Ethanol cooling

kingu · 02-27-2004, 03:39 AM

Hey folks
I have been thinking about dumping a motherboard along with graficscard and what else there might be sitting on the motherboard, down into a box fillede with ethanol (to some extend), just like people do with mineral oil. The only difference is that I want to make the container air proof and use a water pump to get som circulation. I would also send the ehtanol (via the circulation created by the pump) through a small single fan radiator.
Now, I think of making the container of plexi glass, sealed with silicone.
Would the ethanol desolve the plexi and/or the silicone (the same applys for the PCBs)?
Would i work for me?

I have discussed it a bit with Myth yesterday, and I came to the conclusion to ask ind here.

BTW. I am in the right forum right?

Jabo · 02-27-2004, 06:24 AM

Welcome to The Madness dude

Yes, it seems to be the right place buahahahaha.....

*chuckle*

It's all about electrical properties of coolant used for immersion cooling.
As far as I know fluorients have been used to it, I have not heard of ethanol immersive cooling solution.
Search some chemistry books, encyclopedias on-line for physical and chemical propoerties of ethanol and you will know if its suitable.

kingu · 02-27-2004, 01:00 PM

Well.. I spoke with my physics teatcher. He meant that the ethanol would do the job, by not leading curent, though he were unable to tell weather the plexi and/or the PCB vould be disolved.

I hope that someone can anserver where he came short.

AntiBling · 02-27-2004, 02:03 PM

Bad, bad idea. It wont work well, will probably destroy your hardware and may burn your house down. Sorry if you dont like my opinion, but you asked for it.

Dont wind up here:

http://www.stupidvideos.com

Try something else.

Jabo · 02-27-2004, 03:17 PM

AntiBilling -> one can hurt oneslef on 1000 and 1 ways. What we do here is NOT for an average PC user. People here deal with mostly dangerous tools, substances and harrowingly high amperages able to fry your guts in miliseconds.
It is not for faint hearted and trying new things is the only way forward.
Why not say that ethanol could be capacitive and cause explosion or it does not have nearly as mmuch thermal capacity as water or is a volatile substance and has to be handled with atmost care
?
Some peeps here deal with pressures high enough to in case of accidnet would leave them looking like metal hedgehogs....

... looks like I am a tad grumpy t'nite, sorry

Althornin · 02-27-2004, 03:33 PM

why not use mineral oil?
Less risky than ethanol, for sure.....

kingu · 02-27-2004, 03:38 PM

#4, I do not intent to get my fingers burned, so I'll becarefull if this project becomes a reality.
I know vary well that ethanol is a highly flamable fluid, not to talk about it when it evaporates.
I have made some other cooling projects, just not as extreme as this idea.
One of them is a bong of plexi. The other one speaks for it self

Pics can be found here:
http://www.burn-it.dk/index.php?stat...artikler_nr=32
http://www.burn-it.dk/index.php?stat...artikler_nr=37
The text is in danish so i don't think you'll get much of it..

I hope that you peeps out there have som more comments for me

kingu · 02-27-2004, 05:07 PM

Well #6, mineral oil works, no doubt about that, but it is oil and i doubt that i will come off as easy as ethanol, so the hardware will be practially no good for other porpuses. Another thing is that mineral oil has been done, and i have not seen anyone do cooling with ethanol.. However it will not burst into flames as easy as ethanol..

redleader · 02-27-2004, 05:30 PM

Ethanol works fine. I ran it instead of water for a while, but theres really no sense to it. Performance is nearly identical, and water is just easier.

WRT seals and glue, alcohol is a pretty similar solvent to water so most things that are completely waterproof aren't effected too much by it either (there are exceptions though). Silicone sealant worked fine for me, as did Marine Goop.

AntiBling · 02-27-2004, 06:45 PM

Nice work man! Clearly you are not a fabrication "noob". Good luck with your ethanol project. I dont have any ideas that will help so I'll just bow out of this thread. Once again I wasnt trying to offend, it just doesnt seem like a good idea to me. Prove me wrong and post some pics!

Jabo · 02-28-2004, 02:57 PM

Nice bongo dude

Yeah, post some pics and don't give up

Butcher · 02-28-2004, 06:24 PM

I think he's talking ethanol immersion cooling redleader...

