Cooling your pc with your own hands. Very quiet and efficient water cooling system. Do it yourself. Combined cooling systems

Any computer or laptop needs a good cooling system to function properly. During operation, elements such as a processor (CPU), video card, motherboard emit a large number of heat, get very hot. The higher the CPU performance metric, the more heat it gives off. If the PC does not quickly remove air, this can lead to various system failures, improper functioning of equipment, decreased performance, and cause the failure of important elements. Why is the processor heating up? How to cool down the CPU in PCs and laptops? Which cooler to choose for optimal PC cooling? We will try to answer these questions in this article.

Reasons for CPU overheating

If the computer starts shutting down, glitching, freezing, it may be due to overheating of the CPU. The reasons why the PC processor begins to overheat are of a very different nature. Therefore, we will consider the main ones, and also give simple ways problem solution.

In most PCs and laptops, the main elements of the cooling system are a cooler (fan) and a radiator, which are installed on the processor. Due to the closest contact, the heat transfer between the surface of the heatsink and the processor is minimal, which in turn ensures fast, efficient heat dissipation.

The radiator can be monolithic or in two parts. In the first case, it is completely fixed on the processor (budget option), in the second case, only a small part of it is attached to the CPU, inside which there are heat pipes that transfer heated air to the main radiator.

The primary role in the ventilation system of the case and cooling of the PC is played by the fan. Regardless of its location, it cools the entire radiator or its main part. The more efficiently it works, the better the heat dissipation from the CPU will be, and, accordingly, the lower its temperature. Heatpipe coolers provide more cooling for the processor.

If the processor starts to warm up, the main reasons include:

• deterioration of contact between the processor and the heatsink;
• decrease in speed cooler (fan) operation;
• use of ineffective cooling systems;
• absence ventilation systems in the case, in the PC power supply;
• pollution ventilation holes dust enclosures;
• failure cooling systems;
• wrong fixing the radiator.

An increase in the process temperature can also be caused by the fact that the cooler is trite clogged with dust... For this reason, its speed and work efficiency are reduced. The fan is simply not capable of dissipating heat. To increase heat dissipation, after replacing the CPU, it is worth purchasing and installing new model case cooler.

Another reason is upgrade PC. For example, after replacing the old CPU, a new, more powerful, productive one was installed. However, the fan in the cooling system remains the same. Due to the increase in power, the processor cooler simply does not fully cope with its task.

If the processor is heating up, consider what to do in this situation.

How can you cool down the processor of a PC, laptop

Overheating of the processor in laptops and desktop computers significantly increases the load on all system elements. To reduce heat generation, to reduce power consumption, you must:

• check the condition of the cooling system, clean;
• reduce the load on the CPU;
• overclock the processor cooler;
• replace thermal paste;
• install additional coolers.

You can also reduce the heat dissipation of the processor in BIOS settings operating system... This is the simplest and most affordable method that does not require much time and physical effort.

Exists special technologies which reduce CPU frequency at idle time. For AMD processors technology was named Cool'n'Quite, for Intel - Enhanced SpeedStep Technology... Consider how to activate it.

In Windows 7, you need to go to " Control Panel", Select the section" Power supply". In the window that opens, check which mode is active: " Balanced», « High performance », « Energy saving". Any technology can be selected to activate, except for High Performance. In Windows XP, you must select " Energy Saving Manager».

Energy saving settings must be included in the BIOS, if they are not, then you can load the default parameters.

It is equally important to pay attention to the system ventilation of the case... If the cooling system is working properly, it is regularly cleaned, but the CPU is still warming up, then you need to see if there are any obstacles in the way of the air flow, for example, if they are not covered with thick loops of wires.

The system unit, the PC case should have two or three fans. One - for blowing in on the front wall, the second - for blowing out at the rear, which in turn ensures good air flow. Additionally, you can install a fan on the side wall of the system unit.

If system unit The PC is in the nightstand inside the table, then do not close the doors so that the heated air comes out. Do not block the ventilation openings of the case. Place the computer a few centimeters from the wall, furniture.

A dedicated cooling pad is available for your laptop.

On sale there is a large selection of universal models of stands that adapt to the dimensions, the size of the laptop. A heat-dissipating surface, built-in coolers will contribute to more efficient heat dissipation and cooling.

When working on a laptop, always keep your work area clean. The ventilation openings must not be blocked by anything. Objects lying nearby should not impede air circulation.

For laptops, you can also run cooler overclocking... Since the PC has at least three fans (on the CPU, video card, built-in storage), and in most laptop models there is only one. The second can be installed if there is a powerful video card. In this case, you can overclock the coolers:

• through special utilities;
• via BIOS.

Before increasing the fan speed, first of all, you need to clean the cooler, motherboard elements from dust.

Cleaning the cooling system of a laptop, stationary PC should be carried out at least once every six to seven months.

Cleaning the cooling system

If the processor heats up, check the condition of the fan, the entire PC cooling system. Dust is a serious enemy of any technique. Blocked between the edges of the radiator, dust, lint, pet hair impairs air circulation.

To thoroughly clean it, you must disconnect the cooler from the power supply and disassemble it. By removing the fan, you can also clean the dust accumulated on the heatsink. Cleaning the radiator, cooler blades can be done with a special plastic spatula, a stiff brush. After removing the dust, wipe the radiator with a damp cloth.

In addition to removing dust from the radiator, wipe the dust from the wires located in the case. Blow out or wipe down the vents on the cabinet.

Replacing thermal paste

Updating, replacing thermal paste on the processor will help to reduce the heat dissipation of the processor. Thermal grease is nothing more than a lubricant for cooling the processor. It is a heat conductor between the CPU and the heatsink, eliminates microscopic irregularities in contacting surfaces, removes air between them, which prevents heat dissipation. A good, high-quality thermal paste will lower the temperature by 5-10 degrees.

Over time, the paste dries up, loses all its properties, does not cool the processor. Therefore, it must be replaced every six months. If the PC has a more modern CPU, the thermal paste can be changed less frequently. You can buy it at any computer store. Thermal paste should be of high quality, good quality.

Before applying the thermal paste to cool the CPU, you need to get to the CPU itself. For this:

How to Pick a Good Thermal Paste

Given the large selection of thermal pastes, many are interested in the question of which thermal paste is better. Note that the difference between pastes from different manufacturers can be from ten to twenty degrees. It all depends on the quality characteristics, heat-conducting properties of thermal interfaces. A good heat transfer paste should have low thermal resistance, high thermal conductivity.

According to experts, for cooling the processor, you can purchase:

• Arctic Cooling MX-4.
• Arctic Silver Ceramique.
• Noctua NT-H1.
• Prolimatech PK-1.
• Thermalright Chill Factor III.
• Zalman ZM-STG2.
• Glacialtech IceTherm II.
• Coollaboratory Liquid Pro.

Some pastes can also be used to overclock the processor. For example, Arctic Cooling MX-4, Glacialtech IceTherm II, Thermalright Chill Factor III, Coollaboratory Liquid Pro. Knowing which thermal paste is best, how often and how to properly replace it, you can significantly reduce the temperature of the CPU, thereby extending its operating life.

How to undo a processor overclocking

Many users overclock the processor in order to improve performance, speed up the CPU. But in some cases, this procedure significantly increases the load on the CPU, which can negatively affect its functioning, and lead to a decrease in the operating resource.

