Water or air cooling: what is better and why. DIY water cooling system for PC: recommendations and step-by-step instructions

Introduction At the end of the century before last, the first cars appeared, which served as a milestone in technical progress and the mobilization of mankind. Their engines were at first primitive, low-powered, noisy and air-cooled. But now less than ten years have passed, and together with the increase in power and more balanced operation, the internal combustion engine receives a much more efficient liquid cooling. This method of cooling millions of engines is an invariable attribute of a comfortable car to this day.

The first PCs had no problem cooling their processors at all. Then they got radiators. Next - small fans. What do we have now? Today the cost of coolers for processors from the upper model range is already approaching the price of the CPUs from the lower models. The power of modern coolers, their dimensions, weight, engine speed and fan diameter have increased dramatically. The processing and quality of the material became critical. If before the capabilities of coolers were enough with a margin, today they are already struggling to cope with their tasks. It becomes more and more difficult to increase the ventilation power, since the dimensions and weight of processor coolers are already reaching critical values.
Along with the increase in processing power, modern processors consume more and more power. Most of it is released in the form of heat. This continuous heat flux can only be drawn through a limited area of ​​the processor core. Manufacturers are trying to combat energy consumption and heat generation by switching to lower supply voltages and technology standards. With a decrease in micron production rates, power consumption does indeed decrease, but the crystal area of ​​the core itself also decreases, which, in turn, leads to an increase in the heat flux density. And although the heat becomes less, but whether the temperature inside the core of a smaller area will decrease is already in question. With increasing integration and decreasing chip area, removing heat from the surface of the chip becomes more and more difficult. Special materials and coolants are already required here. The constant increase in clock frequencies suggests an inevitable increase in CPU heat dissipation in the future. For processors with clock frequencies exceeding 2 GHz, coolers with copper heatsinks or at least with a copper base on an aluminum heatsink are recommended. What will be behind the copper? Silver? Gold dusting? Or something else?

Cooling problem in general

No matter how the air cooler can cope with the cooling of the processor, but where does it go to heat? The answer is clear - it pumps (pulls) it inside the system unit. The cooler of video cards, hard and optical drives, heatsinks of the chipset, etc. are also dumped there. But all these devices are cooled with the same air from the system unit, which they themselves heat up. The circle of thermal convection is closed. The temperature inside the computer case has become as relevant as the heating of the internal devices. The result is intensive forced ventilation of the entire system unit. If earlier the cases were equipped with one seat for the front fan, and the manufacturers did not really care about the ventilation holes opposite it, now there are 2-3 places for the fans inside the standard cases. In addition, a lot of all kinds of "blovers", fan blocks for slot and 5.25 "bays appeared on sale.
A recommendation that has already become an axiom: take a large-volume case, because it has better air circulation. This is where the body space is wasted - air circulation. Moreover, there is no special organization of paths for air ducts in ordinary cases at all, and the effect of ventilation depends on the configuration of a particular computer, on the cluttering of its internal space with loops and expansion cards. The processor and other devices are cooled by air from the inside of the case. Air cooling efficiency directly depends on the air temperature inside the system unit. Requires thoughtful ventilation inside the chassis. But it is very difficult to make air flows in the right direction, all kinds of devices, plumes, internal nooks and crannies block its way. By and large, air does not circulate along a predetermined path, but is mixed inside the housing.
If air-cooled enclosures are specially designed, with a compact arrangement of elements and a clear organization of air ducts, which is typical for servers, then the problem of organization and cross-section of air ducts is also very acute. Indoor fans blow air to their radiators at a specific pressure. The effective cross-section of the duct should be comparable to the area of ​​the fan. We have to provide for wide internal air lines. These lines must provide sufficient flow capacity for heat dissipation and access to cold air.
In the case of cooling the system with liquid, the situation changes radically. The coolant circulates in an isolated space - through flexible tubes of small diameter. Unlike air lines, liquid tubing can be configured to virtually any configuration and direction. The volume occupied by them is much less than the air ducts with the same or much greater efficiency.

The advantages of liquid cooling

The fundamental difference between air and liquid cooling is that instead of air, liquid is pumped through the radiator of the CPU or other cooled device. Water or other liquids suitable for cooling have good thermal conductivity and high heat capacity. The circulating fluid provides much better heat dissipation than air flow. This gives not only a lower temperature of the cooled elements, but also smoothes out sharp temperature drops in devices operating in variable modes.
The typical liquid heatsink for a processor is much smaller than any cooler in use today. The radiator of a small heat exchanger can be comparable to the size of a large processor cooler, but unlike the latter, the heat exchanger is placed more freely, in a less critical place of the system unit, or it can be taken out. The tubes do not take up much space inside the case, and they are not disturbed by all those irregularities and protruding elements that are critical for air flow.
The specially designed liquid cooling system not only outperforms an air cooler, but also has a more compact size. This is probably why laptop manufacturers were the first to use liquid cooling on serial devices.
In the case of liquid cooling, the centralized system is easy to set up. The main unit of the liquid cooler can be located outside the system unit, connected to it only by two flexible pipes, through which the liquid refrigerant flows for all devices equipped with liquid radiators.
Complex liquid cooling can simultaneously solve the problem of cooling both hot devices - CPU, HDD, video card chips and MB, and improve the temperature regime inside the system unit as a whole. If, when cooling internal devices with ordinary coolers, the hot air flowed into the system unit, threatening overheating to other components, then with liquid cooling the situation is fundamentally different. The removed heat is transported along with the liquid through pipes to the heat exchanger radiator, from where it can be blown out, bypassing the internal space of the computer. This ensures the best thermal conditions inside the system unit, and so powerful general ventilation of its space is no longer required. One quiet, low-speed, large-diameter fan can easily cope with cooling the heat exchanger radiator. In addition, this fan will cool not only the radiator fluid, but also the space of the system unit, taking air from there.

Liquid embodied in "iron"

A noticeable revival has begun in the market for liquid cooling systems. The reasons for this are clear. The quality and thoughtfulness of liquid cooling designs increases, while the cost, on the contrary, decreases. A complete Efficient Fluid System Cabinet Mounting Kit is now available for less than $ 100. This is not that much considering that decent copper coolers are now priced at $ 20-40. What can you say, if even such a giant of the "cooler" industry as Thermaltake has provided its own set of liquid cooling for the CPU, then, apparently, the game is really worth the candle ...

According to its design features, it makes sense to divide the liquid cooling system into two types:

1. Systems where the coolant is driven by a pump as a separate mechanical unit.
2. Pumpless liquid cooling systems using special refrigerants that pass through the liquid and gaseous phases during heat transfer.

Fluid system with pump

The functional diagram of such a cooling unit is shown in fig. 1... Its principle of operation is effective and simple, and, in general, does not differ in any way from the cooling systems used in cars. The liquid (in most cases it is distilled water) is pumped through the radiators of the cooled devices using a special pump. All components of the structure are interconnected by flexible pipes with a diameter of 6-12 mm. Passing through the radiator of the processor and, in some cases, other devices, the liquid takes their heat, after which it enters through the tubes into the radiator of the heat exchanger with outside air, where it cools itself. The system is closed, and the liquid circulates in it constantly.

The same connection, but, so to speak, in the "hardware" can be seen on fig. 2 on the example of CoolingFlow products. All elements of the fluid structure are clearly visible here. In this case, the system is designed to cool only the processor. A compact heat exchanger radiator with one fan, in theory, is installed in the front part of the case, which does not require a special design. The pump is combined with a buffer reservoir for liquid. The arrows show the movement of cold and hot liquid.

Fig. 2
Illustrative diagram using the example of CoolingFlow Space2000.

The location of the liquid cooling system inside the case is better illustrated in fig. 3... It uses an enlarged heat exchanger radiator with two fans, so it is mounted on the rear side of a specially adapted casing. Such a cooling system has a good power reserve and in addition to the processor, if necessary, it can simultaneously cool other computer components. Although today, liquid cooling systems with a front-mounted heat exchanger with one fan are still more widespread.

Fig. 3
The location of the liquid cooling from SwiftTech in the case.

But still, the installation of the entire liquid cooling system inside the case has a number of disadvantages. Firstly, typical hulls were not originally designed for the installation of such structures, and here there may be problems with the location, especially the most powerful of them. To install a particularly efficient liquid cooling, you will need either a special case or a special external liquid cooling unit. This is exactly what is depicted on fig. 4... This unit includes a pump, a heat exchanger radiator, three fans, an electronic control system and a digital temperature indicator. This design is completely self-contained. Only a liquid radiator connected to the unit by flexible tubes and a temperature sensor are placed inside the computer case. The unit itself is conveniently located on top of the computer case.

Fig. 4
External block for liquid cooling Koolance EXOS.

The most significant component of any cooling system in a computer is the processor heatsink. In the case of liquid cooling, this element takes on a convenient and compact appearance. Small liquid CPU coolers look quite unusual compared to the dimensions of typical air coolers, especially since the former are more efficient than the latter. You can evaluate the type of liquid heatsinks for the CPU, as well as their location on a dual-processor system, by fig. 5; 6.

Fig. 5
Liquid heatsinks for the processor.




