AC Compressor Cooling Thread
AC Compressor Cooling Thread
before sharing this thread, I hadn't noticed a whole sub-forum on OC.net focused specifically on phase change cooling. If anyone is curious.
this video
https://youtu.be/4d0B0Dli-1g?t=5m9s
reflects my concept with some adjustments. It’s already happening, the main challenge is fine-tuning the design.
this represents the next step for CPU and GPU cooling. It functions similarly to an air conditioner, but the ultra-cooled refrigerant is connected directly to your CPU. Very straightforward. The benefit is you only require a compressor much smaller than your AC or fridge.
yay, no more noisy fans, dust, heat, or all the associated issues. Plus, it opens up amazing overclocking possibilities.
this project is still evolving—no major advancements yet—but the concept is solid and it’s incredibly promising. I’m not the first to think this way, but I’m certain someone has already explored it, even if it wasn’t fully realized or widely available yet. I look forward to seeing more developments in PC cooling over the next years!
hurdles
1. Condensation. New case designs will be required. Think opposite of what we have now. It needs to be airtight. This will help protect your components from dust, critters, corrosion, humidity, salt etc etc and undoubtedly make them last longer (especially when they are frosty cool
) There are methods to make a case both highly accessible and airtight (rubber gasket, hinges, etc)
As another poster has mentioned - after opening the case and resealing it, a dehumidifying function would need to be applied to remove all moisture from the air.
2. Electricity. This cooling system would use somewhere between 500-800w. This of course, is for a beast of a gaming system with a fat gfx card and CPU insanely overclocked - much smaller, less power consuming units could be developed for our beloved casuals. Depending on how much you game- the extra electricity costs from the cooling unit alone could go into the hundreds per year. However any gaming enthusiast that understands the implications knows this is a small sacrifice.
Good stuff Rubix. I was just banned at another forum for posting this, so thanks for keeping me around!
I’d definitely consider using freon as a coolant, delivered straight to the heatsink (R12 was supposedly superior and if we could make it legal for PC fans only would be awesome—though it got banned for environmental reasons). It gets colder and, according to what I understand, it’s more efficient to transfer all energy through one liquid rather than two.
This might need a major overhaul of the compressor cooling system—designing a colder, more concentrated refrigerant (perhaps a shorter loop) instead of the big air-cooled evaporators we usually use.
We’re only cooling a small piece of metal.
The other parts (ram, HD) can likely be cooled passively and probably quite effectively from the heat left in the GPU or CPU coolers.
Freon is prohibited in numerous countries, yet alternatives exist though they are less effective. It's feasible to build a cooler or freezer using heat exchange rather than a compressor. Back then I used a German "Linde" refrigerator with a heater and CO2; it operated quietly for over 30 years.
I wonder how this was achieved by Thermaltake ten years ago and why it hasn't become common.
There are a few distinctions between my concept and Alphacools' solution.
It doesn't rely on a sealed case; instead, it chills the liquid first, which reduces thermal efficiency and forces all the extra piping to work as a radiator. Plus, freon can reach much colder temperatures, offering better performance. The cost is also quite high.
On a large scale, the price of this device could be comparable to a basic window AC unit (around a few hundred dollars) and possibly even cheaper if it's optimized for just cooling two small heatsinks. I'm not a capitalist, so I'd reduce the price by half for retail profit.
That's accurate—a real compressor cooler would cost less than one of those ready-made liquid cooling units and is significantly cheaper than a custom cooling loop. Power to the PC folks!
Also, freon (r134) isn't restricted, but R-12 is allowed (and about 30% more efficient) and their replacement with even more toxic r134 is questionable. It's possible they just designed systems that don't leak much—much easier for a stationary PC than a moving, vibrating car.
Freon causes issues for the ionosphere and creates significant holes in it. The problem isn't just with car air-conditioning but also with countless aerosol cans. In Canada, I had to replace Freon fire extinguishers in my boat and truck for CO2 and dry ones.
CountMike shared his experiences with Freon issues affecting the ionosphere and its impact on aerosol cans. He mentioned replacing Freon fire extinguishers in boats and trucks in Canada for CO2 and dry types. While acknowledging aerosol cans as a significant factor, he reassured that the system remains secure and unlikely to fail unless intentionally opened. He also noted that CO2 cooling is promising, but liquid helium might be more effective for extreme temperatures, though it would be challenging to implement with current technology. Looking ahead, he humorously predicted that soon all computers will be space-cooled.
I wonder how this was achieved by Thermaltake a decade ago and why it hasn't become more common.
It isn't widespread because:
- It's costly
- It's not really necessary
- It's too complicated
- It tends to be noisy (probably)
- Reducing temperature doesn't automatically improve performance or increase output
Only when the system is actually experiencing thermal throttling does it matter.
CPU performance at 85°C matches that at 60°C.
If you're pushing your CPU's limits and you've hit a point where voltage and frequency are constrained by temperature, then maybe it could work.
But it usually applies to very few people.
Often the issue is just a limitation of the specific CPU in your setup. No matter how advanced it seems, that chip won't exceed its maximum.
Under $100, silent installation (about 30 minutes), no condensation… do you think you can meet all those conditions?