To check the CPU performance after overclocking, you need to warm up the processor using special utilities.

If you are interested in how to remove CPU overclocking, go to CMOS and BIOS. Cancel all motherboard voltage settings, return them to normal configuration.

Actions are performed in the following sequence:

1. We go into BIOS by clicking desired button when the computer starts up.
2. We select the item " Set BIOS Default / Use Default Settings", Press Enter.
3. A window will be highlighted in which you need to press the Y key.
4. This will revert to the original settings that were set before the CPU overclocking was performed.
5. Now we save all the changes made, exit the settings.
6. We reboot the computer.

You can also do this by selecting the option “ Restore Fail Safe Defaults», Having previously learned on the Internet the exact specifications of the installed motherboard, CPU. This is necessary in order to make changes by setting basic settings frequency, voltage.

In addition, you can change the setting of the system bus frequency, the multiplier to the base value, returning back all the parameters that were changed during overclocking.

You can also remove additional cooling hardware that you installed to prevent the CPU from overheating.

You can manage, monitor the processor using a special utility - CPU Core, where you need to specify, set the desired values ​​of the multiplier, bus frequency.

Installing additional fans

If the CPU continues to heat up after cleaning or overclocking, we recommend setting additional fans on the body to enhance air circulation. This is necessary if there are many heating elements inside the system unit, or if there is a rather small amount of free space inside it.

Give preference to coolers with a large diameter, which will provide more airflow at lower rpms. Such models work efficiently, but are noisy. When installing, consider the direction of their work.

Coolers for processors are classified into:

• Boxed, without heat pipes. The most common models. They consist of an aluminum plate with ribs. May have a copper base with a fan attached to it.
• Cooling systems on thermal aluminum, copper pipes. They function due to heat removal, which is carried out due to the liquid circulating in them. They have high performance indicators.

When choosing fans for a cooling system, read the installation instructions, check its compatibility with the socket, motherboard what kind of socket is there for the processor. Consider weight, fan size, type of radiator.

Too large, high-power fans will place additional stress on motherboard, can provoke its deformation. As for the size, select the chassis bus, consider the location of other components. Choose products from well-known, trusted manufacturers.

If a large number of hard drives are installed, then you can additionally install a fan on the front panel of the case, as well as on the rear upper part of the system unit to remove warm air to the outside. Modern cases allow you to install at least two fans: from the bottom, if there is no perforation on the front panel, and opposite the location of the hard drives.

If the PC has a very advanced hardware, the processor heats up, then you can remove the side cover of the system unit. In this case, the cooling efficiency will be increased significantly.

How to overclock a cooler

You can overclock the cooler, as already noted, through the BIOS or by means of special free utilities, which will allow you to control, control the speed of the fans. Programs are designed for different types of processors.

Let's see how to overclock coolers via BIOS:

For processors Intel reduce or increase the rotational speed of the cooler will be allowed by programs Riva tuner, SpeedFan... They have great functionality, a choice of settings, a clear interface, do not take up much space, and automatically control the operation of coolers.

If the third-party software on the PC does not allow adjusting the fan speed, the processor cooler can be controlled using the original utilities from the manufacturers. For example, HP leptokas have a program Notebook Fan Control, in Acer - Smart Fan, ACFanControl... In Lenovo - Fan control.

Modern "advanced" cooling systems, which are most often used in overclocking, include: radiator, freon, liquid nitrogen, liquid gel. Their principle of operation is based on the circulation of the coolant. Highly heated elements heat the water, which is cooled in the radiator. It can be located outside the case or passive, operating without a fan.

Conclusion

This article has covered a variety of causes of processor overheating and how to fix the problem. Sometimes the reason for its occurrence can be ordinary dust, which periodically needs to be removed, or the consequences of inexperienced overclocking of equipment, as well as its upgrade. When replacing thermal paste, care must be taken to avoid damaging the equipment.

Related Videos

Often, after buying a computer, the user is faced with such an unpleasant phenomenon as loud noise coming from the cooling fans. The operating system may malfunction due to heating to high temperatures (90 ° C or more) of the processor or video card. These are very significant drawbacks, which can be eliminated with the help of additional water cooling installed on the PC. How to make a system with your own hands?

Liquid cooling, its positive properties and disadvantages

The principle of operation of the computer liquid cooling system (SZHOK) is based on the use of an appropriate coolant. The liquid, due to constant circulation, flows to those nodes, the temperature regime of which must be monitored and regulated. Then the coolant flows through the hoses to the radiator, where it is cooled, giving off heat to the air, which is then discharged outside the system unit by means of ventilation.

Liquid, having a higher thermal conductivity than air, quickly stabilizes the temperature of hardware resources such as the processor and graphics chip, bringing them back to normal. As a result, you can achieve a significant increase in PC performance due to its system overclocking. In this case, the reliability of the computer components will not be impaired.

When using SZHOK, you can do without fans at all or use low-power silent models. The operation of the computer becomes quiet, as a result of which the user feels comfortable.

The disadvantages of SZHOK include its high cost. Yes, a ready-made liquid cooling system is not a cheap pleasure. But after all, if you wish, you can make and install it yourself. It will take time, but it will be inexpensive.

Classification of cooling water systems

Liquid cooling systems can be:

Types of SZHOK - gallery

When using a serial connection, it is difficult to continuously provide all connected nodes with refrigerant. Parallel connection diagram of the SZHOK - simple connection with the ability to easily calculate the characteristics of the cooled units.
When using an external SZHOK, the internal space of the system unit remains free

Components, tools and materials for the assembly of SZHOK

We will select required set for liquid cooling of the central processor of the computer. The SZHOK will include:

All components of the liquid cooling system can be purchased in the online store upon request.

Some components and parts, for example, a water block, a radiator, fittings, a tank, can be made by yourself. However, you will probably have to order turning and milling work. As a result, it may turn out that the SZHOK will cost more than if you purchased it ready-made.

The most acceptable and least expensive option would be to purchase the main components and parts, and then independently mount the system. In this case, it is enough to have a basic set of plumbing tools to perform all the necessary work.

We make a liquid PC cooling system with our own hands - video

Manufacturing, assembly and installation

Consider the manufacture of an external pump system for liquid cooling of a PC central processor.

DIY waterblock on a computer - video

Water cooling is superior in performance to that originally installed on modern computers air system. Due to the liquid heat carrier used instead of the fans, the noise background is reduced. The computer is much quieter. You can make an SZHOK with your own hands, while ensuring reliable protection of the main elements and nodes of the computer (processor, video card, etc.) from overheating.

Often used to build a large radiator heat pipes(English: heat pipe) - hermetically sealed and specially arranged metal tubes (usually copper). They transfer heat very efficiently from one end to the other: thus, even the farthest fins of a large radiator work effectively in cooling. This is how the popular cooler works.

To cool modern high-performance GPUs, the same methods are used: large radiators, copper cores for cooling systems or all-copper radiators, heat pipes to transfer heat to additional radiators:

The recommendations for selection are the same: use slow and large fans, as large as possible radiators. This is how the popular cooling systems for video cards and the Zalman VF900 look like:

Usually, fans of video card cooling systems only stirred the air inside the system unit, which is not very effective in terms of cooling the entire computer. Only quite recently, cooling systems began to be used to cool video cards, which carry hot air out of the case: the first were and, a similar design, from the brand:

Such cooling systems are installed on the most powerful modern video cards (nVidia GeForce 8800, ATI x1800XT and older). This design is often more justified from the point of view of the correct organization of air flows inside the computer case than traditional schemes. Organization of air flows

Modern standards for the design of computer cases, among other things, regulate the way of building a cooling system. Since the release of which was started in 1997, the technology of cooling the computer with a through air flow directed from the front wall of the case to the back has been introduced (in addition, air for cooling is sucked in through the left wall):

Those interested in the details refer to latest versions ATX standard.