Fig. 6
Two CPUs installed on the MB.

As in the case of any radiator, the efficiency of a liquid radiator is determined by the contact area of ​​its surface with the coolant, for which ribs, needles or funnels that increase the contact area are made inside ( fig. 7). If the liquid circulates directionally along concentric ribs, then its heat transfer is maximized. The case with funnels on an ordinary copper plate, made with a simple drill, will certainly interest those who are not averse to making such a thing on their own at home.

Fig. 7
The internal structure of liquid radiators.

For graphic chips of video cards, liquid cooling is also used, which is included in parallel with the processor. The radiators are smaller here. They look much more elegant on video cards ( fig. 8) than the powerful monster-like air coolers.

Fig. 8
Liquid radiator of the video card.

The device on which the reliability of the liquid cooling system most depends is the pump ( fig. 9). If the liquid stops circulating, the cooling efficiency will drop dramatically. Pumps of two types are used: immersed in a tank with a cooling liquid and external, with their own sealed casing. The design of submersible pumps is very simple - in fact, it is an impeller rotating in a liquid, enclosed in a casing. Its centrifugal force creates the necessary fluid pressure. The fluid reservoir is usually made of plastic. These pumps are quite cheap and therefore prevail. A separate external pump is much more expensive, because it already requires a high-quality sealed carrier body that undergoes special machining. But the reliability and performance of the solution in the latter case can be much higher.

Fig. 9
Internal and external pumps.

To cool the liquid, special radiators-heat exchangers are used ( fig. 10). This is almost a miniature copy of a car radiator - the principle is the same. One to three fans with a diameter of 80-120 mm are attached to the radiator. The water flowing through the curved copper tube is cooled by the forced air. The noise from such a design is usually less than from a powerful air cooler, since low-speed fans with an increased diameter are used here.

Fig. 10
Heat exchanger radiator.

Liquid cooling is no less effective in the case of a hard drive. Some manufacturers have developed special very thin water radiators for HDDs ( fig. 11). The radiator is attached to the top plane of the drive. A good heat dissipation is provided by means of a large contact area of ​​the radiator plane to the metal case of the HDD, which, in general, is unattainable with air blowing.

Fig. 11
Flat heatsink for HDD (Koolance).

So, the advantages of this type of liquid cooling include: increased efficiency, the possibility of parallel cooling of several devices, rational transport of heat from the case of the system unit, small size of chip radiators. It is also worth adding to this the low noise level created by many water cooling systems, at least it is lower than the noise from a powerful air cooler with a lower cooling efficiency.
The disadvantages, first of all, are the lack of adaptation of standard cases to new cooling systems. No, there is nothing complicated in principle here, but most likely you will need to drill several additional holes for attaching the heat exchanger, and take care of a sufficient area of ​​the ventilation holes in the case. It may be necessary to select a special case. Today, case manufacturers provide for mounting front fans, but in many cases the ventilation slots opposite them are clearly insufficient for effective heat transfer, they are rather decorative in nature.
Another disadvantage is the use as a water cooler. Water is a conductive liquid with a fairly low boiling point, so it evaporates noticeably even at room temperature. Water inside the system unit is an undesirable phenomenon, even if it is in a closed vessel. In principle, nothing prevents you from replacing water with a more suitable liquid, for example, transformer oil, which is used to cool powerful electrical equipment. Oil does not conduct current, being, on the contrary, a good insulator. Its thermal conductivity is better than that of water, and its boiling point is higher, so it hardly evaporates. Under the oil, you will have to use only pumps of a slightly different type, given its higher viscosity. I don't think it will be the prospect for butter. Now, it seems that manufacturers are concerned about the maximum ease of use of the new product, even for an unprepared user. As you know, water is a widespread and familiar to all product.

Pumpless liquid cooling

There are liquid cooling systems in the design of which there is no such element as a pump. But, nevertheless, liquid refrigerant circulates inside such a system. The principle of an evaporator is used to create directional pressure for the movement of the refrigerant. Special refrigerants are used here - this is a liquid with a low boiling point. It is best to understand the physics of what is happening by looking at the diagram ( fig. 12). At first, when cold, the radiator and lines are filled with liquid. But when the processor heatsink heats up above a certain temperature, the liquid in it turns into vapor. It should be added here that the process of conversion to steam itself absorbs additional energy in the form of heat, which means that it increases the cooling efficiency. Hot steam builds up pressure and tries to escape the processor heatsink space. Through a special one-way valve, steam can escape only in one direction - move into the radiator of the heat exchanger-condenser. Getting into the radiator of the heat exchanger, the steam displaces the cold liquid from there into the processor radiator, and it cools down and turns into liquid again. Thus, the coolant in alternating liquid-vapor phases is constantly circulated through the closed piping system while the radiator is hot. The energy for movement here is the heat itself generated by the cooled element.

Fig. 12
Liquid cooling scheme based on the evaporator principle.

The hardware implementation looks pretty compact. On the ( fig. 13) shows a system for cooling the central or graphic processor, in the design of which there is no pump. The main elements here are the heatsinks of the processor and the heat exchanger-condenser.

Fig. 13
CoolingFlow liquid "evaporator" for CPU.

Another option for an evaporative liquid cooling system for a video card is even more interesting ( fig. 14). It uses a very compact design using the same principle. The heatsink of the graphics chip has a built-in liquid evaporator. The heat exchanger is right there, next to it - near the side wall of the video card. This whole structure is made of copper alloy. A high-speed (7200 rpm) centrifugal fan is used to cool the heat exchanger. The air that has passed through the heat exchanger condenses the steam and is thrown out to the outside of the housing through a special nozzle. The coolant in the liquid-gas phases is constantly circulating in a closed circle.

Fig. 14
Cooling system on the Abit Siluro OTES GeForce4 Ti4200 video card.

Even simpler systems of non-pump liquid cooling are also known. They use the principle of so-called heat pipes. That is, there is no closed system for liquid circulation at all. The processor heatsink is connected to the heat exchanger heatsink by means of several copper pipes. The design is compact. The liquid evaporates through the tube into the heat exchanger radiator, where it condenses and flows back into the processor radiator by gravity. The heat exchanger radiator is intensively blown with air. Such a system cannot be considered a full-fledged liquid cooling; it is rather a variant of an air-liquid cooler.
Pumpless liquid cooling systems are notable for their enviable compactness. This design can be much smaller than a conventional air cooler, while its efficiency is higher. Not surprisingly, laptop manufacturers were among the first to adopt liquid cooling as a compact and efficient solution ( fig. 15).

Fig. 15
Liquid cooling on ESC DeskNote i-Buddie 4.

Liquid cooling systems that use the principle of an evaporator, without the use of a mechanical blower, have both advantages and disadvantages over traditional liquid cooling schemes using a pump. The absence of a mechanical pump makes the design more compact, simpler and cheaper. Here, the number of moving mechanical parts is minimized, only the condenser fan remains. This will give a low noise level when using a quiet fan. The likelihood of mechanical damage is minimized. On the other hand, the power and efficiency of such systems is much lower than systems using pumped liquid. Another problem is the need for good structural integrity. Since the gas phase of the substance is used here, even with the slightest leak, over time the system will lose pressure and become inoperative. Moreover, it will be very difficult to diagnose and fix the latter.

Perspective of a liquid in a computer

If a couple of years ago, in the understanding of the average statistical user, the combination of water and a computer was perceived as something completely exotic and incompatible in nature in principle, today the situation is radically changing. First of all, manufacturers of components and computers paid attention to liquid cooling. And users get their hands on constructively complete and quite familiar-looking products, be they laptops or video cards, in the insides of which liquid splashes. The ever-growing heat dissipation of modern processors is pushing developers to the idea that soon air alone will not be enough to curb the heating temperature of their crystals, especially for those who like to experiment with overclocking. And what decent motherboard today does not contain these very overclocking tools that get rich from model to model? This is just a market - to lure the buyer at any cost. And if overclocking capabilities are incorporated into the design of a mass product, and some people like this game, and, let's say, many, then how to support the excitement of potential buyers without effective and, as it seems, non-standard cooling? Now brands are already demonstrating water cooling systems on their charged models, exhibiting this action with special glamor.
The market is reviving. There are more and more kits for mounting liquid cooling in a regular computer. Constructive approaches have been determined, prices no longer look so frightening. And yet this product is aimed at enthusiasts so far. To install it will require some locksmith skills, something like repairing a bicycle at home. And the main thing is desire. The inertness of PC case manufacturers also affects, the majority of which have rather mediocre opportunities for installing additional equipment, primarily front and rear large-diameter fans required for liquid radiators. But all this is quite simple to solve, and everyone can assemble and test the liquid cooling system in practice. Such an experience may come in handy. Who knows what lies ahead in the processor speed race? Will the crystals of future CPUs turn out to be so hot that liquid will become a completely reasonable alternative for cooling, as something happened to the internal combustion engines of cars at one time? Wait and see…

Water cooling systems have been used for many years as a highly efficient means of removing heat from heating components in a computer.

Cooling quality directly affects the stability of your computer. Excessive heat causes the computer to freeze and overheated components may fail. High temperatures are harmful to the element base (capacitors, microcircuits, etc.), and overheating of the hard disk can lead to data loss.

