Storm/G7 Prototype + Piccies

C

Cathar

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Apr 15, 2001
Messages
1,057
In final testing phase now of my "ultimate" waterblock. Seriously considering stopping making CPU waterblocks after this as its getting kinda "out there" in terms of cost vs performance gains.

Anyway here's the pictures:

http://www.employees.org/~slf/g7/

Got some work to do now, will explain the pictures as the thread develops.

What's changed you ask?

Just to recap what the G-numbers mean 'cos there's still some confusion over this:

G1 = 1 jet
G2 = 7 jets
G3 = 19 jets
G4 = 35-37 jets (implemented G4 has 35 jets)
G5 = 55-61 jets (implemented G5 has 59 jets)
G6 = 85-91 jets
G7 = 117-127 jets (implemented G7 has 117 jets)
G8 = 155-169 jets (could only machine on aerospace quality equipment)

As for the design improvements over the original base Storm design specification:

  • Increased jet inlet plenum area to lower pressure drop (thicker top-plate enables a more voluminous plenum so water can reach all jet inlets with minimal restriction - visible to eye))
  • Ported jet intakes to lower pressure drop (jet intakes are now all ellipse radiused using a custom manufactured tool - visible to eye)
  • Tweaked jet lengths to lower pressure drop (jet lengths are shorter - internal + external mod, middle plate is significantly thinner too)
  • Tweaked jet outlets to lower pressure drop (each jet outlet is chamfered around the outside of the jet tube to offer less restriction for flow exiting the cup structure - barely visible to eye)
  • Multiple flow path channels to outlet to both decrease pressure drop, and more evenly distribute jet flow and total base-plate cooling (self-explanatory and very visible to eye)
  • Base-plate bracing to boost structural strength for high-pressure CPU mounting (the 12 little posts that surround the jet area brace the base-plate and also serve as additional water turbulation for water outwash cooling effect over base-plate outside of main jetted area)
  • Improved top-plate strength for higher pressure mounting capability (just a thicker top-plate, which is offset by thinner middle plate)
  • Middle-plate bracing to improve jet/cup alignment when used with high-pressure pumps (additional consequence of the middle plate posts - reduces middle plate flexing meaning jets stay better focused with respect to their cup counterparts under very high pressure operation - meaning >>10psi)
  • Improved O-ring specifications to minimise assembly based warping (smaller O-rings and slightly wider O-ring groove dimensions, thereby meaning less clamping pressure required to seal minimising the amount of pressure that gets applied to the base-plate effectively eliminating base-plate flex on assembly)
  • Additional O-ring seal between inlet to middle plate plenum and outlet (this one's for the armchair waterblock critics - I never deemed it necessary but people often griped about the design needing one even though it doesn't, so I put it there to keep them happy anyway - may as well)
  • Improved cup/wall ratios for higher performance (minor ratio adjustments - added base-plate strength too)
  • Improved jet turbulators for higher performance (two prototypes being tested)
  • Improved base-plate characteristics for higher performance (adjusted base-plate thickness suitable for G7+silver)
  • Improved jet/cup ratios for higher performance (tweaked ratio adjustment)
  • Improved low-flow performance without sacrificing high-flow performance (micro-jetted efficiencies are much higher even with lower flow rates - also a consequence of turbulator modifications and jet/cup ratio adjustments)
  • Improved small bare-die performance (down to 7x7mm CPU dies) without sacrificing IHS performance. (simulated and tested adjustments to attempt to cover the widest possible variety of CPU types)

There's about 12 month's worth of lessons in this block and I've spared nothing to develop this block that physically embodies everything I've learned.
 
