Gclg2000's Cascade

[gclg2000]

Hey guys, starting a new worklog for my "rebuilt" cascade. I'll try to keep this thread updated as i go. This will prob just be a clone of another thread i have on another board. But figured some here would be interested.

Parts include:

(1) 120v LG 5150 BTU Rotary w/ accumulator
(1) 120v Matshushiita 5160 BTU Rotary w/ accumulator
(1) Packless Industries COAX-2050 Water cooled Condensor for HX
(1) AC & R Oil Seperator S-5180
(1) TXV for 1st stage
(1) PXV for 2nd stage
(1) Desuperheater 6-row mini condensor or single row mini condensor
(1) Condensing unit ~1/2 Ton or so (Freebie from A/C Shop)
(2) Catch All Filter Drier's w/ shrader
(1) 42" Suction Line; 1/2" OD 3/8" ID Steel Braded Corregated
(1) Home-Made Suction Line HX (Hobocrow style Pic here and link here).
(1) Chilly1 Evap block w/ enclosure

Would have been nice if i could have crammed it all onto that Condensor platform, but oh well. I'm entirely open to suggestions or comments to help make this better, so please by all means jump in and tell me what can be done better or need's to be changed.

These 2 rotary's pictured below should work well::toast:

This condensor sucks the air will help cool teh compressor's

Gonna use classic spray foam on the HX

All the parts "cuddling"

 

[Jonsey]

On the picture second from the bottom, the condensor on the far right, did you get that from chilly1?

He sent me one that looks just like that for a chiller I'm building. I'm not sure it's big enough though.

 

[gclg2000]

Yeah, i have 4 condensors i think form him. 3 6row's and 1 single row. You could prob get away w/ a condensor that size, as long as it matches teh condensor. YOu have to take into condsideration the wattage output of the pump motor too. I'm using that small single row as a desuperheater before the Suction HX, that or either just one big 6 row condensor. I'll prob go with the 6row and a suction HX since ita make it beter. The single row is good for about 800 btu's or so.

Sorry baout the bad grammer, i'm a little intoxicated.

What type of comrpessor are you using??
How many things are you cooling in the water loop??

If you have a large heat load your prob gonna want to go with something a little bigger.

Let me know or PM chilly.

 

[Jonsey]

800 btus sounds a little small. I'm making a small chiller (in size) to cool my intel 3.4 prescott and x800 xt. I told him I wanted to cool arund 300 -400 watts (on the safe side). The compressor is a AE9415E, which is a 1/5 hp R-22 compressor.

 

[gclg2000]

This is not exact but i would guess that compressor is somewhere around 2000 btu's or so.
That's around 600w of heat removal approx. You could try that small single row you got, be i would prob rather go with a 6-row option from him. But who knows, he may have used one that small on a chiller before and it could be fine. I would ask him when they get back.

 

[gclg2000]

Well, still waiting on my expansion valve's. But i think i'm going to add a 3rd compressor to this but it will be either a single stage system built on the platform for a GPU cooler, or if it will work (still researching) I'm going to cascade it off the suction line of the 1st stage.

Scratch this idea, i just built a normal single stage for a GPU cooler. Although Bitchbreaker is sending me (2) TEV's...i'm going to get another PEV and end up making a a ghetto gascade i guess.

 

[gclg2000]

For anyone still following this thread, i did get my PEV and TEV in today along w/ a filter for the 2nd stage. I nowhave all the parts i need to assemble the unit except a couple small things i think i already have anyways. Getting my R1150 for the 2nd stage shipped out this week. Hopefully, i could have it up for tuning during spring break.

Anyways, some pics below:

 

[bubblethumper]

Cool stuff, I'm watching this thread and appreciate the updates

 

[Jonsey]

Good stuff. How do you have access to refrigerant?

 

[gclg2000]

Good stuff. How do you have access to refrigerant?

Everyone has their special ways, and so do i for the R404 (a controlled freon). The R1150 is ethylene gas, someone is sending me some, but i believe you can buy it w/ no questions from AirGas.