As the performance of computers increases, more efficient cooling systems have to be used. An air cooling system is considered traditional, but the air has a low thermal conductivity and a large air flow creates a lot of noise. Powerful coolers emit a fairly strong roar, although they can provide acceptable efficiency.

In such conditions, water cooling systems are becoming more and more popular. The superiority of water cooling over air cooling is explained by the indicators of heat capacity (4.183 kJ kg -1 K -1 for water and 1.005 kJ kg -1 K -1 for air) and thermal conductivity (0.6 W / (m K) for water and 0.024-0.031 W / (m K) for air). Therefore, other things being equal, water cooling systems will always be more efficient than air cooling systems.

On the Internet, you can find a lot of materials on ready-made water cooling systems from leading manufacturers and examples of home-made cooling systems (the latter are usually more efficient).

A water cooling system (CBO) is a cooling system in which water is used as a heat carrier to transfer heat. Unlike air cooling, in which heat is transferred directly to air, in a water cooling system, heat is first transferred to water.

The principle of operation of the CBO

Computer cooling is necessary to remove heat from a heated component (chipset, processor, ...) and dissipate it. A conventional air cooler has a monolithic heatsink that performs both of these functions.

In SVO, each part performs its own function. The water block carries out heat removal, and the other part dissipates heat energy. An approximate connection diagram of the components of the CBO can be seen in the diagram below.

Water blocks can be connected to the circuit in parallel and in series. The first option is preferable if there are identical heat collectors. You can combine these options and get a parallel-serial connection, but the most correct would be to connect the water blocks one after the other.

Heat removal occurs according to the following scheme: the liquid from the reservoir is supplied to the pump, and then pumped further to the nodes that cool the PC components.

The reason for this connection is the slight warming up of the water after passing through the first water block and effective heat removal from the chipset, GPU, CPU. The heated liquid enters the radiator and cools there. Then it enters the reservoir again, and a new cycle begins.

According to its design features, CBO can be divided into two types:

1. The coolant is circulated by the pump as a separate mechanical unit.
2. Pumpless systems that use special refrigerants that pass through the liquid and gaseous phases.

Cooling system with pump

The principle of its action is effective and simple. Liquid (usually distilled water) flows through the radiators of the cooled devices.

All structural components are interconnected by flexible pipes (diameter 6-12 mm). The liquid, passing through the radiator of the processor and other devices, takes their heat, and then through the tubes it enters the radiator of the heat exchanger, where it cools itself. The system is closed, and the liquid is constantly circulating in it.

An example of such a connection can be shown on the example of the products of the CoolingFlow company. In it, the pump is combined with a buffer reservoir for liquid. The arrows show the movement of cold and hot liquid.

Pumpless liquid cooling

There are liquid cooling systems that do not use a pump. They use the principle of an evaporator and create directional pressure that causes the coolant to move. Low boiling point liquids are used as refrigerants. The physics of the ongoing process can be viewed in the diagram below.

Initially, the radiator and lines are completely filled with liquid. When the temperature of the processor heatsink rises above a certain value, the liquid turns into vapor. The process of converting liquid to vapor absorbs heat energy and improves cooling efficiency. The hot steam builds up pressure. Steam, through a special one-way valve, can escape only in one direction - into the radiator of the heat exchanger-condenser. There the vapor displaces the cold liquid in the direction of the processor heatsink, and, cooling down, turns into liquid again. So the liquid-vapor circulates in a closed piping system while the temperature of the radiator is high. This system is very compact.

Another variant of such a cooling system is possible. For example, for a video card.

A liquid evaporator is built into the heatsink of the graphics chip. The heat exchanger is located next to the side wall of the video card. The structure is made of copper alloy. The heat exchanger is cooled by a high-speed (7200 rpm) centrifugal fan.

CBO components

Water cooling systems use a specific set of components, both required and optional.

Obligatory components of the CBO:

• radiator,
• fitting,
• water block,
• water pump,
• hoses,
• water.

Optional components of CBO are: temperature sensors, reservoir, drain taps, pump and fan controllers, secondary water blocks, indicators and meters (flow, temperature, pressure), water mixtures, filters, backplates.

• Let's take a look at the required components.

A waterblock is a heat exchanger that transfers heat from a heated element (processor, video chip, etc.) to water. It consists of a copper base and a metal cover with a set of fasteners.

The main types of water blocks: processor, for video cards, for the system chip (north bridge). Waterblocks for video cards can be of two types: covering only the graphics chip ("gpu only") and covering all heating elements - fullcover.

Waterblock Swiftech MCW60-R (gpu-only):

EK Waterblocks EK-FC-5970 (Fulkaver):

To increase the heat transfer area, a microchannel and microneedle structure is used. Waterblocks are made without a complex internal structure if performance is not so critical.

Chipset water block XSPC X2O Delta Chipset:

Radiator. In CBO, a water-air heat exchanger is called a radiator, which transfers heat from water in a water block to air. There are two subtypes of CBO radiators: passive (fanless), active (blown by a fan).

Fanless ones can be found quite rarely (for example, in the SVO Zalman Reserator) because this type of radiator has a lower efficiency. Such radiators take up a lot of space and are difficult to fit even in a modified case.

Passive radiator Alphacool Cape Cora HF 642:

Active radiators are more common in water-cooled systems due to their better efficiency. If you use quiet or silent fans, then you can achieve a quiet or silent operation of the CBO. These heatsinks come in many different sizes, but generally they are multiples of a 120mm or 140mm fan.

Radiator Feser X-Changer Triple 120mm Xtreme

The SVO radiator behind the computer case:

Pump - an electric pump, is responsible for the circulation of water in the circuit of the CBO. The pumps can be operated from 220 volts or 12 volts. When there were few specialized components for CBO on sale, they used aquarium pumps operating from 220 volts. This created some difficulties due to the need to turn on the pump in sync with the computer. For this, a relay was used that turns on the pump automatically when the computer starts up. Now there are specialized pumps with compact dimensions and good performance, operating from 12 volts.

Compact pump Laing DDC-1T

Modern water blocks have a rather high coefficient of hydraulic resistance, therefore, it is advisable to use specialized pumps, since aquarium pumps will not allow modern water cooling systems to work at full performance.

Hoses or tubes are also mandatory components of any water supply system, through which water flows from one component to another. Mostly PVC hoses are used, sometimes silicone. The size of the hose does not greatly affect the overall performance, it is important not to use too thin (less than 8 mm) hoses.

Fluorescent Hose Feser Tube:

Fittings are called special connecting elements for connecting hoses to the components of the CBO (pump, radiator, water blocks). The fittings must be screwed into the threaded hole on the CBO component. They do not need to be screwed in very tightly (no wrenches are needed). Tightness is achieved with a rubber O-ring. The vast majority of components are sold without complete fittings. This is done so that the user can choose the fittings for the desired hose. The most common type of fittings are compression (with a union nut) and herringbone (fittings are used). Fittings are available in straight and angled versions. Fittings also differ in thread type. In computer SVO, the thread of the standard G1 / 4 ″ is more common, less often G1 / 8 ″ or G3 / 8 ″.

Computer water cooling:

Bitspower Herringbone Fittings:

Bitspower Compression Fittings:

Water is also an obligatory component of the water supply system. It is best to fill with distilled water (purified from impurities by distillation). Deionized water is also used, but it has no significant differences from distilled water, only it is produced in a different way. You can use special mixtures or water with various additives. But it is not recommended to use tap water or bottled water for drinking.

Optional components are components without which the CBO can work stably and do not affect performance. They make the operation of the NWO more convenient.

The reservoir (expansion tank) is considered an optional component of the water cooling system, although it is present in most water cooling systems. Reservoir systems are more convenient to refuel. The volume of water in the reservoir is not critical, it does not affect the performance of the water supply system. There are very different forms of tanks and they are selected according to the criteria of ease of installation.

Magicool tubular tank:

The drain cock is used for convenient drainage of water from the CBO circuit. It is closed in its normal state, and opens when it is necessary to drain the water from the system.

Drain valve Koolance:

Sensors, indicators and meters. Quite a lot of different meters, controllers, sensors for water supply systems are produced. Among them there are electronic sensors for water temperature, pressure and water flow, controllers that coordinate the operation of fans with temperature, indicators of water movement, and so on. Pressure and water flow sensors are needed only in systems intended for testing the components of air handling units, since this information is simply insignificant for an ordinary user.

Electronic flow sensor from AquaCompute:

Filter. Some water cooling systems are equipped with a filter included in the circuit. It is designed to filter out a variety of small particles that have entered the system (dust, soldering residues, sediment).

Water additives and various mixtures. In addition to water, you can use various additives. Some are designed to protect against corrosion, others to prevent bacteria from growing in the system or tint water. They also produce ready-made mixtures containing water, anti-corrosion additives and dye. There are ready-made mixtures that increase the productivity of water treatment plants, but the increase in productivity from them is possible only insignificantly. You can find liquids for CBO, which are not made on the basis of water, but using a special dielectric liquid. Such a liquid does not conduct electricity and will not cause a short circuit if it leaks to PC components. Distilled water is also non-conductive, but if spilled, it gets on the dusty areas of the PC, it can become electrically conductive. There is no need for a dielectric fluid, because a well-tested CBO does not leak and has sufficient reliability. It is also important to follow the instructions for the additives. It is not necessary to pour them in excess, this can lead to disastrous consequences.

