Alternate fluids

[linuxfan66]

I am asking this out of curiousity after looking at the 101 guide. Is running a water cooler with a non conductive fluid practical?

I ask because everytime i have thought about it practically i keep asking why not just put in something that isnt water so leaking is harmless.

[SuperPug]

Mayo... use mayo /s

[linuxfan66]

Mayo... use mayo /s

you must have an insane pump....and mayo would conduct still i think

[brandishwar]

Anything other than distilled water is going to have some loss of cooling capability -- distilled water is just the best thing. And while it starts out completely non-conductive, it will eventually become conductive, but so will almost all other "non-conductive" fluids.

 

An alternative that I've seen discussed before is mineral oil -- using it as the fluid in your system. I don't think it is even capable of becoming conductive, meaning it should also act as a corrosion inhibitor, but it is more viscous than water and could likely kill a D5 or DDC pump since those are made for low viscosity liquids. Plus its capacity for cooling a system is significantly lower than distilled water, which is why mineral oil builds tend to involve submerging the components -- you need a lot more mineral oil to absorb the same amount of heat.

[linuxfan66]

Anything other than distilled water is going to have some loss of cooling capability -- distilled water is just the best thing. And while it starts out completely non-conductive, it will eventually become conductive, but so will almost all other "non-conductive" fluids.

 

An alternative that I've seen discussed before is mineral oil -- using it as the fluid in your system. I don't think it is even capable of becoming conductive, meaning it should also act as a corrosion inhibitor, but it is more viscous than water and could likely kill a D5 or DDC pump since those are made for low viscosity liquids. Plus its capacity for cooling a system is significantly lower than distilled water, which is why mineral oil builds tend to involve submerging the components -- you need a lot more mineral oil to absorb the same amount of heat.

wouldnt pure ethyl alcohol never become conductive?

[brandishwar]

wouldnt pure ethyl alcohol never become conductive?

 

Not sure. But I do know it has a much lower boiling point than distilled water -- a little higher than 78C. I think it will also react with the plastics used in various water blocks, and might not be good for the o-rings used in fittings and blocks.

[SatansHollow]

Not sure. But I do know it has a much lower boiling point than distilled water -- a little higher than 78C. I think it will also react with the plastics used in various water blocks, and might not be good for the o-rings used in fittings and blocks.

 

I am asking this out of curiousity after looking at the 101 guide. Is running a water cooler with a non conductive fluid practical?

I ask because everytime i have thought about it practically i keep asking why not just put in something that isnt water so leaking is harmless.

I think the question you are not asking but illuminates the answer you are looking for is:

 

Why use water?

 

Water two properties that make it good for cooling. Big specific heat capacity and convenient melting and boiling points.

The bad points are its conductive, it supports life and it has strong surface tension.

The non cosmetic additives address these biocides, corrosion, inhibitors, surfactant etc

 

So a new fluid needs to be non conductive have a specific heat capacity better then 4185.5 J/KgK, no surface tension, be liquid at room temp and stay liquid up to common die temps 80C or so and be cheaper too.

 

I think at the moment it's just not worth the development cost

[brandishwar]

I think at the moment it's just not worth the development cost

 

Provided something like that is even possible....

[W-L]

I am asking this out of curiousity after looking at the 101 guide. Is running a water cooler with a non conductive fluid practical?

I ask because everytime i have thought about it practically i keep asking why not just put in something that isnt water so leaking is harmless.

 

As others have said fluids such non-conductive premixes will become conductive by picking up ions from the blocks overtime in the loop.

 

If you really want to get scientific there are fluids specially designed for high voltage transformers as coolants and water displacements which could theoretically be used in a loop since it's a non-conductive fluid that has very good heat capacity and super high boiling and flash points. 

 

One of them is FR3 if you want to look into it but getting a hold of stuff like this is difficult:

http://www.nttworldwide.com/docs/fr3brochure.pdf

[Xx_death1544_xx]

If you don't want to use water use mineral oil, if it leaks on your components it wont hurt anything plus it is an anti corrosive liquid

[The Benjamins]

The issues of using Mineral oil

hardens flexible tubes

can NOT use rubber in loop/seals

if it leaks its HARD to clean up, but hey it will not break the pc.

thermal properties not as good as water but close

need a better pump, faster pump, it is also a lubricant so it will not hurt a pump.

it will make a mess.