In fact, i have some ethylene on the way already, but AirGas is giving me a call back w/ a quote on LN2 and ethylene (R1150).

www.airgas.com

 

[Formula383]

i would like to see more, and also would like it if you would show some pics in the process of insulating that bad boy too

 

[gclg2000]

i would like to see more, and also would like it if you would show some pics in the process of insulating that bad boy too

Sure man. Just need a couple more pieces, and need to swap out a couple parts i've decided not to use on it.

The insulation won't be that bad. I don't plan on going crazy with it, and will probally "underdo" it some, because i won't be running this thing but only in short times spans anyways. I've got some 3/4" wall armaflex for use on the suction line for 2nd stage. Under that, i'll prob coat the suction line in a couple layer's of heat shrink tubing and wrap some foam tape around it and then slide over the 3/4" armaflex and i think that will do it. I'm using spray foam on the HX and have a nice size box to use. I'll line the inner part of the box w/ styrene and then fill the rest with the foam, then line the outside of the box w/ 1/2" neoprene and just 3/4" armaflex on the suction line for 1st stage. That's really about it and it won't be that big of a deal.

I need to get get a little longer platform for the base to build it all on. I'm just gonna wait till i have all the parts needed, then just spend a whole day building it all.

Still waiting on a couple parts like i said, so hopefully over spring break i can get this puppy assembled and start tuning it.

 

[gclg2000]

Ok fella's, now i'm really starting to get some progress done. I've started to insulate the HX. Used some Styrene sheets and some expandable foam inside a box. Also cut out a platform to build it on. It's about 17" x 22"...I put some little rolling wheels on the bottom, but may make the unit a little bit more narrow.

Also got some better pics of the valves i'll be using and my 42" suction hose.

Anyways, pics kinda speak for themselves below. Enjoy, and please comment on how i can make it better!!

 

[Formula383]

how cold are you planing on geting the system?

what are you cooling with it (cpu,gpu,northbridge)

and is this going to be water cooled then? or some sort of exchanger?

sorry im not shure if i missed somthing but im kinda new to the phase changing.

also i was wondering i have the plans for pelters in my system now and i would like to know what some of the bennies of goin to phase change instead of using tec's??

if anyone cares to take the time to explain i would enjoy reading

________________________________________________________________
Current System:
3.0e @ 3.9 1.488v core
OCZ 4400 2x512MB 3-4-4-8 MEM (realy great over clocking ram btw)
Gigabyte GA-8IPE1000-G (springdale) (only bought this mobo becase it was cheep and has nice holes for mounting north bridge water block + still waiting for my epox board to come back, this board is crap for good mem scores cant run t1 unless you want to run like 100mhz fsb tryed 4 diff brands of memory too good backup board for cheep tho)
Leadtek 6800GT @ 415-1.12
2 40gb wd 2mb sillicon image chipset raid0 pulling 85-88MB/s
1 250gb wd 8mb
cheap o case and 600w ps

 

[gclg2000]

how cold are you planing on geting the system?

what are you cooling with it (cpu,gpu,northbridge)

and is this going to be water cooled then? or some sort of exchanger?

sorry im not shure if i missed somthing but im kinda new to the phase changing.

also i was wondering i have the plans for pelters in my system now and i would like to know what some of the bennies of goin to phase change instead of using tec's??

if anyone cares to take the time to explain i would enjoy reading

I'll be using ethylene gas it evaporates between -104 to -115 C or so (depending upon the system). So my loaded temps, *crosses fingers* will be -100 C if i can build and tune it correctly. I'm trying to build this rig for a high heat load capacity, so i think i'll be fine.

I can cool a CPU or GPU with this rig. But mainly i'll be cooling my CPU with it.

It's not water cooled (i'm using a water cooled condensor as a Heat exchanger)

Shortly, the first stage compressor super cools the 2nd stage down, making it able to condense a refridgerant that will evaporate at a very low temperature.

Anyways, a little update for those of you (1 or 2) following this thread.

Ok guys, i think i pretty much have all the piping, arrangement and orientation done for the 1st stage.

