Radiator stacking

[callum.mcconnell]

I don't plan on doing this but dou you think you could stack radiators if you had the space in your case. My explanation may be a bit hard to follow, so sorry for that.

I was thinking that you could mount two radiators one on top of each other with a layer of static pressure fans in between. If you had the room. So if you were to mount the rads in the top of your case and run the tubing coming from say the CPU to the top radiator first and then to the bottom radiator followed by the next component in the loop.

I thought that the fluid would need to go through the top rad first because if the fluid was to go through the bottom rad first the heat being transferred to the air would warm up the cool fluid in the top rad.

I just thought this would be an interesting concept so please let me know what you think an feel free to tell me if you didn't understand my explanation.

[Aytex]

rad

fan

rad

fan

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[callum.mcconnell]

That is what I was thinking

[gazabi]

I don't plan on doing this but dou you think you could stack radiators if you had the space in your case. My explanation may be a bit hard to follow, so sorry for that.

I was thinking that you could mount two radiators one on top of each other with a layer of static pressure fans in between. If you had the room. So if you were to mount the rads in the top of your case and run the tubing coming from say the CPU to the top radiator first and then to the bottom radiator followed by the next component in the loop.

I thought that the fluid would need to go through the top rad first because if the fluid was to go through the bottom rad first the heat being transferred to the air would warm up the cool fluid in the top rad.

I just thought this would be an interesting concept so please let me know what you think an feel free to tell me if you didn't understand my explanation.

It would work, but connecting the ports may be a struggle since there is not much space.

[W-L]

That is what I was thinking

It's better to have a single thick rad than stack them the performance again isn't really that good:

[Chiobe]

It's better to have a single thick rad than stack them the performance again isn't really that good:

That was only tested at upto 1200rpm, so the question becomes wheter or not you see a bigger difference at higher speed.

[ManWithBeard1990]

I don't see why you'd stack them. In theory having the water flow from top rad to bottom rad and air from bottom to top is good, because you have counterflow. However, in a typical watercooling setup the water circulates so quickly that barely any temperature difference is present across the radiator. So instead of using the same air twice, which is already warmed up from going through the first radiator, it'd be better to run them in parallel, and not stacked, so that both rads can intake fresh air.

[Chiobe]

I don't see why you'd stack them. In theory having the water flow from top rad to bottom rad and air from bottom to top is good, because you have counterflow. However, in a typical watercooling setup the water circulates so quickly that barely any temperature difference is present across the radiator. So instead of using the same air twice, which is already warmed up from going through the first radiator, it'd be better to run them in parallel, and not stacked, so that both rads can intake fresh air.

Its more for those cases where you can only mount 1 rad, but with some work might be able to stack another on the same spot outside the case.

Also I still havent found out how you are suppose to mount them together, as you cant screw through the radiator.

[ManWithBeard1990]

Its more for those cases where you can only mount 1 rad, but with some work might be able to stack another on the same spot outside the case.

Also I still havent found out how you are suppose to mount them together, as you cant screw through the radiator.

You'd have to use fans with open corners.

Still, it doesn't really help.

[BeakTrots]

Yeah, but won't it be hard to connect your tubing? Especially if you're using hardline

[brandishwar]

The problem with the idea is that air can only absorb so much heat. As another person noted, MLL tested only at 1200rpm, so higher RPM would in theory work better due to the higher airflow -- more air allows for more heat absorbsion -- but you're basically only kicking the can down the road. There is a ceiling, and it will be reached faster by stacking the radiators because the air will absorb less heat with each successive radiator it must pass through.

[Chiobe]

The problem with the idea is that air can only absorb so much heat. As another person noted, MLL tested only at 1200rpm, so higher RPM would in theory work better due to the higher airflow -- more air allows for more heat absorbsion -- but you're basically only kicking the can down the road. There is a ceiling, and it will be reached faster by stacking the radiators because the air will absorb less heat with each successive radiator it must pass through.

The question is wheter or not you get any benfits from stacking another rad on your case, when you only got space for 1 to begin with.

For cases that can fit 2 or more rads, so is it almost pointless.

[W-L]

That was only tested at upto 1200rpm, so the question becomes wheter or not you see a bigger difference at higher speed.

 

True I would expect it to be fairly linear from that point onwards though since higher RPM's at that point don't exactly yield huge difference other than lower temps. 

[tomas710]

I don't plan on doing this but dou you think you could stack radiators if you had the space in your case. My explanation may be a bit hard to follow, so sorry for that.

I was thinking that you could mount two radiators one on top of each other with a layer of static pressure fans in between. If you had the room. So if you were to mount the rads in the top of your case and run the tubing coming from say the CPU to the top radiator first and then to the bottom radiator followed by the next component in the loop.

I thought that the fluid would need to go through the top rad first because if the fluid was to go through the bottom rad first the heat being transferred to the air would warm up the cool fluid in the top rad.

I just thought this would be an interesting concept so please let me know what you think an feel free to tell me if you didn't understand my explanation.

In theory, and im using that concept loosely, you may get worst performance compared to having the rads not stacked since thickness increase gives lower performance than area increase. Of course you would get better if you just couldn't fit the rads somewhere else, but i would think that the more rads you stack the minor the performance increase, diminishing returns the more rads you stack, however i would like to see the comparison of a thick rad, 60mm for the sake of argument, compared to 2 30mms stacked, wonder what that would be like. I wouldnt recomend it tho, but something to think about.