At least one fan is installed in the computer's power supply (many modern models have two fans, which can significantly reduce the rotational speed of each of them, and, therefore, the noise during operation). Additional fans can be installed anywhere inside the computer to enhance airflow. Be sure to follow the rule: on the front and left side walls, the air is forced inside the case, on the back wall, hot air is thrown out... You also need to make sure that the flow of hot air from the back of the computer does not go directly into the air intake on the left side of the computer (this happens at certain positions of the system unit relative to the walls of the room and furniture). Which fans to install depends primarily on the presence of appropriate mounts in the walls of the case. Fan noise is mainly determined by its rotation speed (see section), therefore it is recommended to use slow (quiet) fan models. With equal installation dimensions and rotational speed, the fans on the back of the case subjectively make a little less noise than the front ones: firstly, they are located farther from the user, and secondly, there are almost transparent grilles behind the case, while in front there are various decorative elements. Often, noise is created due to the air flow around the elements of the front panel: if the transferred volume of air flow exceeds a certain limit, vortex turbulent currents form on the front panel of the computer case, which create a characteristic noise (it resembles the hiss of a vacuum cleaner, but much quieter).

Choosing a computer case

Almost the overwhelming majority of cases for computers on the market today comply with one of the versions of the ATX standard, including in terms of cooling. The cheapest enclosures come with neither a power supply unit nor additional accessories. More expensive cases are equipped with fans for cooling the case, less often with adapters for connecting fans in various ways; sometimes even a special controller equipped with temperature sensors, which allows you to smoothly adjust the rotation speed of one or more fans depending on the temperature of the main units (see for example). The power supply unit is not always included in the kit: many buyers prefer to choose a power supply unit on their own. Of the other options for additional equipment, it is worth noting special side wall mounts, hard drives, optical drives, expansion cards that allow you to assemble a computer without a screwdriver; Dust filters that prevent dirt from entering the computer through the ventilation holes; various nozzles for directing air flows inside the housing. Exploring the fan

To transfer air in cooling systems, use fans(English: fan).

Fan device

The fan consists of a casing (usually in the form of a frame), an electric motor and an impeller, fixed with bearings on the same axis with the motor:

The reliability of the fan depends on the type of bearings installed. Manufacturers claim this typical MTBF (years based on 24/7 operation):

Taking into account the obsolescence of computer equipment (for home and office use it is 2-3 years), fans with ball bearings can be considered "eternal": their life is not less than the typical life of a computer. For more serious applications, where the computer has to work around the clock for many years, it is worth choosing more reliable fans.

Many have come across old fans in which the sleeve bearings have worn out: the impeller shaft rattles and vibrates during operation, making a characteristic roaring sound. In principle, such a bearing can be repaired by lubricating it with solid lubricant - but how many would agree to repair a fan that costs only a couple of dollars?

Fan characteristics

Fans differ in size and thickness: usually computers have standard sizes 40 × 40 × 10 mm for cooling video cards and hard drive pockets, as well as 80 × 80 × 25, 92 × 92 × 25, 120 × 120 × 25 mm for cooling the case. The fans also differ in the type and design of the installed electric motors: they consume different currents and provide different speed of rotation of the impeller. The performance depends on the size of the fan and the speed of rotation of the impeller blades: the generated static pressure and maximum volume transported air.

The volume of air carried by the fan (flow rate) is measured in cubic meters per minute or cubic feet per minute (CFM). The fan performance indicated in the characteristics is measured at zero pressure: the fan is operating in an open space. Inside the computer case, the fan blows into the system unit of a certain size, therefore it creates excess pressure in the serviced volume. Naturally, the volumetric capacity will be approximately inversely proportional to the generated pressure. Specific view consumption characteristics depends on the shape of the used impeller and other parameters specific model... For example, the corresponding graph for a fan:

The conclusion is simple: the more intensively the fans at the back of the computer case, the more air can be pumped through the entire system, and the more efficient the cooling will be.

Fan noise level

The noise level generated by the fan during operation depends on its various characteristics (for more details on the reasons for its occurrence, see the article). It is not difficult to establish the relationship between performance and fan noise. On the site large manufacturer popular cooling systems, we see: many fans of the same size are equipped with different electric motors, which are designed for different speeds. Since the impeller is used the same, we get the data of interest to us: the characteristics of the same fan at different speeds rotation. We draw up a table for the three most common standard sizes: thickness 25 mm, and.

In bold the most popular types of fans are highlighted.

Having calculated the coefficient of proportionality of the air flow and the noise level to the rpm, we see almost complete coincidence. To clear our conscience, we consider deviations from the average: less than 5%. Thus, we got three linear dependences, 5 points each. It is not God only knows what statistics, but for a linear relationship this is enough: the hypothesis is considered confirmed.

The volumetric performance of the fan is proportional to the number of revolutions of the impeller, the same is true for the noise level..

Using this hypothesis, we can extrapolate the results obtained by the method of least squares (OLS): in the table, these values ​​are shown in italics. It should be remembered, however, that the scope of this model is limited. The investigated dependence is linear in a certain range of rotation speeds; it is logical to assume that the linear nature of the dependence will remain in some vicinity of this range; but at very high and very low speeds, the picture can change significantly.

Now let's consider a line of fans from another manufacturer:, and. Let's make a similar plate:

Calculated data are highlighted in italics.
As mentioned above, if the fan speed values ​​differ significantly from those investigated, the linear model may be incorrect. Extrapolated values ​​are to be understood as approximate estimates.

Let's pay attention to two circumstances. Firstly, GlacialTech fans run slower, and secondly, they are more efficient. Obviously, this is the result of using an impeller with a more complex blade shape: even at the same speed, the GlacialTech fan carries more air than the Titan: see the graph growth... A the noise level at the same speed is approximately equal: The proportion is maintained even for fans from different manufacturers with different impeller shapes.

It should be understood that the real noise characteristics of the fan depend on its technical design, the generated pressure, the volume of pumped air, on the type and shape of obstacles in the path of air flows; that is, on the type of computer case. Since there are a lot of different cases used, it is impossible to directly apply the quantitative characteristics of the fans measured under ideal conditions - they can only be compared with each other for different models fans.

Fan price categories

Consider the cost factor. For example, let's take in the same online store and: the results are written in the tables above (fans with two ball bearings were considered). As you can see, the fans of these two manufacturers belong to two different classes: GlacialTech operate at lower speeds, therefore they are less noisy; at the same speed they are more efficient than the Titan - but they are always more expensive by a dollar or two. If you need to build the least noisy cooling system (for example, for a home computer), you will have to fork out for more expensive fans with complex blade shapes. In the absence of such stringent requirements or on a limited budget (for example, for an office computer), simpler fans are fine. Various type the impeller suspension used in fans (see the section for more details) also affects the cost: the fan is more expensive, the more complex bearings are used.

