How to make a computer water cooling system completely with your own hands

everything is in working order

Modern processors, GPU or mainstream, are becoming more powerful. With the included coolers, the temperature even when idle can exceed 60 degrees. And how noisy the fans are! Therefore, the expression appeared: “The video card has taken off”))
But there is an alternative solution.

Instructions

Difficulty level: Not easy

What you will need:

• Copper/aluminum sheet, 1mm thick
• Glue moment, you need it anyway, it can come in handy
• Sealant
• antennas from old (or new) radios
• PVC hose
• aquarium pump
• bottle
• monitor from the trash heap (CRT)

1 step

We sit down at the table.
We measure the processor removed from the computer (be careful) with a ruler. Let's estimate the size of the future water block; it should cover the entire processor cover, but it shouldn't be too big.
Let's say 4cm by 4cm.

Step 2

Let's disassemble the old monitor, it has different radiators, choose the one closest to the size of the processor. Remember, excess is better than deficiency. The radiator has a hole for a bolt that secures the transistor. Fill it with glue from the inside, coat it with thermal paste on the outside (not during the assembly process, of course)) if the dimensions of the radiator allow, you can screw that bolt in there, coat it with glue, the processor will not stand on it, but on a free space). Sand the free space on the board with the finest sandpaper.

Step 3

We cut out a cover for the radiator from a sheet of metal, bend the “wings” that will cover the sides of the radiator. Draw the “wings” taking into account the height of the radiator fins. We cut it out, bend it (in a vice at 90 g), place it on the radiator, i.e. bottom. Instead of a radiator, if you can’t find one, you can use the same cover, only the height of the future water block should be minimal.

Step 4

In the same way we make parts for GPU water blocks and the north bridge, only for them you can do without radiators; for a video card, you can scratch the bottom a little from the inside.
We put the parts inside each other, secure them in this position with a vice, fill the seams with glue, leaving a small hole, its size is not important, but the smaller the better. The inside of the seams can be coated with sealant)))

Step 5

For clarity, the ribs... um... in a different projection

After the parts have dried (after two days), take the antenna and break it apart by forcefully pulling it apart. We bite the thickest tube: if it’s short, then into 2 parts, if it’s long, then into 4 (we bite it with wire cutters, not with our teeth).
We take a drill according to the thickness of the tube and drill 3 holes in the CPU water block all the way through, except for the last rib. See picture. Now we cover the middle hole with glue, and the one whose size is not important. Once again we coat the seams.

Step 6

Has it dried out? Insert the tubes into the side holes and coat them with glue. Same thing with other water blocks.
We make fastenings for the sockets so that they are pressed tightly.

Step 7

Gig-gig

Let's cut off the neck of the bottle and insert a submersible filter, or pump, into it. We attach 5 mm hoses and think: there is not enough radiator. We won’t take store-bought ones from stoves: we’ll do it ourselves!
The heatsink from the processor remains. We take 3 more of these from friends if we overclock, or 2 if we don’t.

Step 8

Cover the place on the radiator where the processor is located with a lid similar to the chipset lid, but with four blades. We fill it, it dries, we drill, we insert it – everything according to the old scenario.

Step 9

Collecting at last!
I have the following scheme: pump in a bottle - radiator ♣ - radiator - radiator ♣ - north bridge - CPU - pump in a bottle.
♣ – fan, all from 5 volts

Step 10

Let's look at the temperature: at 20% overclocking 4 stumps did not rise above 70 (overclocking has now been removed).

• Everything you do is at your own risk
• Test the system before installation
• You can use distilled water, but my tap water has been spinning for a year
• In no case do not forget about the gap, the size of which is not important, in any water block or in radiators, and do not forget to fill it after drilling the holes.
• It is better to place one radiator between the northbridge and the CPU.

Good cooling of the central processor and video card processor has been a necessary condition for their uninterrupted operation over the last decades. But not only the processor and video card heat up in the computer - the chipset chip, hard drives and even memory modules may require a separate cooler. Case manufacturers add additional fans, increase their power and dimensions, and improve the design of radiators. And, of course, liquid cooling systems could not be ignored.

In general, liquid cooling of processors is not a new topic: overclockers have been faced with the insufficient efficiency of air cooling for a long time. The processors “overclocked” to the theoretical maximum heated up so much that none of the coolers available at that time could cope. There were no liquid cooling systems in stores, and overclocker forums were filled with topics about homemade “water drops.” And today, many resources offer to assemble a liquid cooling system yourself, but there is little point in this. The cost of components is comparable to the price of inexpensive life-support systems in stores, and the quality (and, therefore, reliability) of factory assembly is usually still higher than that of homemade ones.

Why is the efficiency of the life-saving system higher than that of a simple cooler?

The life-support systems under consideration do not have cold-producing elements; cooling occurs due to the air near the system unit - as in the case of conventional air cooling. The efficiency of the LSS is achieved due to the fact that the rate of heat removal using a moving coolant is much higher than the rate of natural heat removal using heat transfer inside a metal radiator. But the speed of heat removal depends not only on the speed of movement of the coolant, but also on the efficiency of cooling this liquid and on the efficiency of its heating by the heat of the processor. And, if the first problem is solved by increasing the radiator area, the radiator heat exchanger area and improving airflow, then in the second case the heat exchange is limited by the processor area. Therefore, the overall efficiency of the system is limited by the efficiency of the processor water block. But even with this limitation, LSS provide approximately 3 times better heat removal compared to conventional air cooling. In numbers, this means a reduction in chip temperature of 15-25 degrees compared to air cooling at normal room temperature.

Construction of the life support system

Any liquid cooling system contains the following elements:

- Water block. Its purpose is to effectively remove heat from the processor and transfer it to flowing water. Accordingly, the higher the thermal conductivity of the material from which the sole and heat exchanger of the water block are made, the higher the efficiency of this element. But heat transfer also depends on the area of ​​contact between the coolant and the radiator - therefore, the design of the water block is no less important than the material.