Anyway, I read something indicating that unless it's very pure, which isn't feasible for computer cooling, ethanol's conductivity is high enough to cause issues. They were talking about 0.02% water in it - most stuff you can buy is 5% water.

iroc409 · 02-28-2004, 06:45 PM

aren't there better not-explosive liquids usable for immersion? countering what jabo said, yes modders of all sorts work with dangerous items, but why risk a bomb? having a high pressure line inside a case blow is one thing, having a gallon or two of ethanol erupt is another.

but, if you do use it, i suggest a fairly sturdy box, and make sure it's completely sealed so vapors can't be released. i'd use like .75"+ lexan or something.. lol. that way if it's kicked or knocked around a bit, it wouldn't get damaged. and you could still see all the stuff inside

mogwai · 02-28-2004, 11:55 PM

Speaking of Ethanol being dangerous:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...2004Feb28.html

Anhydrous ethanol is expensive, and has a tendency to absorb water from the air. I dont think this is a good idea.

Jabo · 02-29-2004, 04:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iroc409

aren't there better not-explosive liquids usable for immersion? countering what jabo said, yes modders of all sorts work with dangerous items, but why risk a bomb? having a high pressure line inside a case blow is one thing, having a gallon or two of ethanol erupt is another.

Speaking about mad people, check out
this
nutter's work!!!

And another one
even more scarry - chap almost got KILLED!!!
So much about phase change cooling being safe...

Jabo · 02-29-2004, 04:50 AM

I wrote at the very begining of this thread that fluorients are the way to go

BUt it is alwyas worth trying new things, risky things if one needs more adrenaline racing through one's veins

AntiBling · 02-29-2004, 04:59 AM

Heh heh. That IS nuts. That I can not identify with at all. All that for a freakin PC? There is no way I would spend my time or money doing that. The guys cooling rig is the size of a walk in cooler. Just buy a damn freezer, get your computer and sit inside it! Sheesh!

Jabo · 02-29-2004, 07:12 AM

Almost pissed myself reading your post AntiBling dude!
Shamino's madness is unrivalled I think

02-27-2004, 03:39 AM	#1
kingu Cooling Neophyte Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Denmark Posts: 7	Ethanol cooling Hey folks I have been thinking about dumping a motherboard along with graficscard and what else there might be sitting on the motherboard, down into a box fillede with ethanol (to some extend), just like people do with mineral oil. The only difference is that I want to make the container air proof and use a water pump to get som circulation. I would also send the ehtanol (via the circulation created by the pump) through a small single fan radiator. Now, I think of making the container of plexi glass, sealed with silicone. Would the ethanol desolve the plexi and/or the silicone (the same applys for the PCBs)? Would i work for me? I have discussed it a bit with Myth yesterday, and I came to the conclusion to ask ind here. BTW. I am in the right forum right?

02-28-2004, 06:24 PM	#12
Butcher Thermophile Join Date: May 2001 Location: UK Posts: 1,064	I think he's talking ethanol immersion cooling redleader... Anyway, I read something indicating that unless it's very pure, which isn't feasible for computer cooling, ethanol's conductivity is high enough to cause issues. They were talking about 0.02% water in it - most stuff you can buy is 5% water. __________________ Once upon a time, in a land far far away...

02-28-2004, 06:45 PM	#13
iroc409 Cooling Savant Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: midwest side, yo Posts: 596	aren't there better not-explosive liquids usable for immersion? countering what jabo said, yes modders of all sorts work with dangerous items, but why risk a bomb? having a high pressure line inside a case blow is one thing, having a gallon or two of ethanol erupt is another. but, if you do use it, i suggest a fairly sturdy box, and make sure it's completely sealed so vapors can't be released. i'd use like .75"+ lexan or something.. lol. that way if it's kicked or knocked around a bit, it wouldn't get damaged. and you could still see all the stuff inside __________________ :shrug:

02-27-2004, 06:24 AM	#2
Jabo Cooling Savant Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Hertfordshire, England Posts: 164	Welcome to The Madness dude Yes, it seems to be the right place buahahahaha..... chuckle It's all about electrical properties of coolant used for immersion cooling. As far as I know fluorients have been used to it, I have not heard of ethanol immersive cooling solution. Search some chemistry books, encyclopedias on-line for physical and chemical propoerties of ethanol and you will know if its suitable.

02-27-2004, 01:00 PM	#3
kingu Cooling Neophyte Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Denmark Posts: 7	Well.. I spoke with my physics teatcher. He meant that the ethanol would do the job, by not leading curent, though he were unable to tell weather the plexi and/or the PCB vould be disolved. I hope that someone can anserver where he came short.

