Cooling School project: Phase Change

Hello
I have a few questions about Phase change.
I've searched a lot but didn't really find wat i was looking for

During the next months a project will start at my school, everybody has to build something and experiment with their creation.
Thijs(a friend) and me came up with the idea to build our own custom Phase Change.

We've read tons of guides but none of them get's us really far.
We know all the materials etc to use, but we can't find how to put them together.
Also we can't really find wat sort of compressor we need?

Can anybody help us? Or send me a link of a really great guide?

Thanks!

PS: Sorry for the bad English

 

I'd abandon that idea right now. Just let it go. C'mon. Let go. There, feels much better, doesn't it?

Phase change is for the uberl33t with the appropriate mechanical skills and knowledge.

First you'd need to find a compressor --no biggy, you just raid an old fridge/freezer. Then you need to find the appropriate radiator. Again, no worries if you know where to look on the scrapyard.

Then, however, you need to find a phase-change block component. These are very specifically manufactured parts involving a block, heating element, flexible compressed gas hose etc. and you will not just find those on a scrapheap. You also need to weld the lot (and the interconnecting copper tubing) together correctly and fill it with the right coolant gas under high pressure. There is also a bunch of electronics involved which, admittedly, can be designed and built yourself if you have the appropriate electronics skills...

Sorry, but it is not something you can build from scratch unless you are an engineer of some sort. We have a few on these forums, and talking to them will make you realise what a tricky undertaking it is.

 

we can get help from some engineers/teachter from school, but it isn't clear how to weld everything, how to place every object of the phase change

 

1st id listen to nexxo, guys! 2nd have you seen anyone anywhere do a self build phase system! if so show us. i give you 10 out 10 on ur idea but 0 points due to not thinking. to buy a unit it costs upwards of £500 yeah some of its profit, but even if the best of us on this site got 2gether to make one from scratch we wud fail!

here is an idea, buy and show us a case with intergrated water cooling that includes TEC's, using a proper TEC PSU in there aswell.

 

I suppose yopu could possibly build a unit, but even if you get it all welded/brazed up you still need to buy refridgerant and then (re)gas the whole unit. If your allowed, you could get Fatty, Gray Mole or some one from EP-UK/ xtreme Systems to (whats the proper word) gas your unit. But you still have alot of work to do, I'd go check out Xtremesystems.org > Phase change forum and look for guides/ advice.

-Fr4nk

 

im looking into a littledevil system..... much better than building one....

 

What a stunningly useful post that was... Good for you...

Seriously though if you have to ask how to build phase then you're best off not bothering...
Try something a little easier like a waterblock maybe? If you're lucky to have any HVAC qualified/experienced teachers then you might well be ok. Otherwise no.

 

Hi,

I'm Den-nis his associate in building a phase changer. I'm making casemods for cuite a while now, so creating things from metalsheets and stuff isn't new to me.

We found this site about building your own phase changer:
http://www.overclockers.com/tips1238/index.asp

maybe you can support us with some knowledge about the project, like the compressor for instance...

 

you wil have to buy a compessor, look for an old freezer, not a fridge. a really big freezer! if you think like this 'if the compressor can cool a volume of 1m cubed to -15 degrees C, what will it do when its omly cooling an evap head?'

 

Our main idea is to cool(below zero) if possible.
And not with air or water cooling, but with something that is more a challenge.
It doesn't really matter if it really works as best as the other Phase Changers.
Our first goal was to do something with liquid nitrogen, but Thijs and me are both into computers and modding them, so we knew the whole Phase Change idea.
Maybe someone knows a ( better) idea? For cooling?

 

Wel lif you want to get in subzero tempretures, you could make a watercooling loop with a huge raditor, thus the temps will be kept very close to ambient. Then introduce a Pelter to the loop, this sits between the CPU and water block, when one is say 30C the other side could be something like -10C or lower, this does require a powerfull PSU (or dedicated TEC (pelter) PSU), as well as quite a bit of insulation around the chip, this would alot easier for you to do rather than a Phase unit, trust me.

 

Comments like this really don't help mate. It's not as simple as getting an OMGWTFMAHOOSIVE compressor and strapping an evap to it..

If you guys show willing, have plans and do some work yourselves then the phase guys will be happy to help you. If you do no work and show no understanding then the won't. If you goto them and say we've got x compressor, y evap and plan on tuning for z heatload what length/size captube would be best they'll help out.
You need to understand the theory behind what you're doing before you can go out and build a single stage. Theres lots that can go wrong if you're not careful or dont know what you're doing.

You need a lisence to buy/use certain gasses in the UK, you can't vent certain gasses into the air etc. All this stuff needs to be thought about and considered before undertaking a phase build

 

Is it possible/and more easy to build a peltier element?

 

That link looks like a comprehensive guide, and is just what you need.

But if you read between the lines you'll realise that the writer is a very experienced engineer, who just happens to be able to know and use the correct formulas (and graph them), happens to know all the important properties of all the right parts and where to source them, and happens to have access to, and be able to handle a CNC mill, an argon torch (do NOT mess with that if you have no experience!), vacuum pump and gas charge systems. He has built phase-change devices before, knows his stuff, and thus explains it well and makes it sound easy... but it isn't.

Not to dismiss your abilities (which are undoubtedly very good), but I can knock up a few things from metal. I even invented and made a marketable part. Check out my project --nice, huh? But there is no way I am up to making a phase-change array just yet. Metalsheet? Try CNC and argon welding...

As Highland3r says, if you do the reading up and come with a detailed plan and parsts list for a build, I'm sure some of the pro's will assist and correct you along the way. The link you provided appears to have everything you need. But nobody will sit down and do all the work for you...

 

You can't build a Peltier element, you buy them. You can build a Peltier system, and that would be easier, although some understanding of the maths is still required.

 

well maybe that is a better idea than.
Do you know where i can find a guide? 'Cause i only can find how to build the whole cooler for ex. a Beverage cooler, but not how to build the Peltier element itself.
I know it's made of 2 metals but which ones?

 

As I said, you cannot build a Peltier element. You have to buy it.

 

a pelt is made up of 2 semi conductors i believe, and i think you need to get a grip on what can and cant be made at school or at home, follow the rule of K.I.S.S! Keep It Simple Stupid! i can see you are after a high grade for your school project, its not the idea that is important its how well it is excuited.

 

you guys are dutch so will understand this site, http://www.casejunkies.com/index.php?upn=010001&hl_id=894
http://www.overclockers.com/tips1082/index.asp (more detailed and understandable for all)

it is some sort of phase change (liquid to gas) it does not contain: exotic chemicals, high presure/vacuum, it is cheap, fail proof , no exploding presurized pipes and the like.

 

its a very big rad in a bucket of water. due to the volume of the water it cant warm up above room temperture, not forgetting he has got some fans cooling it aswell.