If you are like me, and I suspect you are, your mind is always looking at things from different perspectives and trying to find innovative or creative solutions. I’ve been thinking about water cooling for a while, and my big beef with it is the radiator. This technology pretty much limits the water from going below room ambient temp. Peltiers are a “cool” idea, but overcooling or the “hot side” too hot problem (feeding back to cold side) can be a problem too.

I’ve devised what MAY work, and am looking for feedback from experienced water and peltier cooling gurus. This system brings together both peltiers and water coolers, and may make for a quieter and more efficient/low maintenance system.

On the CPU, you have a water block (I like the ones with the thermal fins inside the housing such as in the Senfu Kit @ http://www.overclockers.com/articles586/ . Sandwiched between the waterblock/heatsink, you put a small peltier. This wicks the heat off the processor and pushes it onto the heat fins in the waterblock. The water goes to another waterblock outside the case (just like the Snefu one, and a peltier there does the same process in reverse. The second peltier pull the heat off the second waterblock and pushes it onto an air cooled heatsink like the zalman flower. Inbetween the two waterblocks is the pump/reservoir. What you have is a totally enclose system with a peltier pulling heat off the CPU, pushing it onto the water, and then a peltier pulling the heat off the water and pushing it out to a fan cooled heatsink. The benefits include peltier quality cooling with little/no evaporation from air/water contact (as in radiators). Also, the 2nd peltier can cool the water below room temp, as the heat it draws out of the water can be pushed onto the air-cooled heatsink above room temp.

BTW I made an image to illustrate how I think it could work, but don;t know how to post it... email me if u want it.

If anyone has any info on similar systems or any feedback on potential issues, I’d appreciate it.

-Dr.Octopus

P.S. a copper spacer may be needed between the peltier and CPU to prevent condensation issues.

CPU>>Peltier1>>Waterblock1>>Pump>>Waterblock2>>Peltier2>>Heatsink

(water recycles from waterblock2 to reservoir to waterblock1)

One more thing... because the second peltier is REALLY cooling the water, the fluid returing to the processor is below room ambient(best you can get with radiators) and as such, increases it's heat absorption protential.

Different configurations of the reservoir/pump could be used to tune the system. Reservoir between WB1 and WB2 would allow the heated water to mix with reservoir water, lesseneing the job peltier2 has to do, thereby returning colder water to the processor.

I will take a stab for discussion...

I am not very familiar with peltiers so maybe you can fill me in. But the biggest issue I can see with your system is the amount of power required to run the peltiers. Just to simplify things, I found a company who claims 0.4-0.7 coefficient of performance for their peltiers(Single Stage)[http://www.marlow.com/faq.htm]. So if my CPU gives of 50watts then each petlier would rquired at least 71.4watts to keep the system in equilibrium. At worst case it is 125watts for each peltier. Is that a correct analysis or am I missing something? Do you think the extra cost for electricity is warranted over standard air cooling?

Alastor

I don't know too much about peltiers myself, escept that they are wicked coolers and they ARE power eaters.

However, there are two reasons why I think this is a valuable consideration dispite power consumption. First, it would be very quiet, and second, it would offer cooling beyond normal water-cooling, hence, higher OCing.

When most people OC with air cooling, they have 4-6+ case fans. WAY too noisy for my likes. And, power from an extra PSU wouldn't be that much more. Think of the extra power for 6 fans... not too much, but 2 small peltiers would probably be doable.

I agree with the benefits of the system especially the reduced noise levels. My computer sounds like a hairdryer. My computer is rarely off but when it is I swear my house is a quiet as a monastery ;-)

I think you have got a good start but I dont think the system is really going to solve all your problems. If you were able to implement such as system and get it too work that would be great. But what about OCing components other than the CPU, such as the FSB. Then wouldn’t you want to keep the rest of your components just as cool. As we are both clear on, adding more fans is not the most desirable solution. Perhaps a refrigeration system in needed. This could cool your entire case which would be ideal for full system OCing. Some of the negatives to refrigeration are, condensations, maybe power consumption, hazardous chemicals, and a complete redesign of the case. What do you think of cooling the entire case via refrigeration or some other method?

Alastor

Actually.. I was thinking that since the heat from the cpu isn;t being fed into the case, less case cooling would be needed... AND.. moving to a single, low-speed 120mm fan in and another out would quiet case cooling. Also... graphics card could be cooled by a simple un-peltiered waterblock to further lower noise and case-cooling needs.

What do you think?

I've done more research on cpu cooling and everyone agrees that cold "intake" water is the key to higher cooling performance, as it increases the water's ability to absorb heat. The question is... how do you cool the water? I believe that cooling via peltier is the key... as it cools the cpu... it should thus cool the waterblock on the other end. Just an idea... gonna give it a shot if I ever get some spare cheese.

Didnt know if you had seen this already but it shows some impressive results from a similar system.

http://www.overclockers.com/tips326/

As well check out the link to the left for Peltiers, there is a lot of intresting info.

Alastor

NOW THAT'S A GOOD ARTICLE! Thx for the link :)