I HAVE NOT BRAZED ANYTHING TOGETHER YET, AND HAVE NOT PUT IN A DRIER YET ALSO
Figured i just hold off cuz maybe someone can suggest something better to do. Below are pics of pretty much what i've described....my 1st stage arrangement of the tubing and etc.....

Tell me what ya'll think.

 

[bubblethumper]

So cool.

 

[gclg2000]

So cool.

Thanks.

Update time again. (i've been moving on this project light speed today)

Pics below, thnx again to everyone who is following.

 

[bubblethumper]

My ideal PC setup? Something like this placed outdoors, with the CPU block coming through a hole in the wall. No heat added to the room and the sound is kept outside too!

Sigh, maybe when I own a house

 

[gclg2000]

My ideal PC setup? Something like this placed outdoors, with the CPU block coming through a hole in the wall. No heat added to the room and the sound is kept outside too!

Sigh, maybe when I own a house

Lol yeah man, this thing is LOUD, and i mean LOUD LOUD. The dang 120v fan (boat prop) moves so much air, that i can stand a little way's away from it and it blows teh hair on my head. I'm going to use a light switch dimmer to control teh RPM of that fan so it's not so noisey. The nice thing about it though, is that when i get a shell around this unit, it will be a wind tunnel that will blow over and cool all teh comoponents (mainly compressors, rotary's get hot) and out the back away from where i will be sitting.

I'll get a CFM measurement on how much air flow this thing puts out. My buddy has the eletronic gauges to measure every possible HVAC situation.

 

[Jonsey]

Looking great! I like the box for a heat exchanger. Nice to see you posting this project here, it seems like xtremesystems gets all the phase change action.

 

[Captin Insano]

Actually you can increase the number that have been following your thread.......... by one anyhow. As I have followed from the begining. I am taking the plunge into phase change cooling myself. In fact I have a custom built unit in the works as well. Im still learning more about it myself my unit is on the way to me now from Georgia.My bro BitchBreaker did the work on the unit. Right now its a single pump (Mitsuba pump 4000btu unit I belive) set up that he converted to ghetto auto-cascade. So far in the tunning stage. My boy is moving here an will be livin with me so we got some work to do and I will get some hands on training and work with them. In fact He's allready talking that we need to dual pump it.(we have a 2nd pump just like the other one in the setup.) but Yours is way cool man. I like it. Nice work.

The Cpt.

 

[gclg2000]

I know BB, very cool dude. We are good buddies. He knows what he is doing, and has helped me with a few things for this build along the way. Can't wait to see what you 2 can come up with, especially with the nice shop you guys have to work out of.

C'mon bitch breaker, were ya at???

 

[gclg2000]

Today, i redid some piping on the oil seperator, added the drier's to both stages, got some gasket thread lock grease to use on 1st stage flare fittings, and trimmed up the HX box.

I added just a pinch of Pensacola Redneck to the HX box too....what ya'll think?

I'm really please with how narrow the unit is turning out. My buddy (drktkng) drilled out some holes for me on the base platform to bolt down the condensor, fan motor and compressor's down with. I'll cut off about 1.5" tommorow on the table saw to make the base plate 15.5" wide and 21.5" long. Has really turned out to be a nice "compact" (for me anyway) sized unit.

 

[BitchBreaker]

Idk bro...i was walking along..and then it hit me...IM MOVING!!!!


Back to real like your 2 stager is looking damn nice,Ill be building a 2 stager soon,and maby after that ill do a few more single stager's i have that 3.5hp tecumseh 220v compressor i wana make a autocascade r-507 unit out of


Hurry up and get that 2 stage done so i can loan u my DFI875P-T so u can oc that 560j of your's,ill be super busy ocing this Dothan i got today.

 

[gclg2000]

Yah, ain't too bad to make if ya have the time. The new hot thing with the autocascade is teh gas blend. I think we talked about his earlier.

 

[BitchBreaker]

Yes there are a few new gas blend's out that have yeilded a even lower BP,Ill be trying some new stuff once i get moved,biggest thing is i have to build 1 single stage and 1 single stage gpu cooler,that's the only thing on my list right now.

