Oil Submerged computer

[Samuknow]

This is the best execution I have seen of this to date. Still not sure what the life span of the parts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtufuXLvOok

[keithwalton]

looks good to me, personally i'd disable those fans designed for moving air with some designed to shift around oil.
I see its light dino oil, the only real issue i can see is if it breaks down over time or with heat as there will still be some rather toasty spots. Injecting the air like that was abit foolish.

Also i wonder what the corrosion rates are like under that oil.

In most cases oil will drastically lower corrosion rates of things like steel (as it forms a barrier keeping the oxygen away from the iron) however computers contain alot of exotic compounds ... will one of them react over time ...

[Gizmo]

Originally Posted by keithwalton

Also i wonder what the corrosion rates are like under that oil.

For most things, it won't be a problem, but in particular the plugs that seal the capacitors tend to react rather poorly to mineral oil, IIRC.

It seems to me like I also remember from previous experiments with mineral oil that people have done, that the mineral oil tends to degrade the plastic of the CPU socket and the PCI slots.

[Samuknow]

Over at Tom's Hardware, they sealed up the CPU socket and caps. I guess you could use silicone or epoxy to seal it. I still wonder what the max temps are. Does adding the aeration help the oil dissipate some of the heat?

[Gizmo]

Originally Posted by Samuknow

Over at Tom's Hardware, they sealed up the CPU socket and caps. I guess you could use silicone or epoxy to seal it. I still wonder what the max temps are. Does adding the aeration help the oil dissipate some of the heat?

I would think the aeration would at least help the fluid mixing so that the temp was more even throughout the tank. Keith is right though, they really need to replace those fans with something that is designed to move oil in the same fashion.

[Samuknow]

Originally Posted by gizmo

I would think the aeration would at least help the fluid mixing so that the temp was more even throughout the tank. Keith is right though, they really need to replace those fans with something that is designed to move oil in the same fashion.

Any ideas?

I have an old Tbird 800 and a socket A board just dying to take a dip. I might look for a pump made to handle heavy fluids.

[Necorum]

http://www.bakedeco.com/detail.asp?id=7382&catid=430

mod a imerssion blender to circulate the oil

[cloasters]

1 Horsepower, $349. Jeez, maybe you could mod a fan to put an extended stirer on it?

[Samuknow]

I have a 100 watt little giant water pump at home. I will try that. It is oil filled and will shoot water across the room if the hose comes off. Might be strong enough to pump some oil.

[Gizmo]

Originally Posted by Samuknow

I have a 100 watt little giant water pump at home. I will try that. It is oil filled and will shoot water across the room if the hose comes off. Might be strong enough to pump some oil.

I've got a 700 GPH pump which will develop 14' of head pressure and it only consumes 55w, so if you've to a 100w pump that thing's got to be a monster for pressure.

[raphael2040]

Don't really know much about oil, but wouldn't stuff like, corrode? =/

[fearless joe]

some would consider this overkill,

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/pr...ble-water-pump

i use these things at work there good, submerged rellativly quiet, some of them are meant for emptying sewage tanks,

have put the outlet through a disperser or lots of small tubes pointed at various components, you wouldnt need any fans

fj

[Samuknow]

That just might do it. Don't think they are meant to run 24/7 though

[Daniel ~]

How is he cooling the oil?

[keithwalton]

Yup the aeriation would add abit of forced convection which will help circulate the oil and decrease thermal hot spots.

As for how the oil is cooled / heat is dissipated, i'd have to assume its via the surface area of the casing, in effect making one giant heat exchanger though being made out of plexi it will have a high thermal resistance.

Alternatively it could be surface evaporation if they leave the top off the thing (not a good idea as it will ingress dust) the other is that the oil has such a thermal capacity that it just doesnt get all that warm that quickly

[Daniel ~]

Cuts down on fan noise then...":O}