02-27-2004, 02:03 PM	#4
AntiBling Cooling Savant Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: orlando FL Posts: 147	Bad, bad idea. It wont work well, will probably destroy your hardware and may burn your house down. Sorry if you dont like my opinion, but you asked for it. Dont wind up here: http://www.stupidvideos.com Try something else.

02-27-2004, 03:17 PM	#5
Jabo Cooling Savant Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Hertfordshire, England Posts: 164	AntiBilling -> one can hurt oneslef on 1000 and 1 ways. What we do here is NOT for an average PC user. People here deal with mostly dangerous tools, substances and harrowingly high amperages able to fry your guts in miliseconds. It is not for faint hearted and trying new things is the only way forward. Why not say that ethanol could be capacitive and cause explosion or it does not have nearly as mmuch thermal capacity as water or is a volatile substance and has to be handled with atmost care ? Some peeps here deal with pressures high enough to in case of accidnet would leave them looking like metal hedgehogs.... ... looks like I am a tad grumpy t'nite, sorry

02-27-2004, 03:33 PM	#6
Althornin Cooling Savant Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 221	why not use mineral oil? Less risky than ethanol, for sure.....

02-27-2004, 03:38 PM	#7
kingu Cooling Neophyte Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Denmark Posts: 7	#4, I do not intent to get my fingers burned, so I'll becarefull if this project becomes a reality. I know vary well that ethanol is a highly flamable fluid, not to talk about it when it evaporates. I have made some other cooling projects, just not as extreme as this idea. One of them is a bong of plexi. The other one speaks for it self Pics can be found here: http://www.burn-it.dk/index.php?stat...artikler_nr=32 http://www.burn-it.dk/index.php?stat...artikler_nr=37 The text is in danish so i don't think you'll get much of it.. I hope that you peeps out there have som more comments for me

02-27-2004, 05:07 PM	#8
kingu Cooling Neophyte Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Denmark Posts: 7	Well #6, mineral oil works, no doubt about that, but it is oil and i doubt that i will come off as easy as ethanol, so the hardware will be practially no good for other porpuses. Another thing is that mineral oil has been done, and i have not seen anyone do cooling with ethanol.. However it will not burst into flames as easy as ethanol..

02-27-2004, 05:30 PM	#9
redleader Thermophile Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: The deserts of Tucson, Az Posts: 1,264	Ethanol works fine. I ran it instead of water for a while, but theres really no sense to it. Performance is nearly identical, and water is just easier. WRT seals and glue, alcohol is a pretty similar solvent to water so most things that are completely waterproof aren't effected too much by it either (there are exceptions though). Silicone sealant worked fine for me, as did Marine Goop.

02-27-2004, 06:45 PM	#10
AntiBling Cooling Savant Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: orlando FL Posts: 147	Nice work man! Clearly you are not a fabrication "noob". Good luck with your ethanol project. I dont have any ideas that will help so I'll just bow out of this thread. Once again I wasnt trying to offend, it just doesnt seem like a good idea to me. Prove me wrong and post some pics!

02-28-2004, 02:57 PM	#11
Jabo Cooling Savant Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Hertfordshire, England Posts: 164	Nice bongo dude Yeah, post some pics and don't give up

02-28-2004, 11:55 PM	#14
mogwai Cooling Neophyte Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Miami Posts: 23	Speaking of Ethanol being dangerous: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...2004Feb28.html Anhydrous ethanol is expensive, and has a tendency to absorb water from the air. I dont think this is a good idea.

02-29-2004, 04:50 AM	#16
Jabo Cooling Savant Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Hertfordshire, England Posts: 164	I wrote at the very begining of this thread that fluorients are the way to go BUt it is alwyas worth trying new things, risky things if one needs more adrenaline racing through one's veins

02-29-2004, 04:59 AM	#17
AntiBling Cooling Savant Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: orlando FL Posts: 147	Heh heh. That IS nuts. That I can not identify with at all. All that for a freakin PC? There is no way I would spend my time or money doing that. The guys cooling rig is the size of a walk in cooler. Just buy a damn freezer, get your computer and sit inside it! Sheesh!

02-29-2004, 07:12 AM	#18
Jabo Cooling Savant Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Hertfordshire, England Posts: 164	Almost pissed myself reading your post AntiBling dude! Shamino's madness is unrivalled I think

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