Therefore, a flat-bottomed (channelless) water block, in which liquid simply flows along the wall adjacent to the processor, is much less efficient than water blocks with a complex bottom structure or heat exchangers (tubular or serpentine). The disadvantages of water blocks with a complex structure are that they create much greater resistance to water flow and, therefore, require a more powerful pump.

- Pump. The widespread opinion that the more powerful the pump, the better and that a life-saving system without a separate powerful pump is generally ineffective is incorrect. The function of the pump is to ensure circulation of the coolant at such a speed that the temperature difference between the water block heat exchanger and the liquid is maximum. That is, on the one hand, the heated liquid must be removed from the water block in time, on the other hand, it must enter the water block already completely cooled. Therefore, the power of the pump must be balanced with the efficiency of the remaining elements of the system, and replacing the pump with a more powerful one in most cases will not give a positive effect. Low-power pumps are often combined in one housing with a water block.

- Radiator. The purpose of a radiator is to dissipate the heat brought by the coolant. Accordingly, it must be made of a material with high thermal conductivity, have a large area and be equipped with a powerful fan (fans). If the area of ​​the radiator of the LSS is comparable to the area of ​​the radiator of a processor cooler and the fan installed on it is no more powerful, then you should not expect from such a LSS an efficiency that exceeds the efficiency of the same cooler.
- The connecting pipes must be of sufficient thickness so as not to create much resistance to the water flow. For this reason, tubes with a diameter of 6 to 13 mm are usually used, depending on the fluid flow rate. The tube material is usually PVC or silicone.
- The coolant must have high heat capacity and high thermal conductivity. Of the available and safe liquids, ordinary distilled water best satisfies these conditions. Often additives are added to water to reduce its corrosive properties, to prevent the proliferation of microorganisms (flowering) and simply for an aesthetic effect (colored additives in systems with transparent tubes).

In powerful systems with a large volume of coolant, it becomes necessary to use an expansion tank - a reservoir into which excess liquid will go during its thermal expansion. In such systems, the pump is usually combined with an expansion tank.

Characteristics of liquid cooling systems.

Serviced/unattended life support system.

Maintenance free system comes from the factory completely assembled, filled with coolant and sealed. The installation of such a system is simple - some maintenance-free life-support systems are no more difficult to install than a regular cooler. A maintenance-free life support system also has disadvantages:
- Low maintainability. The tubes are often simply sealed into permanent plastic fittings. On the one hand, this ensures tightness, on the other hand, replacing a damaged element of such a system can cause complications.
- The difficulty of replacing the coolant is usually also associated with repairing the system - if part of the liquid has leaked, it can be very difficult to refill an unmaintained LSS - such systems, as a rule, are not equipped with filling holes.
- Low versatility is associated with the inseparability of the system. It is impossible to expand the system or replace any of its elements with a more efficient one.
- The fixed length of the tubes limits the possibilities for choosing where to install the radiator.

Serviced life support systems are often supplied as a set of elements and installation of such a system will require time and some skill. But the possibilities for customizing it are much higher - you can add water blocks for the chipset and for the video card, change all the elements to ones more suitable for a particular computer, move the radiator to any (reasonable) distance from the processor, etc. You don’t have to worry about the socket (and cooling system) becoming obsolete when replacing the motherboard - to restore relevance, you only need to replace the processor water block. The disadvantages of serviced LSS, in addition to the complexity of installation and high price, include a high probability of leaks through detachable connections and a high probability of contamination of the coolant.

The life support system must support socket motherboard on which it is installed. And if a serviced LSS can still be adapted for another socket by purchasing an additional corresponding water block, then a maintenance-free LSS can only be used with those sockets that are listed in its characteristics.

Number of fans does not have a direct effect on the efficiency of the LSS, but a large number of them allows you to reduce the rotation speed of each individual fan while maintaining the overall air flow, and, accordingly, reduce noise while maintaining efficiency. Whether an air cooler with a large number of fans will be more efficient depends on their total maximum air flow.

Maximum air flow measured in cubic feet per minute (CFM) and determines how much air is forced through the fan per minute. The higher this value, the higher the contribution of this fan to the efficiency of the radiator. Dimensions ( length, width, thickness) radiators are no less important - four powerful fans blowing a simple thin radiator with a small plate area will cool the coolant no better than one fan well matched to a radiator with a large plate area.

Radiator material determines its thermal conductivity, i.e., at what speed the heat transferred to it will be distributed over the entire area of ​​the radiator. The thermal conductivity of copper is almost twice as high as that of aluminum, but in this case the efficiency of the radiator depends more on its design and area than on the material.

Water block material, due to its limited size, is more important than the radiator material. In fact, copper is the only viable option. Aluminum water blocks (found in cheap liquid cooling systems) reduce the efficiency of the system so much that there is no point in using liquid cooling.

Maximum noise level depends on maximum fan speed. If the system does not provide speed control, close attention should be paid to this parameter. If there is a speed adjustment, attention should be paid to minimum noise level.

A noise level above 40 dB can already be perceived as uncomfortable (40 dB corresponds to the usual sound background in a living room - soft music, calm conversation). To prevent fan noise from disturbing sleep, it should not exceed 30 dB.

Rotation speed adjustment fans can be manual or automatic. Manual adjustment allows you to change the fan speed according to personal preferences, while automatic adjustment adjusts the speed to the current processor temperature and provides better operating conditions for the equipment.