The beveled corners on one side serve as the key for the connector. The wires are connected as follows: two central ones - "ground", common contact (black wire); +5 V - red, +12 V - yellow. To power the fan through the molex connector, only two wires are used, usually black ("ground") and red (supply voltage). By connecting them to different pins of the connector, you can get different fan speeds. A standard voltage of 12 volts will start the fan at nominal speed, a voltage of 5-7 volts will provide about half the rotational speed. It is preferable to use more high voltage, since not every electric motor is able to reliably start at too low supply voltage.

Experience shows that fan speed when connected to +5 V, +6 V and +7 V is approximately the same(with an accuracy of 10%, which is comparable to the measurement accuracy: the rotation speed is constantly changing and depends on many factors, such as air temperature, the slightest draft in the room, etc.)

I remind you that the manufacturer guarantees the stable operation of its devices only when using a standard supply voltage... But, as practice shows, the overwhelming majority of fans start up perfectly even at reduced voltage.

The contacts are fixed in the plastic part of the connector using a pair of bending metal "tendrils". It is not difficult to remove the contact by pressing down the protruding parts with a thin awl or a small screwdriver. After that, the "antennae" must again be bent to the sides, and insert the contact into the corresponding socket of the plastic part of the connector:

Sometimes coolers and fans are equipped with two connectors: molex-connected in parallel and three- (or four-) pin. In this case you need to connect power only through one of them:

In some cases, not one molex connector is used, but a pair of "mom-dad": this way you can connect the fan to the same wire from the power supply that powers the hard disk or optical drive... If you swap the pins in the connector to get on the fan non-standard voltage, pay special attention to rearrange the pins in the second slot in exactly the same order. Failure to do so could result in incorrect supply voltage to the hard disk or optical drive, which will most likely lead to their instant failure.

In three-pin connectors, the key for installation is a pair of protruding guides on one side:

The counterpart is located on the contact pad, when connected, it enters between the guides, also acting as a latch. The corresponding connectors for powering the fans are located on the motherboard (as a rule, there are several in different places on the board) or on the board of a special controller that controls the fans:

In addition to "ground" (black wire) and +12 V (usually red, less often: yellow), there is also a tachometer contact: it is used to control the fan speed (white, blue, yellow or green wire). If you do not need the ability to control the fan speed, then this contact can be left unconnected. If the fan is powered separately (for example, through the molex connector), it is permissible to connect only the RPM control contact and the common wire using a three-pin connector - this circuit is often used to monitor the fan rotation speed of the power supply, which is powered and controlled by the internal power supply circuits.

Four-pin connectors have appeared relatively recently on motherboards with LGA 775 and socket AM2 processor sockets. They differ in the presence of an additional fourth contact, while fully mechanically and electrically compatible with three-pin connectors:

Two the same a fan with three-pin connectors can be connected in series to one power connector. Thus, each of the electric motors will have 6 V supply voltage, both fans will rotate at half speed. For such a connection, it is convenient to use the fan power connectors: the contacts can be easily removed from the plastic case by pressing the fixing “tab” with a screwdriver. The connection diagram is shown in the figure below. One of the connectors plugs into the motherboard as usual: it will supply power to both fans. In the second connector, using a piece of wire, you need to short-circuit two contacts, and then insulate it with tape or electrical tape:

It is strongly discouraged to connect two different electric motors in this way.: due to the inequality of electrical characteristics in different operating modes (starting, acceleration, stable rotation), one of the fans may not start at all (which is fraught with the failure of the electric motor) or require an excessively large current to start (fraught with failure of the control circuits).

Often, fixed or variable resistors connected in series in the power circuit are tried on to limit the fan speed. By changing the resistance of the variable resistor, you can adjust the rotation speed: this is how many manual fan speed controllers work. When designing such a circuit, it must be remembered that, firstly, the resistors heat up, dissipating part of the electrical power in the form of heat - this does not contribute to more efficient cooling; secondly, the electrical characteristics of the electric motor in different modes of operation (start-up, acceleration, stable rotation) are not the same, the parameters of the resistor must be selected taking into account all these modes. To select the parameters of the resistor, it is enough to know Ohm's law; you need to use resistors designed for a current no less than the electric motor consumes. However, I personally do not welcome manual control cooling, because I think that a computer is a perfectly suitable device to control the cooling system automatically, without user intervention.

Fan monitoring and control

Most modern motherboards allow you to control the speed of the fans connected to some 3- or 4-pin connectors. Moreover, some of the connectors support software control of the rotational speed of the connected fan. Not all connectors on the board provide such capabilities: for example, the popular Asus A8N-E board has five connectors for powering fans, only three of them support rotation speed control (CPU, CHIP, CHA1), and only one fan speed control (CPU); Asus P5B motherboard has four connectors, all four support rotation speed control, rotation speed control has two channels: CPU, CASE1 / 2 (the speed of two case fans changes synchronously). The number of connectors with the ability to control or control the rotational speed does not depend on the chipset or south bridge used, but on the specific motherboard model: models from different manufacturers may differ in this regard. Often, motherboard developers deliberately deprive more cheap models fan speed control capabilities. For example, the motherboard for Intel Pentiun 4 processors Asus P4P800 SE is able to regulate the speed of the processor cooler, but its cheaper version Asus P4P800-X is not. In this case, you can use special devices that are able to control the speed of several fans (and, usually, provide for the connection of a number of temperature sensors) - they appear more and more in the modern market.

You can control the fan speed values ​​using BIOS Setup. As a rule, if the motherboard supports changing the fan speed, here in the BIOS Setup you can configure the parameters of the speed control algorithm. The set of parameters is different for different motherboards; usually the algorithm uses the readings of thermal sensors built into the processor and motherboard. There are a number of programs for different operating systems that allow you to control and adjust the fan speed, as well as monitor the temperature of various components inside the computer. Some motherboard manufacturers complete their products with proprietary Windows programs: Asus PC Probe, MSI CoreCenter, Abit µGuru, Gigabyte EasyTune, Foxconn SuperStep, etc. Several universal programs are distributed, among them: (shareware, $ 20-30), (distributed free of charge, has not been updated since 2004). The most popular program of this class is:

These programs allow you to monitor a range of temperature sensors that are installed in modern processors, motherboards, video cards and hard drives. The program also monitors the rotation speed of the fans that are connected to the motherboard connectors with appropriate support. Finally, the program is able to automatically adjust the fan speed depending on the temperature of the monitored objects (if the manufacturer motherboard implemented hardware support for this feature). In the above figure, the program is configured to control only the processor fan: at a low CPU temperature (36 ° C), it rotates at about 1000 rpm, which is 35% of maximum speed(2800 rpm). Setting up such programs comes down to three steps:

1. determining which of the motherboard controller channels the fans are connected to, and which of them can be controlled by software;
2. an indication of which of the temperatures should affect the speed of the various fans;
3. setting temperature thresholds for each temperature sensor and a range of operating speeds for fans.

Many programs for testing and fine-tuning computers also have monitoring capabilities:, etc.