Green fluorescent dye:

A backplate is a special mounting plate, which is needed to unload the PCB of the motherboard or video card from the force created by the water block mounts, and to reduce the bending of the PCB, reducing the risk of breakage. The backplate is not a required component, but it is very common in the NWO.

Branded backplate from Watercool:

Secondary water blocks. Sometimes, they put additional waterblocks on slightly heated components. These components include: random access memory, power supply transistors, hard drives, and southbridge. The fact that such components are optional for a water cooling system is that they do not improve overclocking and do not give any additional system stability or other noticeable results. This is due to the low heat generation of such elements, and with the inefficiency of using water blocks for them. Only the appearance can be called the positive side of installing such a water block, and the disadvantage is an increase in the hydraulic resistance in the circuit and, accordingly, an increase in the cost of the entire system.

Waterblock for power transistors on a motherboard from EK Waterblocks

In addition to the mandatory and optional components of the CBO, there is also a category of hybrid components. On sale there are components that are two or more components of the CBO in one device. Among such devices, there are known: hybrids of a pump with a processor water block, radiators for water cooling systems combined with a built-in pump and a reservoir. Such components significantly reduce the space they occupy and are more convenient to install. But such components are not very suitable for an upgrade.

Selection of the CBO system

There are three main types of CBOs: external, internal and built-in. They differ in the location of their main components in relation to the computer case (radiator / heat exchanger, reservoir, pump).

External water cooling systems are made in the form of a separate module ("box"), which is connected with hoses to water blocks that are installed on components in the PC case itself. In the case of an external water cooling system, a radiator with fans, a reservoir, a pump, and, sometimes, a power supply unit for a pump with sensors are almost always taken out. Among the external systems, the Zalman water cooling systems of the Reserator family are well known. Such systems are installed as a separate module, and their convenience lies in the fact that the user does not need to modify and alter the case of his computer. Their inconvenience lies only in size and it becomes more difficult to move the computer even over short distances, for example, to another room.

External passive SVO Zalman Reserator:

The built-in cooling system is built into the case and is sold complete with it. This option is the easiest to use, because the entire CBO is already mounted in the case, and there are no bulky structures outside. The disadvantages of such a system include the high cost and the fact that the old PC case will be useless.

Internal water cooling systems are located entirely inside the PC case. Sometimes, some of the components of the internal water cooling system (mainly the radiator) are installed on the outer surface of the case. The advantage of internal CBOs is ease of portability. There is no need to drain the liquid during transportation. Also, when installing internal CBOs, the appearance of the case does not suffer, and when modding, the CBO can perfectly decorate the case of your computer.

Overclocked Orange project:

The disadvantages of internal water cooling systems are the complexity of their installation and the need to modify the case in many cases. Also, the internal CBO adds several kilograms of weight to your body.

Planning and installation of air handling units

Water cooling, unlike air cooling, requires some planning before installation. After all, liquid cooling imposes some restrictions that must be taken into account.

During installation, you should always remember about convenience. It is necessary to leave free space so that further work with the air cooling system and components does not cause difficulties. It is necessary that the pipes with water pass freely inside the case and between the components.

In addition, the flow of fluid should not be limited by anything. As it passes through each water block, the coolant heats up. To mitigate this problem, a parallel coolant path scheme is being considered. With this approach, the water flow is less loaded, and water that is not heated by other components enters the water block of each component.

The Koolance EXOS-2 set is well known. It is designed to work with 3/8 ″ connecting tubes.

When planning the location of your NWO, it is recommended that you first draw a simple diagram. Having drawn a plan on paper, they proceed to the actual assembly and installation. It is necessary to lay out all the parts of the system on the table and approximately measure the required length of the tubes. It is advisable to leave some margin and not cut too short.

When the preparatory work is done, you can start installing the water blocks. On the back of the motherboard, behind the processor, there is a metal bracket for attaching the Koolance cooling head for the processor. This mounting bracket is equipped with a plastic spacer to prevent short circuiting with the motherboard.

Then the heatsink attached to the north bridge of the motherboard is removed. In the example, the Biostar 965PT motherboard is used, in which the chipset is cooled using a passive radiator.

With the chipset heatsink removed, you need to install the chipset waterblock fasteners. After installing these elements, the motherboard is put back into the PC case. Remember to remove old thermal grease from the processor and chipset before applying a thin layer of a new one.

After that, the water blocks are carefully installed on the processor. Do not press down hard. Using force can damage the components.

Then work is done with the video card. It is necessary to remove the radiator present on it and replace it with a water block. When the water blocks are installed, you can connect the tubes and insert the video card into the PCI Express slot.

When all the water blocks are installed, all remaining pipes should be connected. The last one is connected to the tube leading to the external block of the CBO. Check the correct direction of water movement: the cooled liquid must first enter the water block of the processor.

After completing all these works, water is poured into the tank. Fill the tank only to the level indicated in the instructions. Look carefully for all fasteners and at the slightest sign of leakage, fix the problem immediately.

If everything is assembled correctly and there are no leaks, you need to pump the coolant to remove air bubbles. For the Koolance EXOS-2 system, you need to close the contacts on the ATX power supply, and supply power to the water pump without supplying power to the motherboard.

Let the system work a little in this mode, and you carefully tilt the computer in one direction or the other to get rid of air bubbles. After all bubbles have escaped, add coolant as needed. If no more air bubbles are visible, the system can be started completely. Now you can test the effectiveness of the installed CBO. While PC water cooling is still a rarity for casual users, the benefits are undeniable.

Good cooling of the central processor and video card processor in recent decades has been a prerequisite for their smooth operation. But not only the processor and the video card are heated in the computer - a separate cooler may be required for the chipset microcircuit, hard drives and even memory modules. Case manufacturers add additional fans, increase their power and dimensions, and improve the design of the radiators. And, of course, liquid cooling systems could not be ignored.

In general, liquid cooling of processors is not a new topic: overclockers have faced insufficient air cooling efficiency for a long time. The processors "overclocked" to the theoretical maximum warmed up so that none of the coolers available at that time could cope. There were no liquid cooling systems in stores, and overclocking forums were full of topics about homemade dropsy. And today, many resources offer to assemble a liquid cooling system on their own, but this makes little sense. The cost of components is comparable to the price of inexpensive LSS in stores, and the quality (and, therefore, reliability) of factory assembly is usually still higher than artisanal.

Why is the efficiency of LSS higher than that of a simple cooler?

The considered LSS do not have elements that generate cold; cooling occurs due to the air near the system unit - as in the case of conventional air cooling. The efficiency of LSS is achieved due to the fact that the rate of heat removal by means of a moving heat carrier is much higher than the rate of natural heat removal by means of heat transfer inside a metal radiator. But the rate of heat removal depends not only on the speed of movement of the coolant, but also on the efficiency of cooling this liquid and on the efficiency of its heating by the heat of the processor. And, if the first problem is solved by increasing the area of ​​the radiator, the area of ​​the radiator heat exchanger and improving the airflow, then in the second case the heat exchange is limited by the area of ​​the processor. Therefore, the overall efficiency of the system is limited by the efficiency of the processor water block. But even with such a limitation, LSS provide about 3 times better heat removal compared to conventional air cooling. In numbers, this means a 15-25 degree drop in chip temperature compared to air cooling at normal room temperature.

LSS design

Any liquid cooling system contains the following elements:

- Waterblock... Its purpose is to effectively remove heat from the processor and transfer it to the flowing water. Accordingly, the higher the thermal conductivity of the material from which the sole and the heat exchanger of the water block are made, the higher the efficiency of this element. But heat transfer also depends on the contact area of ​​the coolant and the radiator - therefore, the design of the water block is just as important as the material.

Therefore, a flat-bottomed (channelless) water block, in which the liquid simply flows along the wall adjacent to the processor, is much less efficient than water blocks with a complex bottom structure or heat exchangers (tubular or serpentine). The downside of waterblocks with a complex structure is that they create much more resistance to water flow and therefore require a more powerful pump.

- water pump... The widespread opinion that the more powerful the pump is, the better, and that LSS without a separate powerful pump is generally ineffective is incorrect. The function of the pump is to circulate the coolant at such a rate that the temperature difference between the heat exchanger of the water block and the liquid is maximized. That is, on the one hand, the heated liquid must be removed from the water block in time, on the other hand, it must be completely cooled down to enter the water block. Therefore, the power of the pump must be balanced with the efficiency of the other elements of the system, and replacing the pump with a more powerful one in most cases will not give a positive effect. Low-power pumps are often combined in one housing with a water block.