Power connector type can be 3-pin and 4-pin.
3-pin the connector does not have a separate wire for changing the fan speed. The rotation speed of such a fan can be controlled only by changing its supply voltage. Not all motherboards support this method. If your motherboard cannot control the rotation speed of a 3-pin fan, then the coolers and liquid pump motor with a 3-pin power connector will always rotate at maximum speed. To change the degree of cooling you will have to buy additional

Continuing the topic of increasing the performance of gaming systems, we cannot fail to mention effective cooling for non-standard processor frequencies. As a rule, in pursuit of high frequencies and maximum performance, many users have long been using components in modes far from standard. We discussed the pros and cons of this method in the previous newsletter.

Laws of Physics.

Naturally, as the clock frequency increases, the temperature on all components increases - these are the laws of physics. Excessive temperatures can cause thermal damage to the processor die. That is why modern computers implement a number of protective mechanisms at the hardware level aimed at protecting the processor from damage in case of overheating.

One such mechanism is called Throttling(from English throttling): the higher the temperature on the processor chip, the more machine cycles it skips. Cycles are skipped, and efficiency and performance decrease accordingly - this is processor throttling.

Thus, we smoothly approached the essence of our problem, on the one hand, we need maximum performance of our gaming system, on the other hand, it is necessary to ensure the most effective cooling and prevent the temperature from rising to a level at which the protective mechanisms are activated.

The thoroughness of air cooling

The classic solution to this problem is to use air cooling systems; of course, standard coolers that come with the processor are not able to effectively remove excess heat. This is why many gamers, graphics professionals and even engineers prefer more expensive and powerful coolers from vendors such as Zalman, Noctua, Skythe, Cooler Master.

Huge radiators, thick heat pipes, large fans - this is all great, of course, but there is something more efficient. Something that immediately translates into the category of “real enthusiasts.”

Water Cooling Systems

Liquid cooling systems (SJO) or water cooling systems (NWO)– a solution for those who know the value of every additional megahertz. A high-quality SVO can give silence, several hundred additional megahertz and the respect of friends and colleagues

What is this SVO? The name itself speaks for itself. The SVO system uses water as a coolant. That is, first, the heat from the heating elements is transferred directly to the water, in contrast to the air, where the transfer occurs directly to the air.

How does this work:

From the processor or graphics chip, heat is first transferred through a heat exchanger to water. Next, the heated water moves to the radiator, where heat from the water medium is transferred to the air and released into the external environment. The water flow, as usual, is pumped by a special pump - a pump. A very standard system that is used in many areas, such as internal combustion engines (not to mention our favorite automotive analogy). The big advantage of choosing a water heater is simply explained: Water has a much higher level of heat capacity, which allows it to cool elements much more efficiently and maintain low temperatures.

What choice should you make?

Now that overclocking processors has become quite commonplace, no one will refuse higher frequencies to perform tasks faster, be it professional activities, or computer games with rich and heavy graphics or highly loaded scenes with a large number of characters and polygons. Obviously, in such conditions, the issue of a reliable and most efficient heat removal system is very acute. The more powerful the processor or graphics card, the more efficiently the computer's cooling system must work. And air coolers, as a rule, have a very unpleasant feature - the fans, when operating in extreme modes, make a lot of noise and this can cause negative emotions, especially among users or gamers at night.

Unattended SVO

For those who are just starting their journey in the world of computers, there are maintenance-free water cooling systems. Many well-known manufacturers offer ready-made and reliable maintenance-free (closed-loop) cooling systems at a relatively low price, for example: Corsair Hydro Series (there are several options with different types of radiators), Cooler Master Seidon, NZXT Kraken, Silverstone Tundra, what can I say, even Intel recommends a water cooling system from Asetek for its Intel Core i7 LGA 2011 processors as a standard cooling system.

Is this really more effective?

The efficiency of closed water cooling systems can be assessed in the graph shown on the right.

An additional advantage of maintenance-free water cooling systems is the freeing up of space near the socket for installing a central processor, since air coolers of similar performance are very bulky and often interfere with the installation of memory with high “shirts”. The load on the motherboard substrate is reduced, which can be critical in cases where the computer is often transported or sent through transport companies.

Custom systems:

But this is just the start. An undoubtedly convenient and compact solution does not always allow you to squeeze out maximum performance and unlock the potential of the processor. Then water cooling systems come to the rescue, which are assembled by components - “ custom”, from English. custom (custom-made) - custom built water cooling systems.

Difficulty “ custom SVO” can be simply cosmic, and is limited only by the amount of money the enthusiast has. The advantages of this approach over ready-made CBOs are the following: a more powerful pump, a larger radiator, the ability to include other components in the CBO circuit (chipset, motherboard power supply, video card and even RAM). In the future, when replacing the motherboard or processor, you can upgrade the cooling system rather than changing it entirely. Or replace the radiator with a more powerful one and thereby further increase the frequencies to prohibitive values.

In this article we will look at what a water cooling system is, what it consists of and how it works, we will touch on such popular issues as assembling a water cooling system and servicing a water cooling system, their operating principle, components, etc.

What is a water cooling system

A water cooling system is a cooling system that uses water as a coolant to transfer heat. Unlike air cooling systems, which transfer heat directly to the air, a water cooling system transfers heat to water first.

Operating principle of water cooling system

IN water cooling system computer, the heat generated by the processor (or other heat-producing element, such as a graphics chip) is transferred to the water through a special heat exchanger called water block. The water heated in this way is, in turn, transferred to the next heat exchanger - a radiator, in which heat from the water is transferred to the air and leaves the computer. The movement of water in the system is carried out using a special pump, which is most often called a pump.

Superiority water cooling systems above air is explained by the fact that water has a higher heat capacity than air (4.183 kJ kg -1 K -1 for water versus 1.005 kJ kg -1 K -1 for air) and thermal conductivity (0.6 W /(m·K) for water versus 0.024-0.031 W/(m·K) for air), which ensures faster and more efficient heat removal from the cooled elements and, accordingly, lower temperatures on them. Respectively, other things being equal, water cooling will always be more effective than air.

