Old Question -Looking for New Answer?
 

I am reconfiguring my W/C system and would like some advice. I have:

Single Pass Heater Core, 5/8 Barb 7.813 x 6.125 x 2" (Effective Core Area)
Variable 226W Pelt, DD Maze 3, Barton 2500+ O/C (I do not run the pelt at 100%)
Tetratec U/V clarifier (Set Up for 5/8" Inlet and Outlet, but listed b/c of more heat into the system)
Gems Rotorflow flow sensor (PLC Input)
Custom Res to replace my BayRes (Not yet Built)
I am also adding a DD NV-68 for my nVidia 6800GT during this reconfigure
Iwaki RD-30 with 5/8 and 1/2" hoses

I have Plenty of 24 VDC Power and am fashioning a variable supply for the pump using parallel 5A 3-terminal regulators)

It is convenient for me to split my flow between the Maze 3 and NV-68 (Parallel).
(I have already fashioned a 5/8 to two 1/2" wye out of copper)

I hate to rekindle this age-old question, but will I take a performance hit by running my blocks in parallel?
Should I take more advantage of my available pressure head?
I can still maintain considerable flow through my blocks if they are in parallel.
This configuration would still send full flow through the main H/C.

I realize that I will benefit from more Radiator.
I also know that diminishing gains leave little performance increase after 2.5 GPM for typical installations with blocks similar to mine.
(Is that true with a pelt? -Am I limited by the heat transfer through the copper or at the surface of the water? More watts means a higher dT which means more Q right?)

I can still fit a Thermochill 120.1, Black Ice Extreme, or similar H/C to my system.
If I add a radiator to the NV-68 loop it would add a small pressure drop to that loop (prioritizing the maze 3 loop).

Also, at Full Throttle I could put 500W into the water.

My H/C has a core area similar to a Thermochill 120.2
Using Bill's Thermochill Data I could see a water temp of:
500W x .024 C/W + 10 deg C Coolant to Air dT = 22 deg above ambient.


My H/C and a Black Ice Extreme or Thermochill 120.1 have a core area similar to a Thermochill 120.3
Using Bill's Thermochill Data I could see a water temp of:
500W x .015 C/W + 10 deg C Coolant to Air dT = 17.5 deg above ambient.

Is this right? Please advise..