re-cut tubing, put it all back together, and refill the coolant, all the while thinking to yourself, "I should've thought of that." Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

Good luck, and remember to enjoy yourself!

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Thanx Erik! I've been kicking around water cooling since my 1st T-Bird and you just gave the most concise/succinct explaination I've ever read, I saved this thread for if/when Im ready to do it

 

[BSOD]

Thank you for all that info! I hadn't realized that losing water would be a problem. I've gone ahead and ordered one of these. if only I had an extra 5 1/4 drive free...