Hey guys I've been interested in TEC Cooling since I read read about the concept after seeing it in craigbru's Rogue project first. But I've never seen many real applications or anyone really using it here up to now. That's why I was very surprised when I read about the Kobalt Deadalus Dream PC a while ago, when they had these featured, it claims to have 18 CoolIT TEC units and according to the reviews I read, these work fairly well. Of course, I instantly went to the CoolIT page, only to find out that the last TEC they had released was 3 Years old and not only ugly, but also extremely expensive at roughly 400 quid and also not very efficient compared to modern WC loops. So, my question is: Where the heck did the guys from Kobalt Computers get these nice TEC Units, and how did they manage to integrate them into the loop with the quad Rad and make them work so well? I'm interested in any hint that could lead me to getting one of these precious things, cause I'm kind of a fanboy of exotic technologies EDIT: Forgot to post the Link to the Deadalus ^^ Here you go: Clicky
Dammit >.< So you basically mean there is no chance to get an up to date TEC with good performance that can be integrated in a water loop? That would be sort of sad -.-
My guess : instead of using one very expensive TEC running at the raggedy edge of it;s performance, they're got 18 much cheaper, less powerful TECs, and are running them at their optimum efficiency (rather than maximum output). Shouldn't be too hard to do yourself if you;re already comfortable working with a single TEC. As for layout, you'd simply have two loops. One loop with CPU/GPU/motherboard/etc + cold side of the TEC, and the other with the hot side of the TEC + the radiator(s). You could either do what Kobalt have done and get a big custom heat exchanger made on a CNC mill, or you could use a whole bunch of cheap waterblocks with the TECs sandwiched between them. The more TECs you use, the more cost effective the custom block would be.
You don't have to TEC cool the water; the Daedalus solution is quite an unusual one. Most TEC user slap it onto the cpu, then watercool the back of the TEC.
True, but using a TEC directly requires a very powerful, and thus very expensive, TEC. The TEC must be able to transport more energy than the processor can emit as heat, or the TEC will heat the processor rather than cooling it. Say you have a CPU that emits 150w heat at peak. A TEC is not 100% efficient, so putting a 150W TEC on that CPU will make it hotter, not cooler! If the TEC is 75% efficient, than you need a 200W TEC just to keep your CPU at the SAME temperature as before. To actually get any net gain, you would probably be pushing 250W for the TEC alone, and a TEC that powerful won't be cheap, and you will now be drawing 400 watts of power! This 400w will also need top be dissipated as heat, requiring a much larger radiator too. The advantage of using multiple lower power TECs is that they are more efficient in terms of energy usage, and much cheaper.
If you go to the Kobalt forums and speak to neil, he might be able to hook you up with the TEC's that Kobalt use. EDIT Andrew from kobalt posted this on the Deadalus thread.
