I have an old window AC unit that works fine, but the fan motor is toast. I would like to set up a phase change cooling system for one of my PCs using the compressor and such. Has anyone had experience with this before? Thanks.
- Creech
Phase Change Cooling?
-
Apoptosis
- Site Admin
- Posts: 33941
- Joined: Sun Oct 05, 2003 8:45 pm
- Location: St. Louis, Missouri
- Contact:
Re: Phase Change Cooling?
Dry Ice is all I have personally used and built... Here is some things I found while looking around for DIY phase change cooling... estimate between $35-150 to do it.
Parts Needed and rough costs...
Compressor: free, look for an appliance place that delivers refrigerators and picks up the old ones. usually they just throw the old ones away theres either nothing wrong with them or something that doesn't matter when it comes to the compressor. your local dump is also a good place to look, as well as the side of the road, if someones throwing out a window ac unit or a fridge, or freezer grab it! if all else fails you can buy a compressor. extracting the compressor from the fridge is pretty simple us a par of bolt cutters, pliers, pipe cutters whatever to cut the copper tubing going into the compressor. when you cut the first tube chances are gas will come out with a hissing sound, but don't freak its harmless.
Condenser: free or fabricated very cheep... you could either scrounge this off a fridge also or build one by coiling a 20' role of 1/4' copper tubbing into a coil that looks like a spring a putting it in a piece of 4' PVC pipe. construction instructions and pics here: http://www.wc101.com/guides/refridgeration/page2.php
This would cost around $7 for the tubing and if you go to home depot and get 4' PVC Sewage Pipe it is $5 for 10 ft (dont get the thick walled stuff since its 3 times the price and not needed. then just slap an 80mm fan on there a boom condenser.
Evaporator: made up of the filter/dryer, capilary tube and block for the cpu
filter/dryer: took mine off the freezer i got the compressor from for pics of what the think is and does visit the first link cap tube can be bought here for $10: http://www.rparts.com/Catalog/Major_Com ... s/txvs.asp
the cpu block is probably the hardest thing to make. You can use a metal plate from an heatsink use copper caps. a plate can also be bought from http://www.dangerden.com for 5 bucks + about 8-10 bucks for the caps
you will need a 2 shrader valves for charging the system 2 bucks a piece here http://www.rparts.com/Catalog/Major_Com ... valves.asp
Total part cost is estimated at $35 and that's getting some things for free... you will also need a set of $30-$100 charging gauges to get the refrigerant in http://www.harborfrieght.com and search for "manifold gauge"... They have these Harbor Frieght stores locally in STL.
Tools Needed:
brazing torch and rods
flaring tool
pipe cutter
Parts Needed and rough costs...
Compressor: free, look for an appliance place that delivers refrigerators and picks up the old ones. usually they just throw the old ones away theres either nothing wrong with them or something that doesn't matter when it comes to the compressor. your local dump is also a good place to look, as well as the side of the road, if someones throwing out a window ac unit or a fridge, or freezer grab it! if all else fails you can buy a compressor. extracting the compressor from the fridge is pretty simple us a par of bolt cutters, pliers, pipe cutters whatever to cut the copper tubing going into the compressor. when you cut the first tube chances are gas will come out with a hissing sound, but don't freak its harmless.
Condenser: free or fabricated very cheep... you could either scrounge this off a fridge also or build one by coiling a 20' role of 1/4' copper tubbing into a coil that looks like a spring a putting it in a piece of 4' PVC pipe. construction instructions and pics here: http://www.wc101.com/guides/refridgeration/page2.php
This would cost around $7 for the tubing and if you go to home depot and get 4' PVC Sewage Pipe it is $5 for 10 ft (dont get the thick walled stuff since its 3 times the price and not needed. then just slap an 80mm fan on there a boom condenser.
Evaporator: made up of the filter/dryer, capilary tube and block for the cpu
filter/dryer: took mine off the freezer i got the compressor from for pics of what the think is and does visit the first link cap tube can be bought here for $10: http://www.rparts.com/Catalog/Major_Com ... s/txvs.asp
the cpu block is probably the hardest thing to make. You can use a metal plate from an heatsink use copper caps. a plate can also be bought from http://www.dangerden.com for 5 bucks + about 8-10 bucks for the caps
you will need a 2 shrader valves for charging the system 2 bucks a piece here http://www.rparts.com/Catalog/Major_Com ... valves.asp
Total part cost is estimated at $35 and that's getting some things for free... you will also need a set of $30-$100 charging gauges to get the refrigerant in http://www.harborfrieght.com and search for "manifold gauge"... They have these Harbor Frieght stores locally in STL.
Tools Needed:
brazing torch and rods
flaring tool
pipe cutter
Re: Phase Change Cooling?
Wow. Thanks a ton Apoptosis! That helps a lot. I'll be sure to post some pictures and and update once I have done some more on the mod. Thanks again!
- Creech
- Creech
- Creech