boiling your coolant in system to sterilize it

[LopeDogg]

hmm, ive run my little pump with 70+ degree water temps when i was testing a passive radiator idea with quite a big heat load waiting for equilibrium...
i was thinking...

why not disconnect waterblocks from all PC parts, but hook up all the hoses etc and seal the watercooling loop. then apply a heat source, switch on the pump, and leave the radiator fans off...
let the temprature climb close to 100C then leave it to cool down, turn the radiators fans on, whatever...

this is how they sterilize canned food, it lasts for years.
the only unknown, is will light entering the loop cause algae growth...

any ideas?

[BillA]

and all the plastic bits ?
next idea

[nikhsub1]

Umm, most pumps are only rated to a max liquid temp of 40-60C or so, some more but very few. What exactly are you trying to accomplish?

[SlaterSpeed]

Should think the thermal expansion of the coolent would cause problems aswell (assuming its a sealed loop)

slater..

[Kobuchi]

Originally Posted by unregistered

and all the plastic bits ?

Like all the plastic bits people thoughtlessly boil in their kitchens daily and for decades? None melt at 100C. The lids for home canning jars are often plastic coated with a rubber seal ring. I've boiled loads of baby stuff - all sorts of plastics - and encountered just one problem: clear silicone grows cloudy from repeated boiling.

This must be the best way to make a pure water system sterile... if the pump can take 100C and fantastic cavitation.

On the other hand, it's overkill unless one has clear tubes with fluorescent lights (grow-lights) shining through them.

[BillA]

"Like all the plastic bits people thoughtlessly boil in their kitchens daily and for decades? None melt at 100C."

google on heat distortion temperature
now identify the plastic bits in your WCing system (nothing to do with baby stuff)

in response to the contentious nature of your post I will add:
you are also a technical horse's ass
because you know words is not a good reason to post them
another for the ignore list

[joemac]

I did this once, not to sterilize the water but because I forgot to turn off my pelts (pump was also running), so yes it was an accident.

The system consisted of a water block that was solder together, two 220w pelts, a HW lab Rad, an Eheim pump, AMD board and a 18V 30amp power supply to power it all.

Anyway to cut a long story short, the block got so hot that the block fell apart, the water was boiling hot and CPU socket melted.

The causalities were the water block, Pelts and the CPU socket. Everything else kept working even the pump, Although I don’t know if the plastic impeller would have survived if the water had not leaked out when the water block fell apart.
:shrug:

[BillA]

what I've always wanted to know is if the boiling started before the hose burst ?
not willing to test though, lol

[LopeDogg]

well, 100c isnt a magical number which bacteria die at, according to howstuffworks.com, bacteria which causes food to spoil dies at about 66C.
my coolant easily went into the 70s, and the pump, hose, silicone RTV (high temp) was all perfect.

a waterblock is only gonna melt at over 200-300c or +-, way above boiling point.

the host did get all flexible, but after it cooled down it went back to normal.

the pump i use costs like $15 so i dont mind abusing it a bit.

if i would be guarenteed a growth free system, id do it.

i was also thinking of mixing alcohol/water, say 30/70
to try prevent growth of stuff. otherwise ill just be normal and use antifreeze like everyone else.

[Lothar5150]

Originally Posted by unregistered

"Like all the plastic bits people thoughtlessly boil in their kitchens daily and for decades? None melt at 100C."

google on heat distortion temperature
now identify the plastic bits in your WCing system (nothing to do with baby stuff)

in response to the contentious nature of your post I will add:
you are also a technical horse's ass
because you know words is not a good reason to post them
another for the ignore list

LOL...Amen

FYI, Gents Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) starts to deform at 71C and has a melt point of 115C. High Density Polyethylene(HDPE) starts to deform at 82C and melts at 137C. Tygon is used in surgical applications and is formulated to be sterilized at high temperature (~250F).

note I revised the melt points based on data provided in Kalpakjian;Manufacturing Engineering and Technology (1990)...oh shit I just dated myself

[joemac]

Originally Posted by unregistered

what I've always wanted to know is if the boiling started before the hose burst ?
not willing to test though, lol

LOL I always wanted to know what the boiling point in a sealed water rig would be. So anyone know the boiling point of a sealed WC rig? … Something about high temperature steam that could/will results also scares me and keeps me from finding out

[Kobuchi]

Baby stuff turned

Originally Posted by unregistered

and all the plastic bits ?
next idea

into

Originally Posted by unregistered

google on heat distortion temperature
now identify the plastic bits in your WCing system

so if we like exploring fresh ideas the post was a success.

