1. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.

Alternative liquid: contact lens cleaner

Discussion in 'Watercooling' started by Guest-16, 24 Apr 2017.

  1. Guest-16

    Guest-16 Guest

    Just to share my latest discovery I'm currently trying this in my new loop: 500ml of contact lens cleaner. It's great because it's 99.9+% pure water, with a few mg of salt and anti-bacterial additives. Generic bottle of the stuff costs only 1 quid here. I'll let you know how it goes in a few months of use at 40C. :rock:
     
    Last edited by a moderator: 24 Apr 2017
  2. Vault-Tec

    Vault-Tec Green Plastic Watering Can

    Joined:
    30 Aug 2015
    Posts:
    14,886
    Likes Received:
    3,667
    haha keep us posted :D

    Until then I will stick to XSPC. I never want to have to drain another loop again ever :(
     
  3. Nexxo

    Nexxo * Prefab Sprout – The King of Rock 'n' Roll

    Joined:
    23 Oct 2001
    Posts:
    34,731
    Likes Received:
    2,210
    Fluorinert myself. Bloody hard to get your hands on though.

    Unfortunately vodka has a really bad thermal conductivity, otherwise it would be ideal.
     
  4. Cheapskate

    Cheapskate Insane? or just stupid?

    Joined:
    13 May 2007
    Posts:
    12,411
    Likes Received:
    1,968
    Did you fill the loop with the eye drop cap? I think you should.:)
     
  5. B NEGATIVE

    B NEGATIVE All Hail Kim Jong Magoo!

    Joined:
    8 Aug 2011
    Posts:
    1,259
    Likes Received:
    38
    Fluorinert cannot be used in our waterloops,its immersion cooling fluid. And its not made anymore,now we use Novec fluids from 3M instead
     
  6. benji2412

    benji2412 <insert message here>

    Joined:
    25 Apr 2009
    Posts:
    1,037
    Likes Received:
    24
    Well, you technically can use it and it wouldn't be the end of the world if it leaked either...... It does expand when warm though.

    We bought some only the other month, hadn't realised they'd stopped producing it.
     
  7. B NEGATIVE

    B NEGATIVE All Hail Kim Jong Magoo!

    Joined:
    8 Aug 2011
    Posts:
    1,259
    Likes Received:
    38
    By expand you mean boil.

    Certainly not for closed loops,with an expansion vessel you could use it but it just isnt effective in our waterblocks as the boiling action is suppressed.

    I have a few ltrs of Novec sitting here that I have tried it with.
     
  8. benji2412

    benji2412 <insert message here>

    Joined:
    25 Apr 2009
    Posts:
    1,037
    Likes Received:
    24
    I'm not sure how assertive you meant to be there..... But no, I meant it expands when it's warm, due to thermal expansion. A thermometer works based on this principle and the liquid in it doesn't boil under typical conditions (~ <100°C). You are correct about it needing an expansion vessel though, because it expands when it is warm.......... But you could achieve that by not fully filling your reservoir.

    I don't agree with your comment regarding boiling action, convective heat transfer can still occur without boiling the medium to transfer energy.

    Would I use it myself? No, too long a list of problems, the first amongst which is worse thermal conductivity than water. Although if it leaks you're ok........
     
  9. benji2412

    benji2412 <insert message here>

    Joined:
    25 Apr 2009
    Posts:
    1,037
    Likes Received:
    24
  10. Nexxo

    Nexxo * Prefab Sprout – The King of Rock 'n' Roll

    Joined:
    23 Oct 2001
    Posts:
    34,731
    Likes Received:
    2,210
    I have used Fluorinert PF-5080 (aka FC-77) in my dual Opteron 250 closed loop for a decade, without any issues. Thermal expansion is minimal --a few mm rise in level in my Aquatube reservoir.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    Ah, the good old days... :)

    Thermal conductivity is not much worse than water --I managed to cool 230 Watts worth of heat on a single Black ice Xtreme 120.
     
  11. B NEGATIVE

    B NEGATIVE All Hail Kim Jong Magoo!

    Joined:
    8 Aug 2011
    Posts:
    1,259
    Likes Received:
    38

    Boiling is the mechanism of how immersion cooling with engineered fluids works,I just spent 3 months at EK doing work on this subject,this is how you get the thermal performance.



    That is not the efficient way to do it either,you would require a boiler plate for best performance.

    Like here....



    And finally,3M presentation on immersion cooling.



    Its useless in any other application.

    However,this is all for Novec products but Perfluorohexane boils only 10c (55c) higher and the thermal dynamics still apply. These are phase change cooling fluids,not 'transport' coolants
     
    Last edited: 3 Nov 2017
  12. B NEGATIVE

    B NEGATIVE All Hail Kim Jong Magoo!

    Joined:
    8 Aug 2011
    Posts:
    1,259
    Likes Received:
    38
    I dont doubt that but its not using the fluid correctly and no performance advantages are conferred.
    You would simply get better performance with Ol' fashioned water.
     
  13. Nexxo

    Nexxo * Prefab Sprout – The King of Rock 'n' Roll

    Joined:
    23 Oct 2001
    Posts:
    34,731
    Likes Received:
    2,210
    I wasn't looking for performance advantages over water; I was looking for a fill-and-forget solution that wouldn't destroy my (at the time fairly pricey) hardware if it sprung a leak. And it worked just fine for that: in a decade I did not have to flush the loop once. No algae; no bacteria, no corrosion. And although thermal conductivity is slightly lower than water, it has a lower viscosity which means good surface contact. It all worked out well.
     
  14. benji2412

    benji2412 <insert message here>

    Joined:
    25 Apr 2009
    Posts:
    1,037
    Likes Received:
    24
    I get the impression we both have crossed wires here, we were talking about non-immersion. I was merely correcting what I thought was a misconception you held in that you couldn't use fluorinert in a closed loop system because it relied on boiling to transfer heat. Which is incorrect.

    Yes, perfluorohexane boils at 55°C and is suitable as an immersion coolant. But did you know you can buy several different perfluorinated hydrocarbons from 3M under the trade name fluorinert? They have different chain lengths, so the boiling point is different, Nexxo's FC-77 has a BP of 97°C, so it is absolutely fine to use in a closed system with no more boiling risk than if you use water.

    I'm not sure what this contributes.
     
    Last edited: 26 Jul 2017
  15. Nexxo

    Nexxo * Prefab Sprout – The King of Rock 'n' Roll

    Joined:
    23 Oct 2001
    Posts:
    34,731
    Likes Received:
    2,210
    Indeed. There are many different types of Fluorinert, all with their own properties. I studied their properties like boiling point and heat transfer well before I chose my specific one.
     
  16. Unicorn

    Unicorn Uniform November India

    Joined:
    25 Jul 2006
    Posts:
    12,726
    Likes Received:
    456
    I would have thought contact lens solution would be unsuitable due to the salt content. Won't this cause a build up of crystals in your reservoir and possibly corrosion in the radiator(s) too?
     

Share This Page