Just added a picture for idea of scale. Shown is an Australian 10c, which is the exact same size as a US quarter (25c).

http://www.employees.org/~slf/g7/g7-mid-coin.jpg

The middle plate shown in the picture above is actually a faulty prototype and the jets on it aren't quite right, so if you see differences between that plate and the other middle plate pics, that's why.
 
looking good, still loving my g4, if i could get a mached gpu block it would be great *hint**hint*
 
so, looking at this design vs the G5, i seem to be seeing that the new version has two outlets from the bottom plate, through the middle plate, and into the top cavity, where the two outlets are combined into one outlet through the top plate, and back to the watercooling loop.

maybe this is going to get too technical for me to grasp, but would not having two outlets through the top improve performance? is the gain simply negligable? did the increase in torquing once the block was mounted and plumbed represent a loss in performance? something far more complicated? i'm just curious.

one way or another, the block looks just awsome. you say that the returns as compared to manufacturing costs are pretty lousy, however this thing is impressive to behold all the same.
 
DFI Daishi said:
so, looking at this design vs the G5, i seem to be seeing that the new version has two outlets from the bottom plate, through the middle plate, and into the top cavity, where the two outlets are combined into one outlet through the top plate, and back to the watercooling loop.

maybe this is going to get too technical for me to grasp, but would not having two outlets through the top improve performance? is the gain simply negligable? did the increase in torquing once the block was mounted and plumbed represent a loss in performance? something far more complicated? i'm just curious.
Click to expand...

No need to go for 3-barb, at least not with the improved internal flow paths in the G7. The added restriction of the Y-joiner is about the same as the internal restriction of the multi-flow joining paths into the single outlet. Whether its done externally via a Y, or internally in the block, ultimately we're still joining the outlet flows into a single pipe, and if I can achieve that internally for no pressure drop loss, then there's absolutely no need to go to the hassle of having 3 barbs and a Y-piece, and all the extra tubing and routing that entails.
 
Damn those turbulators are groovy :D

DFI Daishi said:
so, looking at this design vs the G5, i seem to be seeing that the new version has two outlets from the bottom plate, through the middle plate, and into the top cavity, where the two outlets are combined into one outlet through the top plate, and back to the watercooling loop.

maybe this is going to get too technical for me to grasp, but would not having two outlets through the top improve performance? is the gain simply negligable? did the increase in torquing once the block was mounted and plumbed represent a loss in performance? something far more complicated? i'm just curious.
Click to expand...

117 micro jets is awesome. 169 is insane.
 
Cathar said:
No need to go for 3-barb, at least not with the improved internal flow paths in the G7. The added restriction of the Y-joiner is about the same as the internal restriction of the multi-flow joining paths into the single outlet. Whether its done externally via a Y, or internally in the block, ultimately we're still joining the outlet flows into a single pipe, and if I can achieve that internally for no pressure drop loss, then there's absolutely no need to go to the hassle of having 3 barbs and a Y-piece, and all the extra tubing and routing that entails.
Click to expand...
cool.

i would never have imagined that those two little groves would allow for as much flow as having on outlet located there would. i just didn't see the cross-sectional area being even close. i guess that they are deeper than they look........

oh well, congrats once again on having made what will most likely be the top-performing waterblock on earth, for the foreseeable future.
 
SpoogeMonkey said:
117 micro jets is awesome. 169 is insane.
Click to expand...
quoi?

i mean, i fully agree with your sentimate, i just don't understand why you are quoting my post.

hell, 117 precision machined jets, with both jets and cups tolleranced finely enough to consistently line up in the assembled product, is more of a work of art than a work of engineering.......probably requires workers who give a damn from start to finish, for it to turn out properly........
 
Absolutely insane Cathar! Very nice indeed.

The machining cost have got to be outrageous. I'm trying to get a much simpler, rather basic design machined, just a short run of 20, and costs are killing me. You must have access to some awesome tooling...
 
DFI Daishi said:
i would never have imagined that those two little groves would allow for as much flow as having on outlet located there would. i just didn't see the cross-sectional area being even close. i guess that they are deeper than they look........
Click to expand...

Together they equate to about half the effective total cross-sectional area of the ID of typical 1/2" OD barb.