[Chiobe]

True I would expect it to be fairly linear from that point onwards though since higher RPM's at that point don't exactly yield huge difference other than lower temps. 

At 1200 rpm, so does formation 6 beat out everything but spaces out 2 rads.

Yes, the difference are small, but they might increase at higher speed.

 

Also, it dont say anything about amount of heat wattage from the PC, so thats also an element. Since putting a high load on it (like a 1000 watt), might shift the favor to the stack rads, as there is a limit to how much a single 1 can disapate.

[W-L]

At 1200 rpm, so does formation 6 beat out everything but spaces out 2 rads.

Yes, the difference are small, but they might increase at higher speed.

 

Also, it dont say anything about amount of heat wattage from the PC, so thats also an element. Since putting a high load on it (like a 1000 watt), might shift the favor to the stack rads, as there is a limit to how much a single 1 can disapate.

 

I would highly doubt the difference at higher speeds would be more tahn say 5% or so but I could be wrong. 

 

As for the heat amount that I can see become a factor since at 1000W of heat I'm sure it would be capable of using a stacked rad for cooling due to the massive amount of heat. The full post is here on the specifics if your interested in it:

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?220874-More-Radiator-Sandwich-testing

[Chiobe]

I would highly doubt the difference at higher speeds would be more tahn say 5% or so but I could be wrong. 

 

As for the heat amount that I can see become a factor since at 1000W of heat I'm sure it would be capable of using a stacked rad for cooling due to the massive amount of heat. The full post is here on the specifics if your interested in it:

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?220874-More-Radiator-Sandwich-testing

"I also have heaters (300W) which allow for much better testing"

300W is about a high end GPU on a 360mm radiator, which is overkill to being with.

The entire reason you would even stack radiators, is because one is not enough and you dont got space to add more radiators.

 

Also, 1250rpm fans for stacking!!! Who on earth though that was a good idea?

There is no way in hell, that the fan has enough pushing power to make use of that extra radiator.

[W-L]

300W is about a high end GPU on a 360mm radiator, which is overkill to being with.

The entire reason you would even stack radiators, is because one is not enough and you dont got space to add more radiators.

 

Also, 1250rpm fans for stacking!!! Who on earth though that was a good idea?

There is no way in hell, that the fan has enough pushing power to make use of that extra radiator.

 

It's not the most piratical but your correct but it does give a baseline on what staking rads do but there are setups with double stacked fans and rads. Most of us do use way more rads than we need to not to mention being able to run fans way below 1000RPM.

 

I personally never have my fast past 700RPM at full load but basically double the rads I need.

[Chiobe]

It's not the most piratical but your correct but it does give a baseline on what staking rads do but there are setups with double stacked fans and rads. Most of us do use way more rads than we need to not to mention being able to run fans way below 1000RPM.

 

I personally never have my fast past 700RPM at full load but basically double the rads I need.

Yeah, most people gets a case that can handle the cooling, but thats not who stacking rads are for.

Its more for people who have a small case and want it to remain small. Stacking that extra radiator will most likely be better then not doing anything.

 

But untill we find someone who is willing to test it and has the equipment to make sure its done properly, so is it all just teori.

[W-L]

Yeah, most people gets a case that can handle the cooling, but thats not who stacking rads are for.

Its more for people who have a small case and want it to remain small. Stacking that extra radiator will most likely be better then not doing anything.

 

But untill we find someone who is willing to test it and has the equipment to make sure its done properly, so is it all just teori.

 

Basically more data points would be good I wish others also would test rads at lower RPM's since they do test from 1000RPM all the way to 2000RPM where most of us will probably run at sub 1000RPM.

[marshek]

Looking back on the ltt minecraft server build thing. im planning a similar 2u build as a gaming rig. using the 2x5.25" drive bays for radiators. using the alphacool nexxxos ut60 radiators for a ryzen 9 and a rtx 2080ti. any input on this giving enough cooling performance for them? and yes I know it it going to be very tight, this is really going in a desk drawer space.

[Sophia_Borjia]

Cooling with depth is less efficient then area.  Double area and double cooling, quadruple depth to double cooling.

 

2 stacked 60mm deep radiators is roughly same cooling as 2*360 30mm thick radiators.  So more then enough radiator, airflow would be main question.  No idea how you intend to fit 2 extra thick 120mm rads in 2u case.  Custom shroud with fans not screwed to rads maybe?  Stacked those rads won't fit in 2u. 

 

If you meant the 40mm fan x-flow.  6 40mm fans would fit in 2x5.25 bay opening, end tanks are wider then 5.25 bay so cutting may be needed.  That is (40^2)*6 area vs 120^2.  3/4 the area of 120mm, extra thickness gets to about same cooling as a single 120mm rad.  High rpm server fans could get you enough airflow to even allow some overclock, but don't try talking over fan noise without yelling.  Putting rads 4 deep would also allow enough cooling, but line of fans and rads almost foot deep is not going to fit easily.

 

Fans in bay with duct to radiator wider then the 5.25 bays could work.  Fitting enough cooling into the drive bays seems unlikely.