Efficiency and reliability of systems water cooling proven by time and use in a large number of different mechanisms and devices that require powerful and reliable cooling, for example, internal combustion engines, powerful lasers, radio tubes, factory machines and even nuclear power plants.

Why does a computer need water cooling?

Due to its high efficiency, using water cooling system You can achieve both more powerful cooling, which will have a positive effect on overclocking and system stability, and lower noise levels from the computer. If desired, you can also collect water cooling system, which will allow an overclocked computer to operate with minimal noise. For this reason water cooling systems primarily relevant for users of particularly powerful computers, lovers of powerful overclocking, as well as people who want to make their computer quieter, but at the same time do not want to compromise on its power.

Quite often you can see gamers with three and four chip video subsystems (3-Way SLI, Quad SLI, CrossFire X) who complain about high operating temperatures (more than 90 degrees) and constant overheating of video cards, which at the same time create a very high level noise with your own cooling systems. Sometimes it seems that cooling systems Modern video cards are designed without taking into account the possibility of using them in multi-chip configurations, which leads to disastrous consequences when video cards are installed close to one another - they simply have nowhere to get cold air for normal cooling. Alternative air cooling systems do not help either, because only a few models available on the market provide compatibility with multi-chip configurations. In such a situation, it is water cooling that can solve the problem - radically lower temperatures, improve stability and increase the reliability of a powerful computer.

Water cooling system components

Computer water cooling systems consist of a certain set of components, which can be divided into mandatory and optional, which are installed in the cooling system at will.

To the required components water cooling systems computers include:

• water block (at least one in the system, but more is possible)
• radiator
• pump
• hoses
• fitting

Although this list is not exhaustive, optional components include the following:

• tank
• temperature sensors
• pump and fan controllers
• drain taps
• indicators and meters (flow, pressure, flow, temperature)
• secondary water blocks (for power transistors, memory modules, hard drives, etc.)
• water additives and ready-made water mixtures
• backplates
• filters

First, we will look at the required components, without which water cooling system it simply cannot work.

Water block(from the English waterblock) is a special heat exchanger with the help of which heat from a heating element (processor, video chip or other element) is transferred to water. Usually, the design water block consists of a copper base, as well as a metal or plastic cover and a set of fasteners that allow you to secure the water block to the cooled element. Water blocks exist for all heat-producing elements of a computer, even for those that do not really need them, i.e. for elements, installation water blocks which will not lead to any significant improvements in performance other than the temperature of the element itself.

Highly efficient processor water block Watercool HeatKiller 3.0CU

To the main types water blocks We can safely include processor water blocks, water blocks for video cards, as well as water blocks for the system chip (north bridge). In turn, water blocks for video cards also come in two types:

• Water blocks that cover only the graphics chip - so-called “gpu only” water blocks
• Water blocks that cover all heating elements of the video card (graphics chip, video memory, voltage regulators, etc.) - so-called fullcover water blocks

Although the first water blocks were usually made of fairly thick copper (1 - 1.5 cm), in accordance with modern trends in water block construction, for more efficient operation of water blocks, they try to make their bases thin - so that heat is transferred more quickly from the processor to the water. Also, to increase the heat transfer surface, modern water blocks usually use a microchannel or microneedle structure. In cases where performance is not so critical and there is no struggle for every degree gained, for example on a system chip, water blocks are made without a sophisticated internal structure, sometimes with simple channels or even a flat bottom.

Despite the fact that water blocks themselves are not very complex components, in order to reveal in detail all the points and nuances associated with them, we need a separate article dedicated to them, which we will write and try to publish in the near future.

Radiator. A radiator in water cooling systems is a water-air heat exchanger that transfers the heat of water collected in the water block to the air. Radiators for water cooling systems are divided into two subtypes:

• Passive, i.e. fanless
• Active, i.e. blown by fans

Fanless (passive) radiators for water cooling systems are relatively rare (for example, the radiator in the Zalman Reserator water cooling system) due to the fact that, in addition to the obvious advantages (no noise from fans), this type of radiator is characterized by lower efficiency (compared to active radiators), which is typical for all passive cooling systems. In addition to low performance, radiators of this type usually take up a lot of space and rarely fit even in modified cases.

Fan-driven (active) radiators are more common in computer water cooling systems as they are much more efficient. At the same time, in the case of using quiet or silent fans, it is possible to achieve, respectively, quiet or silent operation of the cooling system - the main advantage of passive radiators. Radiators of this type come in a variety of sizes, but the size of most popular radiator models is a multiple of the size of a 120 mm or 140 mm fan, that is, a radiator for three 120 mm fans will be approximately 360 mm long and 120 mm wide - for simplicity, Radiators of this size are usually called triple or 360 mm.

Pump- this is an electric pump responsible for circulating water in the circuit of the computer’s water cooling system, without which the water cooling system simply would not work. Pumps used in water cooling systems can be either 220 volt or 12 volt. Previously, when it was rare to find specialized components for air conditioning systems on sale, enthusiasts mainly used aquarium pumps that operated on 220 volts, which created certain difficulties since the pump had to be turned on synchronously with the computer - for this, most often, they used a relay that turned on the pump automatically when the computer started. With the development of water cooling systems, specialized pumps began to appear, for example Laing DDC, which had compact sizes and high performance, while being powered by standard computer 12 volts.

Since modern water blocks have a fairly high coefficient of hydraulic resistance, which is the price to pay for high performance, it is recommended to use specialized powerful pumps with them, since with an aquarium pump (even a powerful one), a modern water cooler will not fully reveal its performance. It’s also not worth it to particularly chase power, using 2 - 3 pumps installed in series in one circuit or using a circulation pump from a home heating system, since this will not lead to an increase in the performance of the system as a whole, because it is, first of all, limited by the maximum heat dissipation radiator capacity and water block efficiency.