- Radiator. The purpose of the radiator is to dissipate the heat brought by the coolant. Accordingly, it must be made of a material with high thermal conductivity, have a large area and be equipped with a powerful fan (s). If the area of ​​the LSS radiator is comparable to the area of ​​the processor cooler radiator and the fan is installed on it no more powerful, then you should not expect such an LSS to be more effective than the efficiency of the same cooler.
- The connecting pipes must be of sufficient thickness so as not to create great resistance to the water flow. For this reason, tubes with a diameter of 6 to 13 mm are usually used - depending on the flow rate of the liquid. The tubing material is usually PVC or silicone.
- The heat carrier must have a high heat capacity and high thermal conductivity. Of the available and safe liquids, ordinary distilled water meets these conditions best. Often additives are added to the water to reduce its corrosive properties, to prevent the growth of microorganisms (bloom) and simply for aesthetic effect (colored additives in systems with transparent tubes).

In powerful systems with a large volume of coolant, it becomes necessary to use an expansion tank - a reservoir into which excess liquid will go during its thermal expansion. In such systems, the pump is usually combined with an expansion tank.

Characteristics of liquid cooling systems.

Serviced / unattended LSS.

Maintenance-free system comes from the factory completely assembled, filled with coolant and sealed. Installation of such a system is simple - some maintenance-free LSS is no more difficult to install than a conventional cooler. There are also disadvantages of unattended LSS:
- Low maintainability. The tubes are often simply sealed in one-piece plastic fittings. On the one hand, this ensures tightness, on the other hand, replacement of a damaged element of such a system can cause complications.
- The difficulty of replacing the coolant is usually also associated with the repair of the system - if part of the liquid has leaked out, it can be very difficult to refill the maintenance-free LSS - such systems, as a rule, are not supplied with filling holes.
- Low versatility is associated with the non-separable system. It is impossible to expand the system or replace any of its elements with a more efficient one.
- The fixed length of the pipes limits the possibilities for choosing the location of the radiator.

Served LSS are often supplied as a kit and installation of such a system will take time and some skill. But the possibilities for its customization are much higher - you can add water blocks for the chipset and for the video card, change all elements to more suitable for a particular computer, move the radiator at any (reasonable) distance from the processor, etc. You can not be afraid of obsolescence of the socket (and cooling system) when replacing the motherboard - to restore its relevance, you only need to replace the water block of the processor. The disadvantages of serviced LSS, in addition to the complexity of the installation and the high price, include a high probability of leaks through detachable joints and a high probability of contamination of the coolant.

LSS must support socket motherboard on which it is installed. And if a serviced LSS can still be adapted to another socket by purchasing an additional corresponding water block, then an unattended LSS can be used only with those sockets that are listed in its characteristics.

Number of fans does not directly affect the efficiency of LSS, but a large number of them allows to reduce the rotation speed of each individual fan while maintaining the total air flow, and, accordingly, to reduce noise while maintaining efficiency. Whether an air handling unit with a large number of fans will be more efficient depends on their total maximum air flow.

Maximum air flow It is counted in cubic feet per minute (CFM) and determines how much air is forced through the fan per minute. The higher this value, the higher the contribution of this fan to the efficiency of the radiator. Dimensions ( length, width, thickness) radiators are no less important - four powerful fans blowing on a simple thin radiator with a small plate area will cool the coolant no better than a single fan well matched to a heatsink with a large plate area.

Radiator material determines its thermal conductivity, i.e., at what speed the heat transferred to it will be distributed over the entire area of ​​the radiator. The thermal conductivity of copper is almost twice as high as the thermal conductivity of aluminum, but in this case, the efficiency of a radiator depends more on its design and area than on the material.

Waterblock material, due to its limited size, is more important than the material of the radiator. In fact, copper is the only viable option. Aluminum water blocks (found in cheap LSS) reduce the efficiency of the system so much that it makes no sense to use liquid cooling.

Maximum noise level depends on maximum fan speed... If the system does not provide for speed control, you should pay close attention to this parameter. If there is a speed control, attention should be paid to minimum noise level.

A noise level above 40 dB can already be perceived as uncomfortable (40 dB corresponds to a normal sound background in a living room - quiet music, calm conversation). To prevent the noise of the fans from interfering with sleep, it should not exceed 30 dB.

Rotation speed control fans can be manual or automatic. Manual control allows you to change the fan speed in accordance with personal preferences, while automatic control adjusts the speed to the current processor temperature and ensures the best operating conditions for the equipment.

Power connector type can be 3-pin and 4-pin.
3-pin the connector does not have a separate wire for changing the fan speed. The rotation speed of such a fan can be controlled only by changing its supply voltage. Not all motherboards support this method. If your motherboard cannot control the rotational speed of a 3-pin fan, then the coolers and pump motor of the LSS with a 3-pin power connector will always rotate at maximum speed. To change the degree of cooling, you will have to buy additionally

Water cooling systems for various PC components have been buzzing around lately. Why does water cooling look so attractive for a computer? For what reason is it better than regular air? You will learn about all this in the continuation of the article.

Whatever you have - "dropsy" or a simple cooler, physically, you simply move heat from one place to another. In addition, you cannot do without a cooler and a radiator. They are used in both types of cooling. Basically, any computer cooling system works according to the same principles, the principles of thermodynamics.

In fact, most of the water cooling for the computer is used except to make the assembly aesthetically pleasing. Don't get me wrong, water cooling is capable of handling the enormous heat generated while keeping temperatures low.

If you are looking towards price / quality, then it is best to take a good tower cooler for the processor and a video card with two or three fans. This will be enough to never reach the temperature limit. Even today, with the same overclocking, you are more likely to run into "iron" limits than a temperature limit.

The water cooling for the computer makes almost no noticeable noise. There can be many coolers, but the noise level depends on the speed of rotation of these. For example, if you put 5 120 mm turntables at 1200 rpm, and compare with two of the same, but with 3000 rpm, it is the second option that will be noisier.

Aesthetics

As stated above, water cooling is used more for the look to stand out from the others. There are several ways to do this with water cooling. Note, no one said that air-cooled systems cannot look aesthetically pleasing. Water cooling systems are popular with modders. Thanks to them, we saw on sale such things as transparent side covers, LED strips, cables in multi-colored braids.

You have 4 options to equip your computer with dropsy. Alternatively, you can buy a ready-made cooler. So you will not fool yourself with the installation and get the same water cooling, also under warranty.

The second option is to use soft tubes, colored or transparent. This is the most convenient assembly method due to the flexibility of the tubing and ease of use.

The third, and perhaps the most popular, method is to use ready-made, rigid acrylic tubes. Straight lines, bends of tubes at an angle will add originality to your assembly.

There are also copper pipes. Almost completely identical to acrylic, except that they are easier to bend. Well, cheapness also takes its toll. Copper matches nicely with nickel-plated panels. Whichever you choose, you get a very quiet system that can handle the enormous heat generated.

Water cooling components

If you thought building your PC was difficult, I have bad news for you. To assemble a water cooling system, you will need: case, tubes, radiator (s), processor unit, video card unit, video card board, reservoir (s), pump (s), compression fittings, corner fittings, shut-off valves, coolant and fans. Ever since you decided to do the water cooling yourself - be prepared to fork out. Beauty requires sacrifice.

Processing unit

Perhaps the most important component of a computer water cooling system. Make sure the unit is compatible with your processor. Although, sometimes this can be neglected, because the size of chips from Intel and AMD practically does not differ. The popular variant is the Corsair H110.

Block for a video card

Here you also need to make sure that your card is compatible with the cooling unit. There are manufacturers, for example EKWB, which produces cooling blocks designed specifically for the Windforce series cards from Gigabyte, Strix from ASUS, Lightning from MSI.

Block for RAM

Whether to cool the RAM or not is your choice. Usually expensive heatsinks come with nice heatsinks, and personally, I don't see any point in water-cooling the RAM. And no one will punish you if all that you are going to cool in this way is just a processor and a card.

Fitting

The water cooling system for the computer requires the tubing to be secured with fittings. This is the most important part of the system. Depending on which tubing you choose, you will need either compression fittings or acrylic fittings. If you don't want to bother, you can just take the standard ones.

However, if you are a supporter of aesthetics and straightness, you can buy the same angle fittings, usually 45 or 90 degrees. In addition, the check valve can be useful for service.

Pumps and reservoirs

Technically, you don't need to buy a tank to work successfully with water cooling. However, they look pretty impressive and make it much easier to fill a water-cooled system compared to other methods.

However, you will always need a pump to ensure that the fluid in your system overflows, removes heat from your main components, and exits to the radiators.

Radiators and constant pressure

A water cooling system for a computer requires a good organization of external cooling in addition to the water pipes and pumps themselves.

At this stage, we need to learn how to remove the accumulated heat. The only option is to use radiators. You can do this however you like, using separate nodes for your graphics cards and processors, or by combining them into one system.

Radiators are still needed to get rid of all this heat, as well as appropriate fans to blow it all out. Once you've decided how many heatsinks your chassis can accommodate and how much you're going to use, you need to get a little more familiar with FPI and the thickness of the heatsinks you'll be using.

FPI stands for Rib Per Inch. Basically, the higher the FPI, the higher the constant pressure you will need to efficiently move cold air through that radiator.