Many modern video cards also allow you to adjust the speed of the cooling fan depending on the heating GPU... With help special programs you can even change the settings of the cooling mechanism, reducing the noise level from the video card in the absence of a load. This is how the optimal settings for the HIS X800GTO IceQ II video card look like in the program:

Passive cooling systems are usually called those that do not contain fans. Individual computer components can be satisfied with passive cooling, provided that their heatsinks are placed in a sufficient air flow created by "foreign" fans: for example, a chipset's microcircuit is often cooled by a large heatsink located near the place where the processor cooler is installed. Passive cooling systems for video cards are also popular, for example:

Obviously, the more radiators one fan has to blow through, the greater the flow resistance it needs to overcome; thus, with an increase in the number of radiators, it is often necessary to increase the rotation speed of the impeller. It is more efficient to use a lot of low speed large diameter fans, and passive cooling systems are preferable to avoid. Despite the fact that there are passive heatsinks for processors, video cards with passive cooling, even power supplies without fans (FSP Zen), an attempt to build a computer with no fans at all from all these components will certainly lead to constant overheating. Because a modern high-performance computer dissipates too much heat to be cooled by passive systems alone. Due to the low thermal conductivity of air, it is difficult to organize effective passive cooling for the entire computer, except perhaps to turn the entire computer case into a radiator, as is done in:

Perhaps completely passive cooling will be sufficient for low-power specialized computers (for Internet access, for listening to music and watching videos, etc.)

In the old days, when the power consumption of processors had not yet reached critical values ​​- a small radiator was enough to cool them - the question "what will the computer do when there is nothing to do?" The solution was simple: while it is not necessary to execute user commands or running programs, the OS gives the processor a NOP command (No OPeration, no operation). This command causes the processor to perform a meaningless, ineffectual operation, the result of which is ignored. This takes not only time, but also electricity, which, in turn, is converted into heat. A typical home or office computer, in the absence of resource-intensive tasks, is usually only 10% loaded - anyone can verify this by starting the Windows Task Manager and observing the Timeline of CPU usage ( Central processing unit). Thus, with the old approach, about 90% of the CPU time was wasted: the CPU was busy executing commands that no one needed. Newer operating systems (Windows 2000 and later) act more sensibly in a similar situation: using the HLT (Halt, stop) command, the processor stops completely for a short time - this, obviously, allows to reduce power consumption and processor temperature in the absence of resource-intensive tasks.

Experienced computer scientists can recall a number of programs for "software cooling of the processor": while running under Windows 95/98 / ME, they stopped the processor using HLT, instead of repeating meaningless NOPs, which reduced the temperature of the processor in the absence of computational tasks. Accordingly, the use of such programs under Windows 2000 and newer operating systems is meaningless.

Modern processors consume so much energy (which means they dissipate it in the form of heat, that is, they heat up) that the developers have created additional technical tools to combat possible overheating, as well as tools that increase the efficiency of saving mechanisms when the computer is idle.

Thermal protection of the processor

To protect the processor from overheating and failure, the so-called thermal throttling is used (usually not translated: throttling). The essence of this mechanism is simple: if the processor temperature exceeds the allowable temperature, the processor is forced to stop with the HLT command so that the crystal can cool down. In early implementations of this mechanism, through BIOS Setup, it was possible to configure how much of the time the processor would be idle (parameter CPU Throttling Duty Cycle: xx%); new implementations "slow down" the processor automatically until the crystal temperature drops to an acceptable level. Of course, the user is interested in the processor not being cooled down (literally!), But doing useful work - for this you need to use a sufficiently effective cooling system. You can check if the processor thermal protection mechanism (throttling) is activated by using special utilities, for example :

Minimizing energy consumption

Almost all modern processors support special technologies to reduce energy consumption (and, accordingly, heating). Different manufacturers call such technologies differently, for example: Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology (EIST), AMD Cool'n'Quiet (CnQ, C&Q) - but they work essentially the same way. When the computer is idle and the processor is not loaded with computational tasks, the processor clock speed and voltage are reduced. Both reduce the power consumption of the processor, which in turn reduces heat generation. As soon as the processor load increases, the full processor speed is automatically restored: the operation of such a power-saving scheme is completely transparent to the user and the programs being launched. To enable such a system, you need:

1. enable the use of a supported technology in BIOS Setup;
2. install the appropriate drivers in the operating system (usually a processor driver);
3. in the Panel Windows management(Control Panel), in the Power Management section, on the Power Schemes tab, select the Minimal Power Management scheme from the list.

For example, for an Asus A8N-E motherboard with a processor, you need ( detailed instructions are given in the User's Guide):

1. in BIOS Setup, in the Advanced> CPU Configuration> AMD CPU Cool & Quiet Configuration section, switch the Cool N "Quiet parameter to Enabled; and in the Power section, switch the ACPI 2.0 Support parameter to Yes;
2. install ;
3. see above.

You can check that the processor frequency is changing using any program that displays clock frequency processor: from specialized type, up to the Windows Control Panel, System section:

Often, motherboard manufacturers additionally complete their products with visual programs that clearly demonstrate the operation of the mechanism for changing the frequency and voltage of the processor, for example, Asus Cool & Quiet:

The processor frequency changes from the maximum (in the presence of a computational load), to a certain minimum (in the absence of a CPU load).

RMClock utility

During the development of a set of programs for comprehensive testing of processors, (RightMark CPU Clock / Power Utility) was created: it is designed to monitor, configure and manage energy-saving capabilities of modern processors. The utility supports all modern processors and the most different systems power consumption management (frequency, voltage ...) The program allows you to monitor the occurrence of throttling, changes in the frequency and voltage of the processor. Using RMClock, you can configure and use everything that standard tools allow: BIOS Setup, power management from the OS side using the processor driver. But the capabilities of this utility are much wider: with its help, you can configure a number of parameters that are not available for customization in a standard way. This is especially important when using overclocked systems, when the processor runs faster than the nominal frequency.

Auto overclocking video card

A similar method is used by the developers of video cards: the full power of the GPU is needed only in 3D mode, and a modern graphics chip can cope with a desktop in 2D mode even at a reduced frequency. Many modern video cards are configured so that the graphics chip serves a desktop (2D mode) with reduced frequency, power consumption and heat dissipation; accordingly, the cooling fan spins more slowly and makes less noise. The video card starts working at full capacity only when you run 3D applications, for example, computer games. Similar logic can be implemented in software using various utilities for fine-tuning and overclocking video cards. For example, this is how the automatic overclocking settings in the program for the HIS X800GTO IceQ II video card look like:

From the user's point of view, a computer is considered sufficiently quiet if its noise does not exceed the surrounding background noise. During the day, taking into account the noise of the street outside the window, as well as the noise in the office or at work, the computer is allowed to make a little more noise. A home computer that you plan to use around the clock should be quieter at night. As practice has shown, almost any modern powerful computer can be made to work quietly enough. I will describe a few examples from my practice.

Example 1: Intel Pentium 4 Platform

I have 10 computers in my office Intel Pentium 4 3.0 GHz with standard CPU coolers. All machines are assembled in inexpensive Fortex cases up to $ 30, Chieftec 310-102 power supplies (310 W, 1 fan 80 × 80 × 25 mm) are installed. In each case, a 80 × 80 × 25 mm fan (3000 rpm, noise 33 dBA) was installed on the rear wall - they were replaced by fans with the same performance 120 × 120 × 25 mm (950 rpm, noise 19 dBA) ). On the file server local network for additional cooling of hard disks, 2 fans 80 × 80 × 25 mm are installed on the front wall, connected in series (speed 1500 rpm, noise 20 dBA). Most computers use the Asus P4P800 SE motherboard, which is able to regulate the speed of the CPU cooler. Two computers have more than cheap fees Asus P4P800-X, where the cooler speed is not regulated; to reduce the noise from these machines, the CPU coolers were replaced (1900 rpm, 20 dBA noise).
Result: computers are quieter than air conditioners; they are practically inaudible.