As with some other components of the SVO, it will be problematic to describe all the nuances and features of the pumps used in the SVO, as well as list all the recommendations for choosing a pump in this article, so in the future we plan to do this in a separate article.

Hoses or tubes, no matter what they are called, are also one of the mandatory components of any water cooling system, because it is through them that water flows from one component of the cooling system to another. Most often, hoses made of PVC are used in a computer water cooling system, less often made of silicone. Despite popular misconceptions, the size of the hose does not have a strong impact on the performance of the air cooler as a whole, the main thing is not to use hoses that are too thin (inner diameter less than 8 millimeters) and everything will be OK

Fitting- these are special connecting elements that allow you to connect hoses to the components of the water supply system (water blocks, radiator, pump). The fittings are screwed into the threaded hole on the SVO component; there is no need to screw them in tightly (no wrenches) since the connection is most often sealed using a rubber O-ring. Current trends in the market of components for water supply systems are such that the vast majority of components are supplied without fittings included. This is done so that the user has the opportunity to independently select the fittings needed specifically for his water cooling system, because there are fittings of different types and for different sizes of hoses. The most popular types of fittings can be considered compression fittings (fittings with a union nut) and herringbone fittings (fittings). The fittings come in both straight and angled (which are often rotary) and are installed depending on how you are going to place the water cooling system in your computer. Fittings also differ in the type of thread; most often, in computer water cooling systems, threads of the G1/4″ standard are found, but in rare cases, threads of the G1/8″ or G3/8″ standards are also found.

Water is also a mandatory component of the CBO. To refill water cooling systems, it is best to use distilled water, that is, water purified from all impurities by distillation. Sometimes on Western websites you can find references to deionized water - it has no significant differences from distilled water, except that it is produced in a different way. Sometimes, instead of water, specially prepared mixtures or water with various additives are used - there are no significant differences in this, so we will consider these options in the section on optional components of water cooling systems. In any case, it is highly not recommended to use tap water or mineral/bottled water for drinking.

Optional components for water cooling systems

Optional components are components without which the water cooling system can operate stably and without problems; usually, they do not affect the performance of the cooling system in any way, although in some cases they can reduce it slightly. The main meaning of optional components is to make the operation of a water cooling system more convenient, although there are components with other meanings, the main meaning of which is to give the user a feeling of safety in operating the water cooling system (although the water cooling system can work perfectly and safely without these components), cool everything and everyone with water (even what does not need cooling) or make the system more pretentious and beautiful looking. So, let's move on to consider the optional components:

Tank(expansion tank) is not a mandatory component of the water cooling system, although most water cooling systems are equipped with them. Quite often, for convenient filling of the system with liquid, a tee fitting (T-Line) and a filler neck are used instead of a reservoir. The advantage of tankless systems is that if the tank is installed in a compact housing, it can be placed more conveniently. The advantage of reservoir systems is that it is easier to refill the system (although this depends on the reservoir) and more convenient to remove air bubbles from the system. The volume of water held by the reservoir is not critical, as it affects the performance of the water cooling system. Reservoirs come in a variety of sizes and shapes, and they must be selected according to the criteria of ease of installation and appearance.

Drain tap is a component that allows you to more conveniently drain water from the cooling water circuit. In the normal state it is closed, but when it becomes necessary to drain water from the system, it is opened. A fairly simple component that can greatly improve the ease of use, or rather maintenance, of a water cooling system.

Sensors, indicators and meters. Since enthusiasts usually love all sorts of bells and whistles, manufacturers simply could not stand aside and released quite a lot of different controllers, meters and sensors for water cooling systems, although a water cooling system can work quite calmly (and at the same time reliably) without them. Among such components there are electronic sensors for pressure and water flow, water temperature, controllers that adjust the operation of fans to the temperature, mechanical indicators of water movement, pump controllers, and so on. However, in our opinion, for example, it makes sense to install pressure and water flow sensors only in systems intended for testing components of the water supply system, since this information simply does not make much sense for the average user. There is also no particular point in installing several temperature sensors in different places of the water heating system circuit, hoping to see a large temperature difference, since water has a very high heat capacity, that is, when heated literally one degree, water “absorbs” a large amount of heat, while it moves in the water heating system circuit at a fairly high speed, which leads to the fact that the water temperature in different places of the NWO circuit at one time differs quite slightly, so you will not see impressive values. And don’t forget that most computer temperature sensors have an error of ±1 degree.

Filter. In some water cooling systems you can find a filter connected to the circuit. Its task is to filter out a variety of small particles that have entered the system - this could be dust that was in the hoses, solder residue in the radiator, sediment resulting from the use of a dye or anti-corrosion additive.

Water additives and ready-made mixtures. In addition to water, various water additives can be used in the cooling system circuit, some of them protect against corrosion, others prevent the development of bacteria in the system, and others allow you to tint the water in the cooling water system the color you want. There are also ready-made mixtures that contain water as the main component with anti-corrosion additives and dye. There are also ready-made mixtures that contain additives that increase the performance of the water treatment system, although the increase in performance from them is insignificant. On sale you can also find liquids for water cooling systems made not on the basis of water, but on the basis of a special dielectric liquid that does not conduct electric current and, accordingly, will not cause a short circuit if it leaks onto PC components. Ordinary distilled water, in principle, also does not conduct current, but if spilled on dusty PC components, it can become electrically conductive. There is no particular point in a dielectric liquid since a normally assembled and tested water cooling system does not leak and is quite reliable. It is also worth noting that anti-corrosion additives sometimes precipitate fine dust during their work, and coloring additives can slightly stain hoses and acrylic in the components of the SVO, but, in our experience, you should not pay attention to this, since it is not critical. The main thing is to follow the instructions for the additives and not to pour them in excess, as this can lead to more disastrous consequences. Whether you use simply distilled water, water with additives, or a ready-made mixture in the system does not make much difference, and the best option depends on what you need.