For example, if you have a 38 FPI radiator, you probably need pressure optimized fans. However, if you have deeper radiators with a lower FPI of 16, you will not see any comparable difference between constant pressure fans or fans using airflow. In these cases, it is better to equip radiators with classic coolers.

Build and design your system

At this stage, it is worth paying attention to the choice of hardware for your assembly. First, let's look at the best case. There are many water cooled cases on the market, from small MiniITX to huge E-ATX.

Once you have found a case that suits you, you need to see what kind of radiators you can install. Then you should think about the placement of the tubes and how many cooling units you plan to install - 1 or 2. Once you have thought of everything, you need to find out how many fittings you need to buy and how you plan to start the system. Typically two fittings are required for each device to be cooled.

For us, the question of choosing a case was not difficult. We took the Fractal Define S, specially designed for water cooling applications. We put two radiators on top and three in the front. We will be cooling two cards from Nvidia and Intel Core i7-5820K.

The motherboard will be ASUS X99 Sabertooth - based on the top-end X99 chipset and stunning design. The board is covered with black and gray protective elements. And to add contrast, we'll use a white liquid.

Choosing the right case can be a daunting task, especially for a water-cooled mod. As mentioned above, you need to look towards ready-made solutions that provide for the possibility of water cooling. Parvum, Phanteks, Corsair, Caselabs and Fractal specialize in the production of cases for such mods, and allow you to turn PC assembly into an art. You should also take care of the number of radiators, the location of the tank, and how the tubes will be placed.

Fittings and assemblies

Let's start the build process. As with assembling a regular PC, you should first assemble everything outside the case to see how it all works, and only then shove everything into the case. We tested each graphics card, memory and processor with stock cooling separately before installing the water cooling.

Next comes the assembly process itself, freeing the inside of the case from unnecessary components, for example slots for installing hard drives, etc. Then we install the motherboard, RAM and video cards. We fasten everything tightly so that nothing falls out and does not get damaged. Then the radiators were screwed on. Now is the time to install the tank and fittings.

Cable management

In assemblies of this kind, the wiring must be flawless. I don’t think you will like the frayed wires crawling out of all the cracks. They will not only interfere with the laying of pipes, but also normal air circulation. PSUs from Be Quiet !, Cooler Master, Corsair, EVGA and Seasonic come with separate braided cables. Alternatively, you can purchase it separately and "dress" the wires. Yes, it is difficult and time-consuming, but the result is worth it.

In addition, a separate controller for coolers from Phanteks was purchased. Thanks to it, it is much easier to manage five coolers, moreover, the rotation speed will depend on the processor temperature (which will be quite low in this assembly).

Assembly and filling of CO

It's time to start assembling the cooling system. Line up a piece of tubing between the two points you want to connect, then cut a little more than you think.

It is better to have a little extra as the pipe can always be cut off. Then unscrew one of the fittings, twist the pipe onto the fitting, and slide the other end of the compression fitting over the loose end. Then screw it tightly by squeezing the piping. If you're struggling to insert the tubing, use a pair of needle-nose pliers. Insert them gently into the end of the tube and gently stretch the tube to make it easier to work.

Now you have to remove the sleeve from the other fitting, pre-attach it to the new tube and do the same with the other end.

It doesn't really matter where the pipe goes when everything is working in one node. Once the system is sealed and pressurized, the water temperature will be the same, no matter which tube goes to which component. All thanks to physics.

Let's come to the most terrible stage of the assembly - filling our system. First, make sure that the fluid flows from the reservoir to the pumps by gravity. Then attach the last fitting to the top of the tank. Use a funnel to gently pour our refrigerant into the system. In our case, we just took an empty, washed sauce bottle.

Before proceeding, it is worth making sure that the motherboard is not receiving power. It will not be superfluous to disconnect power from the processor, video cards, and disks. The unit itself must also be de-energized.

For convenience, you can connect the two power points to the power supply itself with a paper clip, or use a special bridge. Then, when filling the tanks, it all comes down to a banal opening of the power circuit. Remember not to do this while there is liquid in the reservoir and pump.

Let's summarize

The finished assembly looks great. As already noted, the white liquid and black cooling blocks contrast perfectly with the color scheme of the motherboard. i7-5820k was overclocked to 4.4 GHz, and its temperature came out standard for this kind of assemblies - about 55 degrees Celsius under load.

Video cards in load mode gave out about 60 degrees, and the speed of coolers for the entire system was set at 20%. As for performance, we could not squeeze more out of video cards and processor. In any case, everything worked at the limit of their technological capabilities. Everything worked extremely quietly, even under load.

The leak test was successful. Despite the relatively short test time (about 45 minutes), there were no leaks. EK fittings do provide a good level of tightness.

The main thing is not to damage the tubes during assembly. In general, before powering up all the components, it is worth conducting the test for at least 24 hours.

If you are building a computer using a price / quality criterion, it makes no sense to make a custom water cooling. Even if you take less expensive components, it will cost about $ 600. the computer water cooling system is for those who want to build a beautiful and quiet workstation capable of performing any task they can think of.

Conclusion

In this article, it was written what components are needed to build a custom water cooling system, as well as how to build a water cooled computer. I think a lot of people are not satisfied with the noise of the computer, especially in resource-intensive applications, such as games. Therefore, if you have an extra couple of hundred dollars, you can take a ready-made block for the processor, and a video card with an already installed water CO. In any case, even if you are not going to purchase "dropsy", you have learned how water cooling of a computer works.

In this article, we will consider what a water cooling system is, what it consists of and how it works, we will touch upon such popular issues as assembling a water cooling system and maintaining a water cooling system, their principle of operation, components, etc.

What is water cooling system

A water cooling system is a cooling system that uses water as a heat transfer medium to transfer heat. Unlike air cooling systems, which transfer heat directly to air, a water cooling system first transfers heat to water.

How the water cooling system works

V water cooling system heat generated by the processor (or other heat-generating element, such as a graphics chip) is transferred to the water through a special heat exchanger called water block... The water heated in this way, in turn, is transferred to the next heat exchanger - a radiator, in which heat from the water is transferred to the air and leaves the computer. The movement of water in the system is carried out using a special pump, which is most often called a pump.

Superiority water cooling systems over air is explained by the fact that water has a higher heat capacity than air (4.183 kJ kg -1 K -1 for water versus 1.005 kJ kg -1 K -1 for air) and thermal conductivity (0.6 W / (m · K) for water versus 0.024-0.031 W / (m · K) for air), which provides faster and more efficient heat removal from the cooled elements and, accordingly, lower temperatures on them. Respectively, other things being equal, water cooling will always be more effective than air.

System efficiency and reliability water cooling proven by time and by the use in a large number of various mechanisms and devices that require powerful and reliable cooling, for example, internal combustion engines, powerful lasers, radio tubes, factory machine tools and even nuclear power plants.

Why does a computer need water cooling

Due to its high efficiency, using water cooling system you can achieve both more powerful cooling, which will have a positive effect on overclocking and system stability, and a lower noise level from the computer. If desired, you can also collect water cooling system, which will allow an overclocked computer to work with a minimum of noise. For this reason water cooling systems primarily relevant for users of especially powerful computers, fans of powerful overclocking, as well as people who want to make their computer quieter, but at the same time do not want to compromise on its power.

Quite often you can see gamers with three and four chip video subsystems (3-Way SLI, Quad SLI, CrossFire X) who complain about high operating temperatures (over 90 degrees) and constant overheating of video cards, which at the same time create a very high level noise with their cooling systems... Sometimes it seems that cooling systems modern video cards are designed without taking into account the possibility of their use in multi-chip configurations, which leads to disastrous consequences when video cards are installed close to one another - they simply have nowhere to draw cold air for normal cooling. Alternative air cooling systems do not help either, because only a few models available on the market provide compatibility with multi-chip configurations. In such a situation, it is water cooling that can solve the problem - radically lower temperatures, improve stability and increase the reliability of a powerful computer.

Water Cooling System Components

Computer water cooling systems consist of a certain set of components, which can be conditionally divided into mandatory and optional, which are installed in the water cooling system at will.

To the required components water cooling systems computer include:

• water block (at least one in the system, but more is possible)
• radiator
• water pump
• hoses
• fitting

Although this list is not exhaustive, optional components include:

• storage tank
• thermal sensors
• pump and fan controllers
• drain taps
• indicators and meters (flow, pressure, flow, temperature)
• secondary water blocks (for power transistors, memory modules, hard drives, etc.)
• water additives and ready-made aqueous mixtures
• backplates
• filters

First, we will look at the required components, without which water cooling system simply cannot work.

Waterblock(from the English waterblock) is a special heat exchanger, with the help of which the heat from the heating element (processor, video chip or other element) is transferred to the water. Usually, the construction waterblock consists of a copper base, as well as a metal or plastic cover and a set of fasteners that allow you to fix the water block on the cooled element. Waterblocks exist for all the heat-generating elements of the computer, even for those that do not really need them, i.e. for elements, setting waterblocks which will not lead to any significant improvement in performance, except for the temperature of the element itself.

