Could you put anti-freeze into a custom loop vs water?

[Actual_Criminal]

Let me just start by saying that I don't intend to do this, but have a similar idea that isn't necessarily computer-related, but the design is somewhat similar to the way a custom loop in a PC works.

 

Basically, the general premise of a custom loop is that water flows through a loop (tubing) in your PC, after making contact with the CPU and or GPU and that water (which is now hotter), flows into the radiator area of the loop and then gets dissipated and cooled by air fans, with the water then repeating the same cycle. - Simple stuff and I best the vast majority of peeps on this forum know this

 

However, I am wondering whether there are any liquids that could work better than water?

 

[8tg]

There are two things that are liquid at room temperature, are better than water for thermal transfer, won’t explode and can theoretically be put in a computers liquid cooling system.

Mercury, and Hydrofluoric Acid.

 

Now the issues for each, Mercury is extremely heavy and you need an obscene pump and stainless steel hardware. And if you were to spill something like a liter of Mercury in your home you’d have the EPA knocking down your door and locking down the entire towns water supply.

 

Hydrofluoric acid is a controlled substance because it’s used to make antidepressants, it can also kill you extremely easily because it eats away at flesh as it mixes in with water. So while you could easily put it in either a glass/ceramic water cooling system with maybe copper or aluminum contact  plates, any spill would destroy your pc, the desk, create toxic vapor which would kill you, anything that got on you would kill you, and honestly it’s just not recommended.

 

Water is the best for low heat dissipation use cases like computers.

Antifreeze is primarily to keep the liquid from expanding or contracting too much, and in the name, keep it from freezing. Glycol that’s used in antifreeze is actually worse for thermal transfer than water.

Putting antifreeze won’t help your system unless you put your pc outside in the winter.

 

[Dedayog]

Hint: Google your idea, tons of info already out there

 

 

[Actual_Criminal]

6 minutes ago, 8tg said:

There are two things that are liquid at room temperature, are better than water for thermal transfer, won’t explode and can theoretically be put in a computers liquid cooling system.

Mercury, and Hydrofluoric Acid.

 

Now the issues for each, Mercury is extremely heavy and you need an obscene pump and stainless steel hardware. And if you were to spill something like a liter of Mercury in your home you’d have the EPA knocking down your door and locking down the entire towns water supply.

 

Hydrofluoric acid is a controlled substance because it’s used to make antidepressants, it can also kill you extremely easily because it eats away at flesh as it mixes in with water. So while you could easily put it in either a glass/ceramic water cooling system with maybe copper or aluminum contact  plates, any spill would destroy your pc, the desk, create toxic vapor which would kill you, anything that got on you would kill you, and honestly it’s just not recommended.

 

Water is the best for low heat dissipation use cases like computers.

Antifreeze is primarily to keep the liquid from expanding or contracting too much, and in the name, keep it from freezing. Glycol that’s used in antifreeze is actually worse for thermal transfer than water.

Putting antifreeze won’t help your system unless you put your pc outside in the winter.

 

Thanks, a lot of helpful info in there.

[Brooksie359]

The only way I could see this possibly working is if you used an actual refrigerant with a full refrigeration loop with the compressor condenser and expansion valve. Granted at that point it becomes somewhat ridiculous. 

[Oshino Shinobu]

Anti-freeze/automotive coolant is worse than water from a cooling standpoint anyway, so even if you can, there's no point. Automotive coolant has additives to prevent it from corroding when there are different metals in a loop (for example, some will use an iron block and aluminium head) as well as to prevent it from freezing and expanding, which can cause cracking to engine components. This is at the cost of cooling performance. A lot of race/track cars will use distilled water as it works better as a coolant and as it will be changed either multiple times during a track session or at least at the end of the day, corrosion and freezing aren't really concerns. 

[Chris Pratt]

There is no liquid that works better than water.

[thrasher_565]

3 hours ago, Oshino Shinobu said:

Anti-freeze/automotive coolant is worse than water from a cooling standpoint anyway, so even if you can, there's no point. Automotive coolant has additives to prevent it from corroding when there are different metals in a loop (for example, some will use an iron block and aluminium head) as well as to prevent it from freezing and expanding, which can cause cracking to engine components. This is at the cost of cooling performance. A lot of race/track cars will use distilled water as it works better as a coolant and as it will be changed either multiple times during a track session or at least at the end of the day, corrosion and freezing aren't really concerns. 

what about mix metal loop? and lots more rads...

[Blue4130]

4 hours ago, Actual_Criminal said:

Let me just start by saying that I don't intend to do this, but have a similar idea that isn't necessarily computer-related, but the design is somewhat similar to the way a custom loop in a PC works.

 

Basically, the general premise of a custom loop is that water flows through a loop (tubing) in your PC, after making contact with the CPU and or GPU and that water (which is now hotter), flows into the radiator area of the loop and then gets dissipated and cooled by air fans, with the water then repeating the same cycle. - Simple stuff and I best the vast majority of peeps on this forum know this

 

However, I am wondering whether there are any liquids that could work better than water?

 

 

In the late 90's and early 00's this was the standard way to watercool. Auto antifreeze and car heater core radiators. Not ideal compared to purpose built stuff like today, but perfectly acceptable. 

[Brooksie359]

4 hours ago, Chris Pratt said:

There is no liquid that works better than water.

You gotta use butter. It solid at room temp but is liquid at slightly higher so you could use the phase change from solid to liquid to store more heat. Just gotta find a pump that can pump solid butter

[thrasher_565]

1 hour ago, Brooksie359 said:

You gotta use butter. It solid at room temp but is liquid at slightly higher so you could use the phase change from solid to liquid to store more heat. Just gotta find a pump that can pump solid butter

hmm a ram?

[airborne spoon]

Jayztwocents did a video on this ages ago just look it up.

 

TL;DR don't use antifreeze as a coolant in computers

[thrasher_565]

On 7/22/2021 at 3:29 PM, airborne spoon said:

Jayztwocents did a video on this ages ago just look it up.

 

TL;DR don't use antifreeze as a coolant in computers

jaz's not a scientist

[airborne spoon]

15 hours ago, thrasher_565 said:

jaz's not a scientist

No shit sherlock 

That doesn't change the results, did you even watch the video? He eliminates as many variables as reasonable and conducts a proper test.

[thrasher_565]

8 hours ago, airborne spoon said:

No shit sherlock 

That doesn't change the results, did you even watch the video? He eliminates as many variables as reasonable and conducts a proper test.

he;s never done long term testing nor an full mix metal loop...

Edited July 27, 2021 by thrasher_565