Backplate- this is a special mounting plate that helps relieve the PCB of the motherboard or video card from the force created by the water block fasteners, respectively, reducing the bending of the PCB and the chance of ruining expensive hardware. Although the backplate is not a mandatory component, it can be found quite often in water block systems; some models of water blocks come equipped with a backplate, while for others it is available as an optional accessory.

Secondary water blocks. In addition to cooling important and very hot components with water, some enthusiasts install additional water blocks on components that either heat up slightly or do not require powerful active cooling, such components include: power transistors of power supply circuits, RAM, south bridge and hard drives. The optionality of these components in a water cooling system lies in the fact that even if you install water cooling on these components, you will not get any additional system stability, improved overclocking or other noticeable results - this is primarily due to low heat generation of these elements, as well as the ineffectiveness of water blocks for these components. Of the clear advantages of installing these water blocks, only the appearance can be highlighted, and the disadvantages are an increase in hydraulic resistance in the water supply circuit, an increase in the cost of the entire system (and a significant one) and, usually, the low upgradeability of these water blocks.

In addition to the mandatory and optional components for water cooling systems, one can also distinguish a category of so-called hybrid components. Sometimes, on sale you can find components that are two or more CBO components connected into one device. Among such devices are: hybrids of a pump and a processor water block, radiators for your own with a built-in pump and reservoir, pumps combined with a reservoir are very common. The point of such components is to reduce the space taken up and make installation more convenient. The disadvantage of such components is usually their limited suitability for upgrades.

There is a separate category for homemade components for water cooling systems. Initially, since about 2000, all components for water cooling systems were made or modified by enthusiasts with their own hands, because specialized components for water cooling systems were simply not produced at that time. Therefore, if a person wanted to establish an SVO for himself, then he had to do everything with his own hands. After the relative popularization of water cooling for computers, a large number of companies began to produce components for them, and now you can without any problems buy both a ready-made water cooling system and all the necessary components for its self-assembly. So, in principle, we can say that now there is no need to independently manufacture SVO components in order to install water cooling on your computer. The only reasons why some enthusiasts are now engaged in self-manufacturing of SVO components are the desire to save money or to try their hand at manufacturing such components. However, the desire to save money is not always possible to realize, because in addition to the cost of work and components of the manufactured part, there are also time costs that are usually not taken into account by people who want to save money, but the reality is that you will have to spend a lot of time on independent production and the result however, it will not be guaranteed. And the performance and reliability of home-made components is often far from being at the highest level, since to manufacture serial-level components you need to have very straight (golden) hands. If you decide to make, for example, a water block yourself, then take these facts into account.

External or internal SVO

Among other features, water cooling systems are divided into external and internal. External water cooling systems are usually designed as a separate “box”, i.e. module, which is connected using hoses to water blocks installed on components in your PC case. The case of an external water cooling system almost always contains a radiator with fans, a pump, a reservoir and, sometimes, a power supply for the pump with temperature and/or fluid flow sensors. External systems include, for example, Zalman water cooling systems of the Reserator family. Systems installed as a separate module are convenient because the user does not need to modify the case of his computer, but they are very inconvenient if you plan to move your computer even minimal distances, for example, to the next room.

Internal water cooling systems, ideally, are located entirely inside the PC case, but due to the fact that not all computer cases are well suited for installing a water cooling system, some components of the internal water cooling system (most often a radiator) can often be seen installed on the outer surface of the housing. The advantages of internal SVOs include the fact that they are very convenient when carrying a computer since they will not interfere with you and will not require draining the liquid during transportation. Another advantage of internal water cooling systems is that when the water cooling system is installed internally, the appearance of the case does not suffer in any way, and when modding a computer, the water cooling system can serve as an excellent decoration for the case.

The disadvantages of internal water cooling systems include the relative complexity of their installation compared to external ones, as well as the need to modify the housing to install a water cooling system in many cases. Another negative point is that the internal SVO will add a couple of kilograms of weight to your body.

Ready-made systems or self-assembly

Water cooling systems, among other features, are also divided according to assembly and configuration options into:

• Ready-made systems in which all SVO components are purchased in one set, with installation instructions
• Homemade systems that are assembled independently from individual components

Typically, many enthusiasts believe that all “systems out of the box” show low performance, but this is far from the case - water cooling kits from such well-known brands as Swiftech, Danger Dan, Koolance and Alphacool demonstrate quite decent performance and it’s certainly not possible to talk about them to say that they are weak, and these companies are reputable manufacturers of high-performance components for water cooling systems.

Among the advantages of ready-made systems, one can note convenience - you immediately buy everything you need to install water cooling in one kit, and assembly instructions are included. In addition, manufacturers of ready-made water cooling systems usually try to provide for all possible situations so that the user, for example, does not have problems with installing and fastening components. The disadvantages of such systems include the fact that they are not flexible in terms of configuration; for example, the manufacturer has several options for ready-made water cooling systems and you usually do not have the opportunity to change their configuration in order to select components that best suit you.

By purchasing water cooling components separately, you can choose exactly those components that you think will best suit you. In addition, by purchasing a system from individual components, you can sometimes save money, but here everything depends on you. Among the disadvantages of this approach, we can highlight some difficulty in assembling such systems for beginners; for example, we have seen cases where people who did not understand the topic well did not buy all the necessary components and/or components that were incompatible with each other and got into trouble (they realized that something that’s not the case here) only when they sat down to assemble the SVO.

Pros and cons of water cooling systems

The main advantages of water cooling of computers include: the ability to build a quiet and powerful PC, expanded overclocking capabilities, improved stability during overclocking, excellent appearance and long service life. Thanks to the high efficiency of water cooling, it is possible to assemble such a cooling system that would allow the operation of a very powerful overclocked gaming computer with several video cards at a relatively low noise level, unattainable for air cooling systems. Again, due to their high efficiency, water cooling systems allow you to achieve higher levels of processor or video card overclocking that are unattainable with air cooling. Water cooling systems are often great looking and look great in a modified (or not so modified) computer.