Highly efficient processor water block Watercool HeatKiller 3.0 CU

To the main types waterblocks you can safely include processor waterblocks, waterblocks for video cards, as well as waterblocks to the system chip (north bridge). In turn, there are two types of waterblocks for video cards:

• Waterblocks that cover only the graphics chip - the so-called "gpu only" waterblocks
• Waterblocks covering all heating elements of a video card (graphics chip, video memory, voltage regulators, etc.) - the so-called fullcover.

Although the first waterblocks were usually made of rather thick copper (1 - 1.5cm), in accordance with modern trends in waterblock construction, for more efficient operation of waterblocks, they try to make their bases thin - so that heat is transferred from the processor to the water faster. Also, to increase the heat transfer surface, in modern waterblocks, a microchannel or microneedle structure is usually used. In those cases, when performance is not so critical and there is no struggle for every degree played, for example, on a system chip, water blocks are made without a sophisticated internal structure, sometimes with simple channels or even a flat bottom.

Despite the fact that waterblocks themselves are not very complex components, in order to reveal in detail all the points and nuances associated with them, we need a separate article dedicated to them, which we will write and try to publish in the near future.

Radiator... A radiator in water cooling systems is called a water-air heat exchanger, which transfers the heat of water collected in the water block to the air. Radiators for water cooling systems are divided into two subtypes:

• Passive, i.e. fanless
• Active, i.e. blown by fans

Fanless (passive) radiators for water cooling systems are relatively rare (for example, a radiator in the NWO Zalman Reserator) due to the fact that, in addition to the obvious advantages (no noise from fans), this type of radiator has a lower efficiency (compared to active radiators), which is typical for all passive cooling systems. In addition to low performance, radiators of this type usually take up a lot of space and are rarely placed even in modified cases.

Fan blown (active) radiators are more common in computer water cooling systems as they are much more efficient. At the same time, in the case of using quiet or silent fans, it is possible to achieve, respectively, quiet or silent operation of the cooling system - the main advantage of passive radiators. Radiators of this type come in a variety of sizes, but the size of most popular radiator models is a multiple of 120 mm or 140 mm fans, that is, a radiator for three 120 mm fans will be approximately 360 mm long and 120 mm wide - for simplicity. radiators of this size are usually called triple or 360 mm.

water pump is an electric pump responsible for the circulation of water in the circuit of the computer's water cooling system, without which the water cooling system would simply not work. Pumps used in water cooling systems can be either 220 volts or 12 volts. Previously, when it was rare to find specialized components for SVO on sale, enthusiasts mainly used aquarium pumps that operated from 220 volts, which created certain difficulties since the pump had to be turned on synchronously with the computer - for this, most often, they used a relay that turned on the pump automatically when the computer was started. With the development of water cooling systems, specialized pumps began to appear, for example, the Laing DDC, which had a compact size and high performance, while being powered by standard computer 12 volts.

Since modern water blocks have a rather high coefficient of hydraulic resistance, which is a price to pay for high performance, it is recommended to use specialized powerful pumps with them, since with an aquarium pump (even a powerful one), a modern SVO will not fully reveal its performance. It is also not worth pursuing power especially by using 2 - 3 consecutively installed pumps in one circuit or using a circulation pump from a home heating system, since this will not lead to an increase in the performance of the system as a whole, because it is, first of all, limited by the maximum heat dissipation the ability of the radiator and the efficiency of the water block.

As with some other components of the SVO, it will be problematic to describe all the nuances and features of the pumps used in your own, as well as list all the recommendations for choosing a pump in this article, so in the future we plan to do this in a separate article.

Hoses or tube, no matter how they are called, are also one of the mandatory components of any water cooling system, because it is through them that water flows from one component of the water cooling system to another. Most often, in a computer water cooling system, hoses made of PVC are used, less often of silicone. Despite popular misconceptions, the size of the hose does not have a strong effect on the performance of the water supply system as a whole, the main thing is not to take too thin (inner diameter, which is less than 8 millimeters) hoses and everything will be OK

Fitting- these are special connecting elements that allow you to connect hoses to the components of the CBO (water blocks, radiator, pump). The fittings are screwed into the threaded hole on the CBO component, you do not need to screw them strongly (no wrenches), since the connection is most often sealed using a rubber O-ring. Current trends in the market of components for air handling units are such that the overwhelming majority of components are supplied without fittings in the kit. This is done so that the user has the opportunity to independently select the fittings necessary specifically for his water cooling system, because there are fittings of different types and for different sizes of hoses. The most popular types of fittings are compression fittings (swivel nut fittings) and herringbone fittings (unions). Fittings are either straight or angled (which are often rotatable) and are placed depending on how you are going to place the water cooling system in your computer. Fittings also differ in thread type, most often G1 / 4 "threads are found in computer water cooling systems, but in rare cases there are also G1 / 8" or G3 / 8 "threads.

Water is also a mandatory component of the CBO. For filling water cooling systems, it is best to use distilled water, that is, water purified from all impurities by distillation. Sometimes on Western sites you can find references to deionized water - it has no significant differences from distilled water, except that it is produced in a different way. Sometimes, instead of water, specially prepared mixtures or water with various additives are used - there are no significant differences in this, therefore we will consider these options in the heading of optional components of water cooling systems. In any case, it is highly discouraged to pour tap water or mineral / bottled water for drinking.

Optional components for water cooling systems

Optional components are components without which the water cooling system can work stably and without problems, usually they do not affect the performance of the water cooling system in any way, although in some cases they can slightly reduce it. The main point of the optional components is to make the operation of the water cooling system more convenient, although there are components with a different semantic load, the main point of which is to make the user feel safe in the operation of the water cooling system (although the water cooling system can work perfectly and safely without of these components), to cool everything and everyone with water (even that which does not need cooling), or to make the system more pretentious and beautiful looking. So, let's move on to considering optional components:

Storage tank(expansion tank) is not a mandatory component of the water cooling system, although most water cooling systems are equipped with it. Quite often, for convenient filling of the system with liquid, a tee fitting (T-Line) and a filler neck are used instead of a reservoir. The advantage of tankless systems is that if the CBO is installed in a compact case, it can be placed more conveniently. The advantage of reservoir systems is that it is more convenient to fill the system (although this depends on the reservoir) and more conveniently removing air bubbles from the system. The volume of water that the reservoir can hold is not critical, as it affects the performance of the water cooling system. Reservoirs are found in a variety of sizes and shapes and must be selected based on the criteria for ease of installation and appearance.

Drain cock- This is a component that allows you to more conveniently drain water from the circuit of the water cooling system. In the normal state, it is closed, but when it becomes necessary to drain the water from the system, it is opened. A fairly simple component that can greatly improve the usability, or rather maintenance, of a water cooling system.

Sensors, indicators and meters. Since enthusiasts usually love all sorts of gadgets and bells and whistles, manufacturers simply could not stand aside and released quite a few different controllers, meters and sensors for CBOs, although the water cooling system can work quite calmly (and at the same time reliably) without them. Among such components there are electronic sensors for pressure and water flow, water temperature, controllers that adjust the operation of fans to the temperature, mechanical indicators of water movement, pump controllers, and so on. Nevertheless, in our opinion, for example, it makes sense to install pressure and water flow sensors only in systems intended for testing the components of air handling units, since there is simply no special sense from this information for an ordinary user. It also makes little sense to put several temperature sensors in different places of the water cooling circuit, hoping to see a large temperature difference, since water has a very high heat capacity, that is, when heated literally one degree, the water "absorbs" a large amount of heat, while it moves in the water cooling circuit with a fairly high speed, which leads to the fact that the water temperature in different places of the water cooling circuit differs slightly at the same time, so you will not see impressive values. And do not forget that most computer temperature sensors have an error of ± 1 degree.

Filter... In some water cooling systems, you can find a filter connected to the circuit. Its task is to filter out a variety of small particles that have entered the system - it can be dust that was in the hoses, solder residues in the radiator, sediment from the use of a dye or anti-corrosion additive.

Water additives and ready-mixed mixtures. In addition to water, various additives for water can be used in the CBO circuit, some of them protect against corrosion, others prevent the growth of bacteria in the system, and still others allow you to tint the water in the water cooling system with the color you need. There are also ready-made mixtures that contain water as the main component with anti-corrosion additives and dye. There are also ready-made mixtures that include additives that increase the performance of the water supply, although the increase in performance from them is insignificant. On the market, you can also find liquids for water cooling systems, made not on the basis of water, but on the basis of a special dielectric liquid that does not conduct an electric current and, accordingly, will not cause a short circuit if it leaks to PC components. Ordinary distilled water, in principle, also does not conduct current, but, spilled on dusty PC components, it can become electrically conductive. There is no particular sense in a dielectric fluid, since a normally assembled and tested water cooling system does not leak and is quite reliable. It is also worth noting that anti-corrosion additives, sometimes, in the course of their robots, precipitate fine dust, and coloring additives can slightly stain the hoses and acrylic in the components of the CBO, but, in our experience, you should not pay attention to this, since this is not critical. The main thing is to follow the instructions for the additives and not pour them in excess, as this can already lead to more dire consequences. Whether to use just distilled water, water with additives or a ready-made mixture in the system - there is not much difference, and the best option depends on what you need.

