h2o cooling setup in small confined space
 

I'm trying to design a water cooling setup for a 3U server rack case 17.16"(436mm)W x 5.1"(132.5mm)H x 13.78"(350mm)D. Although I might go with a 2U case (same dimensions but 3.4"(87.1mm) high)

I'm planning on cooling both the vid card and CPU.

A main concern is for the setup to be practically silent. I plan to have only 1 fan in the whole case (the radiator fan), and use a silent fanless PSU.

Due to the lack of space, I was considering making it a closed circuit system without a PSU. Kinda like this:
<look @ atached pic.>


I'm thinking about using the koolance CPU-100 block since its compact and has a see-through top, which will let me see any bubbles before I seal the system up. For the Vid card, I was thinking of using the CS-40, again because its compact, and koolance's site says its rated to handle GeForce4 and Radeon9700 cards. For the radiator, I was gunna use a BIX. I haven't thought of a pump yet, I'm open to suggestions. It needs to be compact, quiet, cool, and reliable, since I wanna set the system up, and then forget about it.

I am also debating as to weather I should water cool the hard drives. there will be very little air-flow and I'm concerned that maybe they might overheat. I plan to have something like 4 of them in there. The problem is, I'm concerned about bolting a conductive metal plate to the bottom of the circuit board of the HDD. I'm scared it might cause a short. Would it still work if I attach it to the Top (I would think that it would work even better that way, since it has full contact with the metal part). If I do decide to incorporate the HDD coolers, how should I modify the cooling system? Maybe just make a second dedicated system identical to the first one, but devoted to the HDDs. I guess this would add a second fan, but if its quite it shouldn't be too bad, and I could turn it on/off based on how hot the drives are.

Harddrives don't need anything special watercooling wise, this;

http://users.bigpond.net.au/volenti/HD_cool.jpg

is all I'm using on my harddrives, it doesn't keep them "cold" but it keeps them in check.

Volenti, that is a damn good idea. I wish I had thought of it before painting my case. Never cease to amaze me...:drool:

yea, but i dont have room for a lot of copper pipes, 3-5 inches max.

Also keep in mind Koolance uses fitting for 1/4" ID hoses. Consider that when designing the rest of the system that doesn't have 1/4" fittings like the BIX.

well i could run the line from the BIX to a distro block that would split the water up into multiple 1/4" lines. and then do the opposite with the exiting water from the blocks.

I understand that the distro block will prolly cause a reduction in flow, but the smaller hoses will be more of a bottle-neck, so im not concerned about the distro blocks impeding flow, but because of the limited psace, I am willing to accept this.

im thinking of something like this:

instead of a BIX, i could use a heatercore, but are there any small enough? I would need one no larger than 5"x5"x1". any suggestions?

The smallest that the DB gives, is 5 1/4 by 5 1/2 (2-588), There's one that's 5 5/8 by 4 3/4: 2-563.

I'm using that 2-563 core in my box here. Instead of the FEDCO I got a GDI part# 39-8205 for $47. Had to do some modding to get it to fit in my pc-60 tho, I dunno how it would fit in yours.

peace.
unloaded

i guess i could use the 2-563 model and just mount it length-wise. I might need to use some 90° elbows, but thats ok.

I have rethought the system. For the vidcooler i chose the swiftech MCW50 (3/8" id), the copper chipset cooler from DD but with 90° elbos, 2-563 heatercore, Hydor L20 inline pump.

Would a DD maze 2 be good with such a low-flo pump?

suggestions? comments?

--Thanx