The other thing to consider too is that the holes and positions of them are designed to make use of the venturi effect to create effective low-pressure regions to help suck the flow through to scavenge flow from the block more efficiently. The water flow rushing up the main barbed outlet is sucking the flow through from the two channels, and the two channels being fed by the main opposite-end outlet in turn suck the flow up through from the two smaller side-outlets in the middle-plate as well.
 
Where to go from here?! How about getting us our Cathar GPU waterblocks!!! Video cards need some lovin too!

The G7 looks amazing...I'll wait for the G8 ;) Just think of the "bling" factor you would get by saying that the waterblock cooling your cpu was machined by super high precision aircraft machinery!! :)
 
Erasmus354 said:
The G7 looks amazing...I'll wait for the G8 ;) Just think of the "bling" factor you would get by saying that the waterblock cooling your cpu was machined by super high precision aircraft machinery!! :)
Click to expand...
what, you want to pay $20 for each bolt in the thing? :)
 
very impressive... i'de say my only complaint would be the simple blocky design of the block - which i bet will change when they go to mass production.
 
So did you figure out what metal to make for the top plate and how much do I send you?
 
Top Nurse said:
So did you figure out what metal to make for the top plate and how much do I send you?
Click to expand...

You could look at the new Dtek MP-05 block. It wont perform like a Storm, but it should be no slouch. You can get a version with nickle plated brass top for 65$. I would like to see a storm g5 (or g7?) with a chromed top :)
 
Cathar, you need to stop making these things so that I can spend my hard-earned money on other goods :D

Just kidding man, I love your work. When these start being manufactured I will definately be selling my Storm to buy one :)
 
·PitBuLL· said:
Cathar, you need to stop making these things so that I can spend my hard-earned money on other goods :D

Just kidding man, I love your work. When these start being manufactured I will definately be selling my Storm to buy one :)
Click to expand...

pfft, good luck getting more than two cents out of that outdated hunk of junk ;) G7 all the way hehe.
 
I have no Idea on how it performs, I think Lee is doing the review. Just keep a eye open for when it's posted. If I see it first, I'll post a link.
 
Erasmus354 said:
You could look at the new Dtek MP-05 block. It wont perform like a Storm, but it should be no slouch. You can get a version with nickle plated brass top for 65$. I would like to see a storm g5 (or g7?) with a chromed top :)
Click to expand...

I have been conversing with Cathar for a while now about making me a silvery looking top for a G7 block as a custom order, but thanks for the tip anyway. :)
 
Top Nurse said:
So did you figure out what metal to make for the top plate and how much do I send you?
Click to expand...

It'd either be chrome plated brass, or polished pure nickel.

Just prototype at present. No firm price, still haven't finished testing/finalising.
 
Cathar said:
It'd either be chrome plated brass, or polished pure nickel.

Just prototype at present. No firm price, still haven't finished testing/finalising.
Click to expand...

Polished pure nickel would be my choice. :) Just out of curiosity how much would it add to price to have it made out of silver instead?
 
Top Nurse said:
Polished pure nickel would be my choice. :) Just out of curiosity how much would it add to price to have it made out of silver instead?
Click to expand...

I don't have a suitable source for the silver in that size, and it'd be a bad idea to have that much weight hanging off the CPU. Silver also tarnishes to an ugly yellow, then blue-black color over time inside a computer case, presumably due to whatever chemicals are floating around inside computer case as the components "gas off". Down near the CPU the base-plate remains relatively clean and untarnished but the more air-flow that flows over it the quicker it turns blue-black and looking not unlike heat-colored steel.

The top in solid silver would also be around 700g in weight, a total waste, would not retain its appearance over time, and simply be a bad idea all around.

Polished pure nickel it would have to be.
 
Cathar said:
Polished pure nickel it would have to be.
Click to expand...

Sounds good to me :D So about when do you think these will start to be made? By January or so?
 
Awesomeness :D I think I better start saving now, but it would be worth every single penny :)
 
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