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Butcher · 02-11-2004, 07:23 AM

Copper has a lower specific heat capacity than water so it would reduce coolant efficiency.

Just to clear up a common misconception:
For a waterblock or radiator you are looking for thermal conductivity. The best materials known are diamond, silver and copper in that order.
For a coolant you are looking for specific heat capacity. The best materials known are hydrogen, helium and water in that order.

Heat Capacities for some common materials:

Code:

Material   Specific Heat Capacity (J/(kg˚C))
Aluminum   900
Copper     390
Glass      840
Iron       450
Marble     860
Wood       1700
Water      4186
Mercury    140
Hydrogen    14304

Thermal conductivity for some common materials:

Code:

Material   Thermal Conductivity (W/m-K)
Silver     406.0 
Copper     385.0 
Brass      109.0 
Aluminum   205.0 
Steel      50.2 
Lead       34.7 
Mercury    8.3 
Glass      0.8 
Concrete   0.8 
Cork board 0.04 
Wood       0.12-0.04

Also I found a handy report on the specific heat capacity of transformer oil / water mixtures:

Code:

Concentration   Specific Heat Capacity (J/(kg˚C))
20              2319
25              2436
50              3022
75              3608
90              3959

Note, that's concentration of water, not oil - as the amount of water is increased the specific heat capacity increases. Pure water is more efficient than any mixture.

02-11-2004, 07:23 AM	#11
Butcher Thermophile Join Date: May 2001 Location: UK Posts: 1,064	Copper has a lower specific heat capacity than water so it would reduce coolant efficiency. Just to clear up a common misconception: For a waterblock or radiator you are looking for thermal conductivity. The best materials known are diamond, silver and copper in that order. For a coolant you are looking for specific heat capacity. The best materials known are hydrogen, helium and water in that order. Heat Capacities for some common materials: Code: Material Specific Heat Capacity (J/(kg˚C)) Aluminum 900 Copper 390 Glass 840 Iron 450 Marble 860 Wood 1700 Water 4186 Mercury 140 Hydrogen 14304 Thermal conductivity for some common materials: Code: Material Thermal Conductivity (W/m-K) Silver 406.0 Copper 385.0 Brass 109.0 Aluminum 205.0 Steel 50.2 Lead 34.7 Mercury 8.3 Glass 0.8 Concrete 0.8 Cork board 0.04 Wood 0.12-0.04 Also I found a handy report on the specific heat capacity of transformer oil / water mixtures: Code: Concentration Specific Heat Capacity (J/(kg˚C)) 20 2319 25 2436 50 3022 75 3608 90 3959 Note, that's concentration of water, not oil - as the amount of water is increased the specific heat capacity increases. Pure water is more efficient than any mixture. __________________ Once upon a time, in a land far far away...