Best component order for water flow.

[flyinga2]

I'm building my first water cooled rig with some rather hot parts, and I can't seem to get a concensus of opinion on the water flow path.

C2D q6700
2 X 8800GTS in SLI using KOOLANCE VID 280 waterblocks with KOOLANCE bridge connector
KANDALF LCS case

Suggestions I have had are:

PUMP-->CPU-->GPU-->RAD-->RES (series connection)
PUMP-->GPU-->CPU-->RAD-->RES ( " " )
PUMP-->Y connect in--> CPU-->Y connect out-->RAD-->RES
GPU
PUMP-->GPU-->RAD-->CPU-->RES

In the first option the presumption is the GPU is still hotter than the hot CPU water so thermodynamically cooling should take place.
In option 4 the hot GPU water is cooled before returning to cool the hot (OC) CPU
In option 3 with a parallel path water temps going in would be the same temp, BUT what about flow resistance?

Any thoughts and suggestions?

 

[Top Nurse]

It doesn't really matter so long as your CPU is first off the pump as you want it to get the coolest water. However, I would just run it in the easiest possible way.

 

[JC634]

The only REAL requirement is that the res be before your pump, as you have shown in your post.

FWIW, my loop:

PUMP-->RAD->CPU-->RAD->GPU-->RES

It really does not matter much, as the water temp has a tendency to equalize thru the loop over time. A very simple explanation is that the the water has a much higher heat capacity than is truly being utilized in a WC computer.

For comparison, it would be quite interesting to see some temp differances in a car cooling system. Delta's in a computer: upto ~50C (CPU die to ambient) before the computer shuts down. Delta's in a car: I'm not sure how hot it gets in a cylinder, but it has to be ALOT higher, which should mean that system is probably making use of a fair amount of the heat capacity of water.

 

[SippieCup]

The only REAL requirement is that the res be before your pump, as you have shown in your post.

FWIW, my loop:

PUMP-->RAD->CPU-->RAD->GPU-->RES

It really does not matter much, as the water temp has a tendency to equalize thru the loop over time. A very simple explanation is that the the water has a much higher heat capacity than is truly being utilized in a WC computer.

the only real requirements are that the Res should be right before the pump. however, tis also good to havea radiator inbteween the CPU and GPU so heat from one does not cause the other one to be cooled as effectively (because the water is warmer)

For comparison, it would be quite interesting to see some temp differances in a car cooling system. Delta's in a computer: upto ~50C (CPU die to ambient) before the computer shuts down. Delta's in a car: I'm not sure how hot it gets in a cylinder, but it has to be ALOT higher, which should mean that system is probably making use of a fair amount of the heat capacity of water.

edit: ok... i need more sleep, im wayy too tired

the entire block in an engine is watercooled (corrected, im just being stupid about the other thing) and water+a large amount of antifreeze is used to cool the actual block, then there is also watercooling is more for turbochargers, i would go into it in more detail but i found a link that is a little better at explaining it than me.

The shaft between the turbine and compressor runs in a bearing housing which is water cooled. There is not actually a bearing in the bearing housing but a guide channel through which oil passes. This pressurised oil becomes the bearing and takes up the clearance between the shaft and the housing. This is why when you feel the shaft movement on a turbo when the engine is not running it always feels as if the shaft bearing is worn out.

The bearing housing on the Impreza (and 98% of all turbo cars on the road today) is water cooled. Water cooling of the bearing housing is something developed in the '70s when oil was not as good as it is now. It was developed to keep the bearing housing cooler after engine shutdown and avoid oil burning on the shaft. It is still used today by all manufacturers but these days modern oils do not burn on the shaft even after hot shutdowns. But it would be a brave manufacturer who admitted they had fitted a non-water cooled turbo to their latest super, quad turbo, five valve, V12, tarmac eating stonkermobile.

Link: Here

Scooby's FTW!

 

[JC634]

Uhhh,

I think we are talking 2 different things here. I am referring to the engine block, which has nothing to do with a turbocharger.

If what is there were true for engine blocks, we would see oil-cooled engines, not water-cooled engines.

 

[SippieCup]

yeah.im being stupid, i fixed my post and was in the process of fixing it when i saw yer thread.

http://computer.howstuffworks.com/liquid-cooled-pc.htm <-- actually has a little flash tihng on the car watercooling

 

[JC634]

Cool!

edit: BTW, I never do stupid things!

 

[NHutch]

You always should put the radiator after the pump. The pump heats the water, so without the radiator after it, the water temps will be higher when it hits the CPU block. The water is always cooler directly after the radiator. If you're worried about the 2nd block in the loops temp being higher than get another rad to put inbetween the blocks. If you don't get a 2nd rad, make sure you put the CPU block before the GPU block in the loop. GPU's can withstand much higher temps than a CPU can.

 

[TheAmazingDave]

FWIW, My path is as follows, pump>CPU>memory>rad1>rad2>res. The reservoir and pump are one unit. With an infrared thermometer, I find temps to be pretty consistent throught he whole system, where the inlet to the final radiator is a few degrees warmer Farenheit that the radiator outlet/reservoir temp.

 

[Erasmus354]

SippieCup : It is not a requirement to have a radiator inbetween blocks, in fact it makes very little difference. Water has such a high capacity for absorbing heat, and it is usually moving so fast that it heats up very little between waterblocks.

Res before Pump

As clean as you can route your tubing

Those are your ONLY considerations.

 

[BillParrish]

SippieCup : It is not a requirement to have a radiator inbetween blocks, in fact it makes very little difference. Water has such a high capacity for absorbing heat, and it is usually moving so fast that it heats up very little between waterblocks.

Res before Pump

As clean as you can route your tubing

Those are your ONLY considerations.

QFT +1