Just wondering... The nVentik Mach II system, its really just a compressor out of a freezer or fridge, but modified in such a way so it cools the CPU in a computer yeah? Well going off those prices, I've been thinking how hard would something like this be to make yourself? My gran is getting a new freezer in a month or 2, and I was wondering would it be worth salvaging bits from the old one & trying to make my own sub-zero CPU cooler... But as I know bugger all about how these compressors work & how to sort it all out, I'll be needing to look for information on this first, and also could I just design a regular copper-cooler block (like a water-cooled PC has), or would it need to be something different? Any help/suggestions here would be great, its just if I do decide to do this, I think it would be interesting to see how it goes!
Ok, there are a number of things you need to consider. Firstly, you need the right compressor for the job. Unless you are buying new, then chances are, you will be attempting to salvage one from an old piece of equipment. Think about what you are asking the compressor to do, and then think about what it was originally expected to do. For a start, fridges aren't designed for constant heat removal. In fact, they're awful at it. If you put something warm in the freezer, it will defrost it. They are designed to cool things down over a period of time and then keep them cool. After that, the only job of the compressor is to remove the small amount of thermal energy that gets through the insulation. Compressors from fridge/freezers are rarely sufficiently powerful for effective cooling of a high powered cpu. Neither are they designed for continuous use. The second point is, that unless you have the necessary licenses, you are not allowed to take an HVAC system apart and neither can you buy replacement refridgerant. This means that unless you know someone with the necessary licenses and/or are prepared to pay to have it done professionally, then you must use it with out taking it apart. This is another negative for the fridge. The main alternative is a dehumidifier. This works in exactly the same principle as an airconditioning unit except that they are designed to remove moisture rather than cool the air. More importantly, they tend to be conveniently housed in a single unit. I suggest you do some reading on phase change technology, as doing a botch job with highly pressurised and often flammable gases can be quite dangerous, and is not meant for the novice, or anyone without the correct training for that matter. A good place to start is www.phase-change.com or you could do a search for dehumidifier on these forums as it has been done before. Alternatively, check out www.xtremesystems.org/forums for some other great information. Hope this helps 8-ball
According to xtremesys, the compressor doesn't matter as much as one would think. Its all about the other components. And worse off, how are you going to make the direct-die block? I bumbled around on there for a while, there IS ways around needing lisencense and crap, just don't let the EPA know about it. You can use shrader valves and torch propane as the cooler, fill it that way. And then you let off gas until the temps stop going down and presto. Thats the dirty way to make it. Nothing guaranteed of course. The number one problem with making a unit as small as a prometia is the evap and condensor sizes. So you might end up with a tower sized unit, but it can be done. Then factor in your electric bill, imagine running a window AC for as long as you run your computer. Because of that, and other reasons, some people just use it for bench runs.
torch propane.christ on a bike that would be dangerous.you'd need 'no naked flames' signs all over your house.