Example 2: Intel Core 2 Duo Platform

Home computer on new Intel processor The Core 2 Duo E6400 (2.13 GHz) with a standard CPU cooler was assembled in an inexpensive aigo case at $ 25, a Chieftec 360-102DF power supply (360 W, 2 fans 80 × 80 × 25 mm) was installed. In the front and rear walls of the case, 2 fans 80 × 80 × 25 mm are installed, connected in series (the speed is adjustable, from 750 to 1500 rpm, the noise is up to 20 dBA). Used motherboard Asus P5B, which is able to regulate the speed of the processor cooler and case fans. A video card with a passive cooling system is installed.
Result: the computer makes such a noise that during the day it is not heard behind the usual noise in the apartment (conversations, steps, the street outside the window, etc.).

Example 3: AMD Athlon 64 Platform

My home computer is on AMD processor Athlon 64 3000+ (1.8 GHz) is assembled in an inexpensive Delux case priced up to $ 30, initially it contained a CoolerMaster RS-380 power supply (380 W, 1 fan 80 × 80 × 25 mm) and a GlacialTech SilentBlade GT80252BDL-1 video card connected to +5 V (about 850 rpm, noise less than 17 dBA). Used motherboard Asus A8N-E, which is able to regulate the speed of the processor cooler (up to 2800 rpm, noise up to 26 dBA, in idle mode the cooler rotates about 1000 rpm and makes less than 18 dBA noise). Problem with this motherboard: chip cooling nVidia chipset nForce 4, Asus installs a small 40 × 40 × 10 mm fan with a rotation speed of 5800 rpm, which whistles loudly and unpleasantly (in addition, the fan is equipped with a sleeve bearing with a very short resource). To cool the chipset, a cooler for video cards with a copper radiator was installed, against its background you can clearly hear the positioning clicks of the hard drive heads. A working computer does not interfere with sleeping in the same room where it is installed.
Recently, the video card was replaced by the HIS X800GTO IceQ II, for the installation of which it was necessary to modify the chipset heatsink: bend the edges so that they did not interfere with the installation of a video card with a large cooling fan. Fifteen minutes of work with pliers - and the computer continues to run quietly, even with a fairly powerful video card.

Example 4: AMD Athlon 64 X2 Platform

Home computer on a processor AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ (2.0 GHz) with a processor cooler (up to 1900 rpm, noise up to 20 dBA) assembled in a 3R System R101 case (included 2 fans 120 × 120 × 25 mm, up to 1500 rpm, installed on the front and rear walls of the case, connected to the standard monitoring and automatic fan control system), an FSP Blue Storm 350 power supply unit (350 W, 1 fan 120 × 120 × 25 mm) is installed. A motherboard (passive cooling of the chipset microcircuits) was used, which is able to regulate the speed of the processor cooler. The video card GeCube Radeon X800XT was used, the cooling system was replaced with Zalman VF900-Cu. A hard drive known for its low noise generation was chosen for the computer.
Result: The computer is so quiet that you can hear the noise of the hard drive motor. A working computer does not interfere with sleeping in the same room where it is installed (the neighbors behind the wall are talking even louder).

Refueling the system is simple. It can be realized in two ways. The first took about two minutes, including de-aerating the system. The second one had to spend all 15 minutes. Refueling in the second way has already passed in 5 minutes, apparently the necessary experience has been gained.

The first refueling method is as follows:

We open the taps and lower the pump and the second tap into the basin so that the taps are covered with water. All other parts of the CBO should be lower in level.

We place the second faucet above all the elements of the CBO. We turn on the pump to the network and see how all the air leaves the system through it. In the end, a small fountain begins to beat - it's time to close the second tap.

The second tap is closed. We put it aside and begin to rotate the radiator to remove air from it, after which we close the faucet on the pump. This filling method is demanding on the volume of water, and the distillate costs money.

Therefore, there is a second way:

For the second filling method, we need a fourth fitting, which is screwed to any of the taps, but better to the one on the pump. Moreover, the second faucet should not be higher in level than the entire "structure" on the first faucet. "Construction" is a fitting with a piece of hose put on it and a funnel at the end. Like this! The only difficulty is holding the funnel, the second tap and the bottle and distillate. This requires one more person. Further, refueling continues as in the first method.

A fan should also be installed (possibly through a shroud) and the system is ready. If you decide to hang the radiator from the back of the case, then before refueling, you should push the hoses through one of the places under the plug. The pump and taps are perfectly located inside the system unit.

So, the Gnome project is ready. It took one day to create it. In the creation, only publicly available components were used, except for the water block, which has not yet gone on sale. As for the new water block from ProModz, its use is due to the fact that it was at hand and, of course, the fact that it was able to decorate our project with its appearance.

The cost of the project most of all depends on the price of the water block. It is quite possible to keep within $ 70 (at a water block price of $ 22). This is a little more than it was planned at the beginning of the article, but this amount can be reduced by losing convenience.

For those who still cannot think of a CBO without using an expansion tank, we present a budget version of a tank that costs less than 100 rubles (30 minutes of work). Those. costs will decrease by about $ 5 (item "taps and fittings"). The final cost of the CBO will be $ 65, but it will no longer be "Gnome".

We make an expansion tank

For the expansion tank, we need two fittings with nuts, 4 rubber bands and a container for storing food. You should take a container with a tight lid and thick walls (1 mm), so the tank will be more reliable. In our case, the dimensions of the tank were 9 x 11 x 11cm. It is quite compact, you can place it, for example, in the empty basket for 3.5-inch devices.

After marking the holes, cut them out. Holes can be drilled, but this is for the most patient.

The hole should be cut slightly less than necessary and as straight as possible. Then the edges need to be trimmed with a soldering iron and brought to the desired diameter.

After the holes are ready, we begin to screw in the fittings. To ensure tightness, use rubber rings on both sides.

The expansion tank is ready.

It is quite difficult to make a non-leaking, reliable tank the first time without using a sealant or transparent silicone glue. However, only such a procedure will allow you to maintain a good appearance of the structure. If this can be said in the case of a budget option.

Project "Gnome" can allow the user not to postpone the creation of an air defense system for the future and to take full advantage of its advantages. This project will allow you to either forget about the problem of good CPU cooling, or it will give you time to save money and expand the number of cooling points in the future. You can also do, for example, making a beautiful plexiglass expansion tank, which, as a rule, does not work the first time.

Do not deny yourself water cooling. The Gnome project will bring you the benefits of water cooling - silence and high efficiency, at a minimum cost.

Water cooling systems have been used for many years as a highly efficient means of removing heat from heating components in a computer.

Cooling quality directly affects the stability of your computer. Excessive heat causes the computer to freeze and overheated components may fail. High temperatures are harmful to the element base (capacitors, microcircuits, etc.), and overheating hard disk may result in data loss.

As the performance of computers increases, more efficient cooling systems have to be used. An air cooling system is considered traditional, but the air has a low thermal conductivity and a large air flow creates a lot of noise. Powerful coolers emit a fairly strong roar, although they can provide acceptable efficiency.

