Glycol in cooling

[yngveulv]

Hi. Dont know if it is relevant but I see that you use distillied water in your watercooling solutions and that is sometimes result in "erosion" I think the term was when linus was cleaning out the desk pc. Is there a reason why you do not mix the water with a bit of glycol? Antifreeze is glycol. I work with fixing engines. And in addition to lowering the freezing point of water when mixed with It. Antifreeze also reduces the build-up of sediments. I myself have never built a pc of any kind watercooled or otherwise. But I wondered if there was a reason for using pure distillied water and not adding any chemicals to it.

 

I enjoy your videos.

Thanks

 

Yngve

[Syntaxvgm]

1 hour ago, campy said:

AIOs use glycol, generally you dont do it in custom loops because its not drastically beneficial and it can have issues with other additives.

 

this

As far as I'm aware, asetek aios are a mix of distilled water and Propylene glycol. It lowers the freezing point (helps with shipping), inhibits corrosion, and has a lower evaporation rate than water so I THINK it helps in that way as well. 

 

edit

I knew it's really only suitable for use in sealed systems and Ethylene was better as an option, and some other additives are there, when searching for information I found this post on OCN. 

Quote

Ethylene glycol is best imo.

Propylene glycol, on the other hand, is considerably less toxic and may be labeled as "non-toxic antifreeze". It is used as antifreeze where ethylene glycol would be inappropriate, such as in food-processing systems or in water pipes in homes where incidental ingestion may be possible.
Propylene glycol oxidizes when exposed to air and heat, forming lactic acid. If not properly inhibited, this fluid can be very corrosive, so pH buffering agents are often added to propylene glycol, to prevent acidic corrosion of metal components.
Besides cooling system breakdown, biological fouling also occurs. Once bacterial slime starts, the corrosion rate of the system increases. Maintenance of systems using glycol solution includes regular monitoring of freeze protection, pH, specific gravity, inhibitor level, color, and biological contamination.
Propylene glycol should be replaced when it turns a reddish color.

here's some info on antifreeze as a coolant 

https://www.overclockers.com/pc-water-coolant-chemistry-part-ii/

btw, aside fromt he obvious copper pipe mistake, the whole room watercooling would have probably best have been done via antifreeze outside only and connected to a second loop that's on the interior via heat exchangers. 

[Benjeh]

5 hours ago, yngveulv said:

Hi. Dont know if it is relevant but I see that you use distillied water in your watercooling solutions and that is sometimes result in "erosion" I think the term was when linus was cleaning out the desk pc. Is there a reason why you do not mix the water with a bit of glycol? Antifreeze is glycol. I work with fixing engines. And in addition to lowering the freezing point of water when mixed with It. Antifreeze also reduces the build-up of sediments. I myself have never built a pc of any kind watercooled or otherwise. But I wondered if there was a reason for using pure distillied water and not adding any chemicals to it.

 

I enjoy your videos.

Thanks

 

Yngve

People used to use it in the early days but there is literally no point now for computers, you can get little bottles of corrosion inhibs etc etc which you add to plain water, we used distilled because its pure, it helps reduce corrosion, safe to dispose of and you can add anti algae and adatives to help with mixed metals (brass, copper, nickel).

 

Distilled is readily available and cheap in the UK we use de-ionized water as a replacement as we can buy that cheap and readily. 

[zassou]

steve on GN once said the reason manufaturers added ethylene or propylele glycol is to prevent cooling liquid freeze in subzero temps during shipping, as for performance side, it lowers the liquid's heat capacity, so it's not as good as distilled water. how much is another question tho, but i think it makes little different for everyday use.

 

erosion is solid carried away as liquid flows thru. i think you are saying gunk build up and galvanic corrosion.

the former is happened where some exotic cooling liquid's pigment or other component start setting in custom loop. these solid will accuminate in tight corners, like water block and water pump bearing.

the latter is two metal with reacting when placing in an electrolyte, like you do electroplating experiment in schools.  pure water is not conductive, but as other stuff mixed in could increases its conductivity, and turn your loop into a galvanic battery.

 

the ideal scenario is properly clean your tubings and components before adding pure distilled water. but some like to add antimicrobioal agent to supress the growth of algaes.