The disadvantages of water cooling systems are usually: complexity of assembly, high cost and unreliability. Our opinion is that these disadvantages have little basis in real facts and are very controversial and relative. For example, the complexity of assembling a water cooling system definitely cannot be called high - assembling a water cooling system is not much more difficult than assembling a computer, and in general, the times when all components had to be modified without fail or all the components had to be made with your own hands are long gone and at the moment in the field of SVO, almost everything is standardized and commercially available. The reliability of properly assembled computer water cooling systems is also beyond doubt, just as the reliability of a car cooling system or the heating system of a private home is beyond doubt - with proper assembly and operation there should be no problems. Of course, no one is insured against defects or accidents, but the likelihood of such events exists not only when using SVO, but also with the most common video cards, hard drives and other components. Cost, in our opinion, should also not be singled out as a minus, since such a “minus” can then be safely attributed to all high-performance equipment. And each user has his own understanding of whether something is expensive or cheap. I would like to talk separately about the cost of SVO.

Cost of water cooling system

Cost, as a factor, is probably the most frequently mentioned “minus” that is attributed to all PC water cooling systems. At the same time, everyone forgets that the cost of a water cooling system greatly depends on what components it is assembled on: you can assemble a water cooling system so that the overall cost is cheaper without sacrificing performance, or you can choose components at the maximum price. At the same time, the final cost of SVOs that are similar in efficiency will differ significantly.

The cost of a water cooling system also depends on what computer it will be installed on, because the more powerful the computer, the more expensive the cooling system will be, in principle, since a powerful computer and cooling system require a more powerful one. In our opinion, the cost of the water cooling system is quite justified compared to other components, because the water cooling system is, in fact, a separate component, and, in our opinion, mandatory for truly powerful PCs. Another factor that must be taken into account when assessing the cost of the SVO is its durability since, correctly selected, the components of the SVO can serve for more than one year in a row, surviving numerous upgrades of the rest of the hardware - not many PC components can boast of such durability (except perhaps the case or , taken in excess, BP), accordingly, spending a relatively large amount on SVO is smoothly distributed over time and does not look wasteful.

If you really want to install an SVO for yourself, but you are strained with finances and there are no plans for improvement in the near future, then no one has canceled homemade components.

Water cooling in modding

Besides being highly efficient, PC water cooling systems look great, which explains the popularity of using water cooling systems in many modding projects. Thanks to the ability to use colored or fluorescent hoses and/or liquids, the ability to illuminate water blocks with LEDs, and select components that will suit your color scheme and style, a water cooling system can perfectly fit into almost any modding project, and/or make it the main feature of your project modding. Using an SVO in a modding project, when installed correctly, allows you to improve the visibility of some components, usually hidden by large air coolers, for example, the motherboard, fancy memory modules, and so on.

Conclusions about water cooling

We hope that you enjoyed our article on water cooling and that it allowed you to understand all aspects of the functioning of water cooling systems. In the future, we plan to publish several more articles about individual parts of the water cooling system, about the assembly and maintenance of water cooling systems and other related topics. In addition, we will also be producing tests and reviews of water cooling components so that our readers have the best opportunity to understand the variety of components available on the market and make the right choice.

A water cooling system for a computer can most effectively eliminate the problem of excessive heating of the central processor.

Such a device does not have a strictly defined structure. It can vary and consist of different structures at once.

The essence of a liquid cooling system

In all cases, a computer's liquid cooling system consists of a combination of the following types of circuits:

• Scheme with parallel connection of nodes that are cooled (parallel operation scheme). The advantages of such a structure: simple implementation of the circuit, easily calculated characteristics of the nodes that need to be cooled;

• Sequential block diagram - all cooled components are connected to each other in parallel. The advantages of this scheme are that the cooling of each of the nodes is more efficient.
  Disadvantage: it is quite difficult to direct a sufficient amount of refrigerant to a specific unit;

• Combined schemes. They are more complex, as they contain several elements with both parallel and serial connections.

Components

In order for the CPU to cool quickly and efficiently, each cooler must have the following elements:

1. Heat exchanger– this element heats up, absorbing the heat of the central processor. Before using again, wait until the heat exchanger has completely cooled down;
2. Water pump– liquid storage tank;
3. Multiple pipelines;
4. Adapters between units and pipelines;
5. Expansion tank– designed to provide the necessary space for the heat exchanger expanding during the heating process;
6. Coolant filling the system– an element that fills the entire structure with liquid: distilled water or a specialized liquid for water treatment;
7. Water blocks– heat sinks for those elements that generate heat.

Note! The liquid cooling system is low noise compared to fans. Some noise is still present, since its coefficient cannot be zero.

The best water cooling systems for a computer

The main purpose of PC cooling systems is to ensure uninterrupted and stable operation of the computer itself and create normal conditions for its user, which implies a minimum of noise during operation.

These devices remove heat from elements such as the processor and power supply, preventing them from overheating and subsequent failure.

There are 2 options for the cooling system - passive and active. The second type, in turn, is divided into air, suitable for ordinary PCs, and water, which is required for systems with very powerful or overclocked processors.

Liquid cooling is characterized by its small size, low noise level and high heat dissipation efficiency, which makes it very popular.

To select such a system, you should consider some nuances, including:

• Price;
• Compatible with processors or video cards;
• Cooling parameters.

Below is a list of the most popular water cooling systems from the popular online catalog Yandex Market.

List of popular water cooling systems from market.yandex.ru/catalog/55321.

The original-looking DeepCool Captain 240 is equipped with two branded black and red fans with notches on the blades. Each impeller is capable of rotating at speeds of up to 2200 rpm, creating noise of no more than 39 dB.