In such conditions, water cooling systems are becoming more and more popular. The superiority of water cooling over air cooling is explained by the indicators of heat capacity (4.183 kJ kg -1 K -1 for water and 1.005 kJ kg -1 K -1 for air) and thermal conductivity (0.6 W / (m K) for water and 0.024-0.031 W / (m K) for air). Therefore, other things being equal, water cooling systems will always be more efficient than air cooling systems.

On the Internet, you can find a lot of materials on ready-made water cooling systems from leading manufacturers and examples of home-made cooling systems (the latter are usually more efficient).

A water cooling system (CBO) is a cooling system in which water is used as a heat carrier to transfer heat. Unlike air cooling, in which heat is transferred directly to air, in a water cooling system, heat is first transferred to water.

The principle of operation of the CBO

Computer cooling is necessary to remove heat from a heated component (chipset, processor, ...) and dissipate it. A conventional air cooler has a monolithic heatsink that performs both of these functions.

In SVO, each part performs its own function. The water block carries out heat removal, and the other part dissipates heat energy. An approximate connection diagram of the components of the CBO can be seen in the diagram below.

Water blocks can be connected to the circuit in parallel and in series. The first option is preferable if there are identical heat collectors. You can combine these options and get a parallel-serial connection, but the most correct would be to connect the water blocks one after the other.

Heat removal occurs according to the following scheme: the liquid from the reservoir is supplied to the pump, and then pumped further to the nodes that cool the PC components.

The reason for this connection is the slight warming up of the water after passing through the first water block and effective heat removal from the chipset, GPU, CPU. The heated liquid enters the radiator and cools there. Then it enters the reservoir again, and a new cycle begins.

According to its design features, CBO can be divided into two types:

1. The coolant is circulated by the pump as a separate mechanical unit.
2. Pumpless systems that use special refrigerants that pass through the liquid and gaseous phases.

Cooling system with pump

The principle of its action is effective and simple. Liquid (usually distilled water) flows through the radiators of the cooled devices.

All structural components are interconnected by flexible pipes (diameter 6-12 mm). The liquid, passing through the radiator of the processor and other devices, takes their heat, and then through the tubes it enters the radiator of the heat exchanger, where it cools itself. The system is closed, and the liquid is constantly circulating in it.

An example of such a connection can be shown on the example of the products of the CoolingFlow company. In it, the pump is combined with a buffer reservoir for liquid. The arrows show the movement of cold and hot liquid.

Pumpless liquid cooling

There are liquid cooling systems that do not use a pump. They use the principle of an evaporator and create directional pressure that causes the coolant to move. Low boiling point liquids are used as refrigerants. The physics of the ongoing process can be viewed in the diagram below.

Initially, the radiator and lines are completely filled with liquid. When the temperature of the processor heatsink rises above a certain value, the liquid turns into vapor. The process of converting liquid to vapor absorbs heat energy and improves cooling efficiency. The hot steam builds up pressure. Steam, through a special one-way valve, can escape only in one direction - into the radiator of the heat exchanger-condenser. There the vapor displaces the cold liquid in the direction of the processor heatsink, and, cooling down, turns into liquid again. So the liquid-vapor circulates in a closed piping system while the temperature of the radiator is high. This system is very compact.

Another variant of such a cooling system is possible. For example, for a video card.

A liquid evaporator is built into the heatsink of the graphics chip. The heat exchanger is located next to the side wall of the video card. The structure is made of copper alloy. The heat exchanger is cooled by a high-speed (7200 rpm) centrifugal fan.

CBO components

Water cooling systems use a specific set of components, both required and optional.

Obligatory components of the CBO:

• radiator,
• fitting,
• water block,
• water pump,
• hoses,
• water.

Optional components of CBO are: temperature sensors, reservoir, drain taps, pump and fan controllers, secondary water blocks, indicators and meters (flow, temperature, pressure), water mixtures, filters, backplates.

• Let's take a look at the required components.

A waterblock is a heat exchanger that transfers heat from a heated element (processor, video chip, etc.) to water. It consists of a copper base and a metal cover with a set of fasteners.

The main types of water blocks: processor, for video cards, for the system chip (north bridge). Waterblocks for video cards can be of two types: covering only the graphics chip ("gpu only") and covering all heating elements - fullcover.

Waterblock Swiftech MCW60-R (gpu-only):

EK Waterblocks EK-FC-5970 (Fulkaver):

To increase the heat transfer area, a microchannel and microneedle structure is used. Waterblocks are made without a complex internal structure if performance is not so critical.

Chipset water block XSPC X2O Delta Chipset:

Radiator. In CBO, a water-air heat exchanger is called a radiator, which transfers heat from water in a water block to air. There are two subtypes of CBO radiators: passive (fanless), active (blown by a fan).

Fanless ones can be found quite rarely (for example, in the SVO Zalman Reserator) because given type radiators have a lower efficiency. Such radiators take up a lot of space and are difficult to fit even in a modified case.

Passive radiator Alphacool Cape Cora HF 642:

Active radiators are more common in water-cooled systems due to their better efficiency. If you use quiet or silent fans, then you can achieve a quiet or silent operation of the CBO. These heatsinks come in many different sizes, but generally they are multiples of a 120mm or 140mm fan.

Radiator Feser X-Changer Triple 120mm Xtreme

The SVO radiator behind the computer case:

Pump - an electric pump, is responsible for the circulation of water in the circuit of the CBO. The pumps can be operated from 220 volts or 12 volts. When there were few specialized components for CBO on sale, they used aquarium pumps operating from 220 volts. This created some difficulties due to the need to turn on the pump in sync with the computer. For this, a relay was used that turns on the pump automatically when the computer starts up. Now there are specialized pumps with compact dimensions and good performance, operating from 12 volts.

Compact pump Laing DDC-1T

Modern water blocks have a rather high coefficient of hydraulic resistance, therefore, it is advisable to use specialized pumps, since aquarium pumps will not allow modern water cooling systems to work at full performance.

Hoses or tubes are also mandatory components of any water supply system, through which water flows from one component to another. Mostly PVC hoses are used, sometimes silicone. The size of the hose does not greatly affect the overall performance, it is important not to use too thin (less than 8 mm) hoses.

Fluorescent Hose Feser Tube:

Fittings are called special connecting elements for connecting hoses to the components of the CBO (pump, radiator, water blocks). The fittings must be screwed into the threaded hole on the CBO component. They do not need to be screwed in very tightly (no wrenches are needed). Tightness is achieved with a rubber O-ring. The vast majority of components are sold without complete fittings. This is done so that the user can choose the fittings for the desired hose. The most common type of fittings are compression (with a union nut) and herringbone (fittings are used). Fittings are available in straight and angled versions. Fittings also differ in thread type. In computer SVO, the thread of the standard G1 / 4 ″ is more common, less often G1 / 8 ″ or G3 / 8 ″.

Computer water cooling:

Bitspower Herringbone Fittings:

Bitspower Compression Fittings:

Water is also an obligatory component of the water supply system. It is best to fill with distilled water (purified from impurities by distillation). Deionized water is also used, but it has no significant differences from distilled water, only it is produced in a different way. You can use special mixtures or water with various additives. But it is not recommended to use tap water or bottled water for drinking.

Optional components are components without which the CBO can work stably and do not affect performance. They make the operation of the NWO more convenient.