***

I guess boiling safe and practical for a package system designed for that. Otherwise, too many unknowns, or too much material ID and research. Who wants to pop an impeller housing just to wonder at some tiny plastic packing rings?

No harm in using pre-boiled water.

[Kobuchi]

Originally Posted by joemac

LOL I always wanted to know what the boiling point in a sealed water rig would be. So anyone know the boiling point of a sealed WC rig?

It would vary with pressure, where it is in the loop. Fantastic cavitation.

[superart]

what if the loop didn't have any plastic bits. What if the entire loop, not counting the pump, was metal or a plastic that can sustain high temperatures, with tygon hoses.

As for the pump, according to joemac's post #7, his pump seemed to be OK at the elevated temperature. If someone was really anal about having clean water, they could get a pump that is rated for such temperatures.

[LopeDogg]

i think its definitely something to look into...
up till now i have watercooled my system with clear medical grade PVC piping. that stuff handles the high temps.

but now im going to use some silicone tubing in my system aswell, i want minimum force applied to my cpu waterblock, and dont want hard drive and pump vibrations carried down a pipe.

one thing is for sure, im definitely going to boil my water beforehand, let it cool, add the antifreeze.

i dont feel like googling it atm, but maybe its possible to get away with sterilizing the system at just above 66 degrees celcius.
pretty much everything can handle that.

[BillA]

I suspect that distilled water from a jug is much more sterile than boiling, transferring to a container, then into the system

the Laing D4 pump is used in solar hot water systems with a bronze head (and a bronze impeller ??)
about plastics; many types, many characteristics, all temp related
the right one is selected for a specific task, this includes the temp characterization

[nikhsub1]

Originally Posted by unregistered

I suspect that distilled water from a jug is much more sterile than boiling...

This is my thought too, I dont get why you need to boil the water? Seems like a waste of time.

[superart]

Even if the water is pure, the insides of the tubes and blocks and other parts are full of nasty shit you cant see. Also, the air is full of spores. These floaat into your system as you are filling it. Boiling kills most of them.

[nikhsub1]

Use a proper additive and this is a mute point, still a waste of time. I've never had any growth, and I've had systems with the same water for 2 years without a flush.

[superart]

As i said in my earlier post, this would be for the anal retentive

[torin3]

Originally Posted by nikhsub1

and this is a mute point,

Warning, pet peeve to follow:

Moot, not mute

This has been a pet peeve...thank you for your tolerance.

[Brians256]

<ThreadHijack>
Also, moot is one of those words that has morphed into its own antonym! Moot was a word meaning a meeting for a gathering to talk about an issue or set of issues. So, a moot point was a subject that needed discussing. Now, it is used to refer to something that should NOT be discussed. Wierd.
</ThreadHijack>

[BillA]

huh ?

adj.
1. Subject to debate; arguable: a moot question.

2. Law.
a Without legal significance, through having been previously decided or settled.
b Of no practical importance; irrelevant.

in working with lawyers, I've known both of #2 to be used, but never #1

[Cathar]

Originally Posted by Brians256

<ThreadHijack>
Also, moot is one of those words that has morphed into its own antonym! Moot was a word meaning a meeting for a gathering to talk about an issue or set of issues. So, a moot point was a subject that needed discussing. Now, it is used to refer to something that should NOT be discussed. Wierd.
</ThreadHijack>

Yes, as in "Ent-Moot", or a meeting of the Ents to discuss pertinent issues, as per LOTR.

[superart]

The cow says, "mooooooooot"