At the same time, the system has a splitter that allows you to install 2 more fans. The service life, which is guaranteed by the manufacturer, is about 120 thousand hours.

The system weight, suitable for both AMD and Intel processors, is 1,183 kg.

The approximate cost of the device is from 5,500 rubles.

The relatively new Liquid Freezer 240 video card cooling system, which went on sale at the end of last year, can be called universal, since it is suitable for most modern processors, creating a noise level of no more than 30 dB during operation.

The rotation speed of the blades of each of the 4 fans is up to 1350 rpm, the system weight is 1.224 kg. The main advantage is a reduction in processor temperature by 40–50 degrees, and the only disadvantage is its bulky size.

Buying such a gadget will cost 6,000 rubles.

The efficient cooling system of the entire Nepton 140XL system unit is distinguished by the increased size of the radiator and hoses, as well as the serial rather than parallel arrangement of two fans.

Thanks to the presence of a 140 mm JetFlo fan, a large contact area between the liquid and the heat sink and the high quality of processing of the latter, it cools fairly powerful processors, including even those that have been overclocked to increase performance.

At the same time, the operational life of the device, compatible with processors such as Intel (S775, S1150, S1356, S2011) and AMD (AM2, AM3, FM2), reaches 160 thousand hours. The maximum rotation speed of the blades is 2000 rpm, the weight is 1.323 kg, and the noise during operation does not exceed 39 dB.

You can purchase such a system online for a price starting from 6,200 rubles.

The Maelstrom 240T system, designed for Intel 1150–1156, S1356/1366 and S2011 processors, as well as AMD FM2, AM2 and AM3, is distinguished by blue fan lighting, which allows not only cooling the computer, but also modding it.

The service life of the device is within 120 thousand hours, weight is 1100 g, noise level is up to 34 dB.

You can buy the device on the Internet for 4400–4800 rubles.

The Corsair H100i GTX is a universal and fairly simple-to-design system that is used to cool most AMD and Intel processors released over the past few years.

The weight of the assembled equipment is 900 g, the noise level is about 38 dB, and the fan rotation force is up to 2435 rpm.

The average cost of a card online is about 10 thousand rubles.

A special feature of using the Cooler Master Seidon 120V system is the ability to install it both inside and outside the case. At the same time, fans rotating at speeds of up to 2400 rpm operate very quietly - with a noise level of up to 27 dB.

Device compatibility – modern Intel and AMD processors (up to LGA1150 and Socket AM3, respectively). The system weighs only 958 g and is capable of operating for 160 thousand hours.

Purchase is possible at a price of 3,600 rubles.

DIY cooling system

The processor cooling system can be purchased ready-made. However, due to the rather high cost of the device and the not always sufficient efficiency of the proposed models, it is possible to do it yourself and at home.

The resulting system will not be as attractive in appearance, but quite effective in operation.

To make your own system, you should do the following:

• Waterblock;
• Radiator;
• Pump.

It is unlikely that it will be possible to replicate the design of most commercially produced air defense systems. However, if you understand a little about computers and thermodynamics, you can try to make something similar, if not in appearance, then at least in principle of operation.

Making a water block

The main part of the system, which accounts for the maximum heat generated by the processor, is the most difficult to manufacture.

To begin with, the material of the device is selected - usually sheet copper. Then you should decide on the dimensions - as a rule, a 7x7 cm block with a thickness of about 5 mm is sufficient for cooling.

The geometric shape of the device is taken such that the liquid inside washes all elements of the cooled structure as efficiently as possible.

You can choose, for example, a copper plate as the base of the water block, and the working structure can be made from thin-walled copper tubes. The number of tubes in the example is assumed to be 32 pcs.

Assembly is carried out using solder and an electric furnace heated to a temperature of 200 degrees. After this, they begin to manufacture the next part - the radiator.

Radiator

Most often, this device is chosen ready-made, rather than made at home. You can find and purchase such a radiator either at a computer store or at a car dealership.

However, it is possible to independently create the necessary element of the SVO from the following items:

• 4 copper tubes with a diameter of 0.3 cm and a length of 17 cm;
• 18 meters of copper winding wire (d = 1.2 mm);
• Any sheet metal about 4 mm thick.

The tubes are treated with solder, a mandrel 4–5 cm wide and up to 20 cm long is made from metal. Holes are drilled into it, where the wire is inserted. Now the wire is wound around the winding.

The process is repeated three times, obtaining the same number of identical spirals.

The assembly of spirals and tubes begins by first making the frame. Then a wire is pulled over it. The final step is to connect the frame to the input and output manifolds of the system. The result is a part that looks like this:

Pump and other parts

A similar device intended for aquariums can be used as a pump. A device with a capacity of 300–400 l/min will be sufficient.

It is equipped with an expansion tank (tightly closing plastic container) and a PVC hose with feed-through pipes made from scrap metal (copper) pipes.

Assembly

Before assembling and installing the system, you must remove the factory device installed on the processor. Now you need:

• Secure the water block on top of the cooled part using a clamping bar;
• Fill the system with distilled water;
• Attach the radiator to the inner surface of the computer cover (opposite the holes). If there are no ventilation holes, you should make them yourself.

The final step should be to first attach the fan to the processor (on top of the water block). Finally, it is necessary to provide power to the pump by installing its operating relay inside the power supply.

The result is a hand-made water cooling system that quite effectively reduces the processor temperature by 25–35 degrees. At the same time, funds are saved that could have been spent on purchasing expensive equipment.

Thematic videos:

How to Install a Water Cooling System on a Corsair H100i CPU

Water cooling system for computer - Detailed description

DIY water cooling system

You can assemble a water cooling system for your computer with your own hands. Water cooling - SVO will help you assemble a silent and stable system for any purpose. Whether it's a gaming computer or a work one.