 

[5inistry]

Looking good. Can't wait to see some O/C results. Oh yeah, you can add me to list of thread watchers as well.

 

[macrospect]

Looks like the little viewglass with the sensor in it (yellow or green) is yellow, meaning it got wet?! Either that or there is more to the whole picture than I can see.

 

[gclg2000]

Nah you see it correctly, it's yellow. They come heat sealed w/ no moisture inside it. When i opened it, let it sit out while i was assembling the location of everything; the water vapor in the air got to it. When i vaccum the system down, it will pull out all the moisture and be fine.

 

[Sc4r3d]

looking good bro, keep posting pics

 

[gclg2000]

Thanks, i haven't done much on it in last few days. I've got someoen brazing a couple parts for me that i feel more comfortable them doing it than I. And i've cut down the board some so i can make it a bit more compact.

Don't know if i posted above, but the entire unit now is like 14.25"wide by 22.25" long. I've got a sheet metal place that is going to make a casing for me when i get it done. The last couple parts i need should be shipped out today, so hopefully i can have this beast fully assembled and silver soldered together by this Sunday.

I'm thinking of getting a window cut into the side of the case and putting plexi glass on it for a slight case mod to it. Be cool i think if ya could see all the part's inside it.

After that, i'll pull a 24hour vaccume on 1st stage and charge it up, and let her run. First stage should run around -50. I will have a small blend of Propane gas and R404 running on the 1st stage. Once i get the 1st stage tweaked a little, i'll play with the 2nd stage some and put finishing touches on it and then do the same 24hour vaccume on it, then also do a blend of Propane gas and then add the ethylene to the 2nd stage. Hopefully we can see some nice -110C temps or so unloaded. Would be pretty wicked.

But i still have alot of work to go on this project. And i have a couple other project's i'm trying to finish also, one of them for someone else on this forum.

Hopefully 2 weeks form now at latest, i can have this thing up and going.

 

[gclg2000]

Don't have to much of an update, but i did finally get the base plateform trimmed up and painted it black. Once again, its 14.25" wide by 22.25" long. I added a layer of 1/2" neoprene foam (with duct tape) around the HX just to give it a little more insulation. That should make it about 3.5" of spray foam, styrene and neoprene around it in all directions.

The fan has a slight vibration to it, i didn't really tighten down the screw's holding it in yet, but imma use 4 screw's to hold the fan motor down, then it will not vibrate real bad like it was.

Also pictured is the (2) 3-in-1 Start capacitor's i'll be using to power each Compressor. And some replacement oil for these R22 rotary's.

Picture's are below, and yes i've torn most of it down to clean off the joints and braze them up. I was waiting on a new nitrogen tank which is also pictured below its a 150cfm tank, to purge it with b/f torching and pressure test..

 

[gclg2000]

Ok long time w/o some updates, so time to get a serious move on here. I should be finished w/ the cascade building portion this week. Then it's time to charge and vaccum it down.

And ya ya about the burnt box. I just let it burn, i'll fix it w/ some spray insulation foam and put a layer of neoprene over it and it will be like new.

 

[Jonsey]

That is turning out to be very compact, especially for a cascade. Nice work so far!

 

[gclg2000]

Thanks, that was one of my big goals was to make it very compact. It's ~ 14" by 22" for the base plate.

 

[Jonsey]

Where did you get those schraeder valves?

 

[gclg2000]

My local HVAC supplier. I get just about all my stuff from them.

 

[gclg2000]

For those still following....
Ok guys tons of pics below so check'em out. Worked only on the wiring for everything.

And took a few other misc* pics of parts and tools, etc...

 

[Jonsey]

You take really good detail shots of your work. Most people don't that, so a person is usually left guessing about the details.
When are you going to fire it up?

 

[gclg2000]

Thank you,

Well i'm putting the PEV, 1/8" metering tube, evap block and suction line on it tommorow. The R1150 gas might be here Saturday, so Maybe i can start tuning it up on Sunday soem. I'll try to charge up the 1st stage and have it tuned and ready for 2nd stage.