I did a quick look through the pages, so I may have missed this somewhere, but is there any kind of guide for explaining how to make your own custom water cooling blocks? Maybe even something that at least gives some helpful tips? I haven't made a build with water cooling yet, but my first scratch build desk is going to be water cooled. I have been doing a little research, and I have noticed that most blocks have the liquid coming into the block and leaving the block perpindicular to the contact plate. This seems to me to be an inefficient way to move the liquid, as it requires more power to push the water against the block and then out at an perpendicular angle to the plate instead of running the liquid parallel across the surface of the plate. Any tips? Or guides? Maybe i'm wrong about the perpindicular/parallel issue, maybe some of the awesome modders here can help me out?
an issue that might be the reason for not running cpu waterblocks "parallel" is because of the keepout zone on the motherboard. page 76 http://download.intel.com/design/processor/designex/322167.pdf That is just a theory on my part.
Try reading this guide: bit-tech.net modding, watercooling 201 understanding waterblocks it helps explain why waterblocks are designed the way they are.
The cpu block makes sense now as far as perpindicular mounts go, but does the same apply for other parts' blocks? Like GPU or SSD or HD blocks? Especially if one is building a custom case that will have plenty of room, would the parallel mounts be more effective? Or is it just a universal rule that perpindicular mounts are the best way to do it?
I guess it would depend on the requirements, and how you design it... AngelOD made what [I think] you are describing for his car pc... http://forums.bit-tech.net/showpost.php?p=2821318&postcount=371
I'm terribly sorry, I'd love to help but I can't seem to get my mind around what you mean. Are you talking about the fittings or?
Sorry Angel, I have never worked with water cooling before so I don't really know the terminology well enough to explain myself. This picture here should clear things up a little Behold my MS Paint skills! ha ha... What I have noticed is that most water cooling blocks are set up like the left drawing, which moves the liquid in from the top and back out of the top typically. What I am wondering is if setting it up like the one on the right, where the liquid comes in the side and moves sideways through the block, would be more efficient? Also, if anyone knows of any guides that help teach or give tips on custom block making, let me know please!
IMHO. If efficiency means that the fluid will flow faster then the right design may be a little bit faster. If efficiency means more heat will be absorbed then the left design is a safer bet. I currently lack the factual data to prove this, and my fluid mechanics(not fluid dynamics) class was 5 years ago so this may be bulls**t.
There are fullcover GPU blocks with the latter method, I'd say Its usually the former so the fittings dont hit components around the cou socket area. These are only educated guesses though.
Watercooling isn't just about flow rate. Method one will invariably create more turbulence inside the block, which in turn improves heat dissipation/efficiency. Most CPU blocks are designed this way because of the high heat concentration you have to deal with (and I'd imaging it's easier to plumb in as has already been mentioned. A very inefficient block simply won't be able to transfer heat to the coolant quickly enough, no matter the flow rate or pressure.
Increasing the fluid velocity is a game of diminishing returns, if the pumps used in watercooling were very weak, then yes a direct path would allow for slightly faster blocks. But a big part of what slows down water in modern waterblocks is impingement and (to a lesser extent) friction. A quick glance at any waterblock review, which tests the block with different water velocities and you'll see the sort of gains one can achieve with playing this game. Maximising flow, and turbulence (and therefore heat exchange) as close to the CPU's core(s) is the name of the game, which is why so many blocks have their inlet over their centre rather than at an edge as in your first diagram. Furthermore by the time the water in your second diagram gets above the core it's behaviour has become much more laminar - less turbulent - providing a less efficient thermal exchange.
Wow, lots of smart answers! Makes my head hurt! Thanks for all the help guys. It kind of makes sense now. I haven't even started building my desk mod yet, so no worries. I will just have to decide which route to take when I get there. I think i'll use a standard CPU block, but I might decide to make some of my own blocks the other way for the hd blocks. You guys are awesome!!!