Backplate- this is a special fastening plate that helps unload the PCB of the motherboard or video card from the force created by the water block mounts, respectively, reducing the bending of the PCB and the chance to ditch expensive hardware. Although the backplate is not an obligatory component, it can quite often be found in the CBO, some models of waterblocks come immediately equipped with backplates, and to others it is available as an optional accessory.

Secondary water blocks... In addition to cooling important and very hot components with water, some enthusiasts put additional water blocks on components that either heat slightly or do not require powerful active cooling, such components include: power transistors for power circuits, RAM, south bridge and hard drives. The non-requirement of these components in the water cooling system is that even if you put water cooling on these components, you will not get any additional system stability, overclocking improvement or other noticeable results - this is due, first of all, to low heat generation of these elements, as well as the inefficiency of the water blocks for these components. Of the clear advantages of installing data with a water block, only the appearance can be distinguished, and of the minuses - an increase in the hydraulic resistance in the circuit of the water supply system, an increase in the cost of the entire system (at the same time significant) and, usually, a small upgradeability of these water blocks.

In addition to the mandatory and optional components for water cooling systems, a category of so-called hybrid components... Sometimes, on the market you can find components that are two or more components of the CBO connected to one device. Among such devices there are: hybrids of a pump and a processor water block, radiators for its own with a built-in pump and reservoir, pumps combined with a reservoir are very common. The point of such components is to reduce the footprint and make installation more convenient. The downside of these components is usually their limited upgradeability.

Separately, there is a category of home-made components for water cooling systems. Initially, since about 2000, all the components for water cooling systems were manufactured or modified by enthusiasts with their own hands, because specialized components for water cooling systems were simply not produced at that time. Therefore, if a person wanted to establish an SVO for himself, then he had to do everything with his own hands. After the relative popularization of water cooling for computers, a large number of companies began to produce components for them, and now you can easily buy both a ready-made water cooling system and all the necessary components for its self-assembly without any problems. So, in principle, we can say that now there is no need to independently manufacture the components of the CBO in order to install water cooling on your computer. The only reasons why now, some, enthusiasts are engaged in the independent manufacture of CBO components, is the desire to save money or try their hand at manufacturing such components. Nevertheless, the desire to save money is not always possible to realize, because in addition to the cost of work and the components of the manufactured part, there are also time costs that, usually, are not taken into account by people who want to save, but the reality is that you will have to spend a lot of time on independent production and the result however, will not be guaranteed. And the performance and reliability of self-made components, often, turns out to be far from the highest level, since for the manufacture of serial-level components it is necessary to have very straight (golden) hands. If you decide to make your own, for example, a water block, then consider these facts.

External or internal SVO

Among other features, water cooling systems are divided into external and internal. External water cooling systems are usually made in the form of a separate "box", i. E. the module, which is connected with hoses to the water blocks installed on the components in the case of your PC. In the case of an external water cooling system, there is almost always a radiator with fans, a pump, a reservoir and, sometimes, a power supply unit for a pump with temperature and / or fluid flow sensors. External systems include, for example, Zalman water cooling systems from the Reserator family. Systems installed as a separate module are convenient in that there is no need for the user to modify the case of their computer, but they are very inconvenient if you plan to move your computer even at minimum distances, for example, to the next room.

Internal water cooling systems, ideally, are located entirely inside the PC case, but, due to the fact that not all computer cases are well suited for installing a water cooling system, some components of the internal water cooling system (most often a radiator) can often be seen installed on the outer surface of the case. The advantages of internal CBOs include the fact that they are very convenient when carrying a computer since they will not interfere with you and will not require you to drain the liquid during transportation. Another advantage of the internal water cooling system can be called the fact that with the internal installation of the water cooling system, the appearance of the case does not in any way suffer, and when modifying the computer, the water cooling system can serve as an excellent decoration for the case.

The disadvantages of internal water cooling systems include the relative complexity of their installation, in comparison with external ones, as well as the need to modify the case for the installation of a water cooling system in many cases. Another negative point is that the internal SVO will add a couple of kilograms of weight to your body.

Ready-made systems or self-assembly

Water cooling systems, among other features, are also subdivided according to the type of assembly and configuration into:

• Ready-made systems, in which all the components of the CBO are purchased in one set, with installation instructions
• Self-made systems that are assembled independently from individual components

Usually, many enthusiasts believe that all out-of-the-box systems show low performance, but this is far from the case - water cooling kits from such well-known brands as Swiftech, Danger Dan, Koolance and Alphacool demonstrate quite decent performance and they certainly cannot to say that they are weak, and these companies are well-established manufacturers of high-performance components for water cooling systems.

Among the advantages of ready-made systems, we can note the convenience - you immediately buy everything you need to install water cooling in one set, and the assembly instructions are included in the kit. In addition, manufacturers of ready-made water cooling systems usually try to foresee all possible situations so that the user, for example, does not have problems with installing and fixing components. The disadvantages of such systems include the fact that they are not flexible in terms of configuration, for example, the manufacturer has several options for ready-made water cooling systems and you usually do not have the opportunity to change their configuration in order to choose the components that are better suited for you.

By purchasing the water cooling components separately, you can choose exactly those components that, in your opinion, will suit you best. In addition, buying a system of separate components, sometimes, you can save money, but then everything depends on you. Of the minuses of this approach, we can single out some difficulty in assembling such systems for beginners, for example, we have seen cases when people who do not understand enough about the topic did not buy all the necessary components and / or incompatible components and fell into a mess (they understood that something it is not so here) only when they sat down to assemble the CBO.

Pros and cons of water cooling systems

The main advantages of water-cooled computers include: the ability to build a quiet and powerful PC, advanced overclocking capabilities, improved overclocking stability, excellent appearance and long service life. Due to the high efficiency of water cooling, it is possible to assemble such an SVO that would allow operating a very powerful overclocked gaming computer with several video cards at a relatively low noise level unattainable for air cooling systems. Again, due to their high efficiency, water cooling systems allow you to achieve higher levels of overclocking of a processor or video card, unattainable with air cooling. Water cooling systems, most often, have a great appearance and look great in a modified (or not so) computer.

The disadvantages of water cooling systems are usually distinguished: the complexity of assembly, high cost and unreliability. Our opinion is that these disadvantages have little real evidence and are very controversial and relative. For example, the complexity of assembling a water cooling system cannot be called unambiguously high - assembling a water cooling system is not much more difficult than assembling a computer, and indeed the times when all the components had to be finalized without fail or do all the components by hand are long gone and at the moment in the field of NWO, almost everything is standardized and available commercially. The reliability of properly assembled computer water cooling systems is also beyond doubt, just as there is no doubt about the reliability of an automobile cooling system or a heating system of a private house - with proper assembly and operation, there should be no problems. Of course, no one is insured against marriage or an accident, but the likelihood of such events exists not only when using CBO, but also with the most common video cards, hard drives and other components. The cost, in our opinion, should not be singled out as a minus either, since such a “minus” can then be safely attributed to all high-performance equipment. Yes, and each user has his own understanding of high or low cost. I would like to talk about the cost of the NWO separately.

Water cooling system cost

Cost, as a factor, is probably the most frequently cited "minus" that is attributed to all PC water cooling systems. At the same time, everyone forgets that the cost of a water cooling system strongly depends on what components it is assembled on: you can assemble a water cooling system so that the total cost is cheaper, not at the expense of performance, but you can choose components at the maximum price. At the same time, the total cost of similar in efficiency SVO will differ significantly.

The cost of a water cooling system also depends on which computer it will be installed on, because the more powerful the computer, the more expensive the water cooling system will be for it, since a powerful computer and the water cooling system need a more powerful one. In our opinion, the cost of the SVO is quite justified against the background of other components, because the water cooling system is, in fact, a separate component, and, in our opinion, is mandatory for truly powerful PCs. Another factor that must be taken into account when assessing the cost of an air conditioning system is its durability, since properly selected components of an air cooling system can serve for more than one year in a row, experiencing numerous upgrades of the rest of the hardware - not many PC components can boast of such survivability (unless the case or , taken in excess, BP), respectively, the waste of a relatively large amount on the NWO is smoothly distributed over time and does not look wasteful.

If you really want to install a CBO for yourself, but you are strained with finances and there are no improvements in the near future, then no one has canceled the homemade components.

Water cooling in modding

Besides being highly efficient, PC water coolers look great, which explains the popularity of water coolers in a variety of modding projects. Thanks to the ability to use colored or fluorescent hoses and / or liquids, the ability to illuminate the water blocks with LEDs, to select accessories that will suit you in color and style, the water cooling system can be perfectly integrated into almost any modding project, and / or make it the main feature of your modding the project. The use of CBO in a modding project, when installed correctly, allows you to improve the visibility of some components, usually hidden by large air coolers, for example, a motherboard, fancy memory modules, and so on.

Conclusions about water cooling

We hope you enjoyed our article on water cooling and helped you understand all aspects of the functioning of water cooling systems. In the future, we plan to publish several more articles about individual parts of the air cooling system, about the assembly and maintenance of water cooling systems and other related topics. In addition, we will also produce tests and reviews of water cooling components so that our readers have the best opportunity to understand all the variety of components available on the market and make the right choice.