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Cova · 06-21-2002, 03:13 PM

I have most of a pepsi fountain machine at home (my uncle repairs pepsi vending/fountain machines for a living) that I plan on using as a waterchiller one of these days. It will keep about 2 liters of water right at the point of freezing.

It has a small tub of water with the evaporator wrapped around the outside a few times. Behind that is a good sized rad and a large 120V but very quiet fan - under those is the compresser. The evaporator actually freezes the water in the tub and there is a sensor on the side that shuts off the compressor after the ice around the outside is 1" thick. When enough of the ice melts (at about 1/2" left I think) the compressor turns back on. At the very bottom of the tub there is a small mixer that makes sure all the water is evenly cooled (without it it would freeze solid).

During operation as a fountain machine, the tubing for the pop just runs down into the tub of icewater, and back out the top and out of the machine. In the time it takes for the drink to flow through there it is cooled to a good drinking temp. I still haven't decided if I want to do a similar thing when cooling my computer (just run the tubing down into the chilled water and back to the computer - exchanging heat right through the tygon tubing), or if I should use that tub as a type of chilled res (though then I have to worry about evaporation of my coolant, which stinks of waterwetter). I could even empty the tub of water (with the whole thing off) and put a spiral of copper tubing around the edge on the inside of the tub (so it would be at least partially inside the ice-block), re-fill the tub with water, and run the coolant through the copper, keeping a closed loop system, but I worry I might actually freeze-up my system then.

I also talked with my uncle a bit, and he can modify the system a little if needed. eg. I could run antifreeze inside of the cooling tub, and he can alter the ice-sensor and keep the coolant temp inside there perhaps as low as -20C.

06-21-2002, 03:13 PM	#6
Cova Cooling Savant Join Date: May 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 247	I have most of a pepsi fountain machine at home (my uncle repairs pepsi vending/fountain machines for a living) that I plan on using as a waterchiller one of these days. It will keep about 2 liters of water right at the point of freezing. It has a small tub of water with the evaporator wrapped around the outside a few times. Behind that is a good sized rad and a large 120V but very quiet fan - under those is the compresser. The evaporator actually freezes the water in the tub and there is a sensor on the side that shuts off the compressor after the ice around the outside is 1" thick. When enough of the ice melts (at about 1/2" left I think) the compressor turns back on. At the very bottom of the tub there is a small mixer that makes sure all the water is evenly cooled (without it it would freeze solid). During operation as a fountain machine, the tubing for the pop just runs down into the tub of icewater, and back out the top and out of the machine. In the time it takes for the drink to flow through there it is cooled to a good drinking temp. I still haven't decided if I want to do a similar thing when cooling my computer (just run the tubing down into the chilled water and back to the computer - exchanging heat right through the tygon tubing), or if I should use that tub as a type of chilled res (though then I have to worry about evaporation of my coolant, which stinks of waterwetter). I could even empty the tub of water (with the whole thing off) and put a spiral of copper tubing around the edge on the inside of the tub (so it would be at least partially inside the ice-block), re-fill the tub with water, and run the coolant through the copper, keeping a closed loop system, but I worry I might actually freeze-up my system then. I also talked with my uncle a bit, and he can modify the system a little if needed. eg. I could run antifreeze inside of the cooling tub, and he can alter the ice-sensor and keep the coolant temp inside there perhaps as low as -20C.