The reservoir (expansion tank) is considered an optional component of the water cooling system, although it is present in most water cooling systems. Reservoir systems are more convenient to refuel. The volume of water in the reservoir is not critical, it does not affect the performance of the water supply system. There are very different forms of tanks and they are selected according to the criteria of ease of installation.

Magicool tubular tank:

The drain cock is used for convenient drainage of water from the CBO circuit. It is closed in its normal state, and opens when it is necessary to drain the water from the system.

Drain valve Koolance:

Sensors, indicators and meters. Quite a lot of different meters, controllers, sensors for water supply systems are produced. Among them there are electronic sensors for water temperature, pressure and water flow, controllers that coordinate the operation of fans with temperature, indicators of water movement, and so on. Pressure and water flow sensors are needed only in systems intended for testing the components of air handling units, since this information is simply insignificant for an ordinary user.

Electronic flow sensor from AquaCompute:

Filter. Some water cooling systems are equipped with a filter included in the circuit. It is designed to filter out a variety of small particles that have entered the system (dust, soldering residues, sediment).

Water additives and various mixtures. In addition to water, you can use various additives. Some are designed to protect against corrosion, others to prevent bacteria from growing in the system or tint water. They also produce ready-made mixtures containing water, anti-corrosion additives and dye. There are ready-made mixtures that increase the productivity of water treatment plants, but the increase in productivity from them is possible only insignificantly. You can find liquids for CBO, which are not made on the basis of water, but using a special dielectric liquid. Such a liquid does not conduct electricity and will not cause short circuit if leaked to PC components. Distilled water is also non-conductive, but if spilled, it gets on the dusty areas of the PC, it can become electrically conductive. There is no need for a dielectric fluid, because a well-tested CBO does not leak and has sufficient reliability. It is also important to follow the instructions for the additives. It is not necessary to pour them in excess, this can lead to disastrous consequences.

Green fluorescent dye:

A backplate is a special mounting plate, which is needed to unload the PCB of the motherboard or video card from the force created by the water block mounts, and to reduce the bending of the PCB, reducing the risk of breakage. The backplate is not a required component, but it is very common in the NWO.

Branded backplate from Watercool:

Secondary water blocks. Sometimes, they put additional waterblocks on slightly heated components. These components include: RAM, power supply transistors, hard drives and southbridge. The fact that such components are optional for a water cooling system is that they do not improve overclocking and do not give any additional system stability or other noticeable results. This is due to the low heat generation of such elements, and with the inefficiency of using water blocks for them. The positive side installations of such a water block can only be called appearance, and the disadvantage is an increase in the hydraulic resistance in the circuit and, accordingly, an increase in the cost of the entire system.

Waterblock for power transistors on a motherboard from EK Waterblocks

In addition to the mandatory and optional components of the CBO, there is also a category of hybrid components. On sale there are components that are two or more components of the CBO in one device. Among such devices, there are known: hybrids of a pump with a processor water block, radiators for water cooling systems combined with a built-in pump and a reservoir. Such components significantly reduce the space they occupy and are more convenient to install. But such components are not very suitable for an upgrade.

Selection of the CBO system

There are three main types of CBOs: external, internal and built-in. They differ in the location of their main components in relation to the computer case (radiator / heat exchanger, reservoir, pump).

External water cooling systems are made in the form of a separate module ("box"), which is connected with hoses to water blocks that are installed on components in the PC case itself. In the case of an external water cooling system, a radiator with fans, a reservoir, a pump, and, sometimes, a power supply unit for a pump with sensors are almost always taken out. Among the external systems, the Zalman water cooling systems of the Reserator family are well known. Such systems are installed as a separate module, and their convenience lies in the fact that the user does not need to modify and alter the case of his computer. Their inconvenience lies only in size and it becomes more difficult to move the computer even over short distances, for example, to another room.

External passive SVO Zalman Reserator:

The built-in cooling system is built into the case and is sold complete with it. This option is the easiest to use, because the entire CBO is already mounted in the case, and there are no bulky structures outside. The disadvantages of such a system include the high cost and the fact that the old PC case will be useless.

Internal water cooling systems are located entirely inside the PC case. Sometimes, some of the components of the internal water cooling system (mainly the radiator) are installed on the outer surface of the case. The advantage of internal CBOs is ease of portability. There is no need to drain the liquid during transportation. Also, when installing internal CBOs, the appearance of the case does not suffer, and when modding, the CBO can perfectly decorate the case of your computer.

Overclocked Orange project:

The disadvantages of internal water cooling systems are the complexity of their installation and the need to modify the case in many cases. Also, the internal CBO adds several kilograms of weight to your body.

Planning and installation of air handling units

Water cooling, unlike air cooling, requires some planning before installation. After all, liquid cooling imposes some restrictions that must be taken into account.

During installation, you should always remember about convenience. Must be left free place, so that further work with the SVO and components does not cause difficulties. It is necessary that the pipes with water pass freely inside the case and between the components.

In addition, the flow of fluid should not be limited by anything. As it passes through each water block, the coolant heats up. To mitigate this problem, a parallel coolant path scheme is being considered. With this approach, the water flow is less loaded, and water that is not heated by other components enters the water block of each component.

The Koolance EXOS-2 set is well known. It is designed to work with 3/8 ″ connecting tubes.

When planning the location of your SVO, it is recommended that you first draw simple scheme... Having drawn a plan on paper, they proceed to the actual assembly and installation. It is necessary to lay out all the parts of the system on the table and approximately measure the required length of the tubes. It is advisable to leave some margin and not cut too short.

When the preparatory work is done, you can start installing the water blocks. On the back of the motherboard, behind the processor, there is a metal bracket for attaching the Koolance cooling head for the processor. This mounting bracket is equipped with a plastic spacer to prevent short circuiting with the motherboard.

Then the radiator is removed, attached to north bridge motherboard. In the example, the Biostar 965PT motherboard is used, in which the chipset is cooled using a passive radiator.

With the chipset heatsink removed, you need to install the chipset waterblock fasteners. After installing these elements, the motherboard is put back into the PC case. Remember to remove old thermal grease from the processor and chipset before applying a thin layer of a new one.

After that, the water blocks are carefully installed on the processor. Do not press down hard. Using force can damage the components.

Then work is done with the video card. It is necessary to remove the radiator present on it and replace it with a water block. When the water blocks are installed, you can connect the tubes and insert the video card into the PCI Express slot.

When all the water blocks are installed, all remaining pipes should be connected. The last one is connected to the tube leading to the external block of the CBO. Check the correct direction of water movement: the cooled liquid must first enter the water block of the processor.

After completing all these works, water is poured into the tank. Fill the tank only to the level indicated in the instructions. Look carefully for all fasteners and at the slightest sign of leakage, fix the problem immediately.

If everything is assembled correctly and there are no leaks, you need to pump the coolant to remove air bubbles. For the Koolance EXOS-2 system, you need to close the contacts on the ATX power supply, and supply power to the water pump without supplying power to the motherboard.

Let the system work a little in this mode, and you carefully tilt the computer in one direction or the other to get rid of air bubbles. After all bubbles have escaped, add coolant as needed. If no more air bubbles are visible, the system can be started completely. Now you can test the effectiveness of the installed CBO. Though water cooling for a pc is still a rarity for ordinary users, its advantages are undeniable.