Comments on: Passively cooled computer

By: sargent

sargent — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 20:21:32 +0000

I remember a maker of Mosler safe, they have successfully tested and used copper sheathing to safely dissipate the heat of an oxy-acetylane torch used in cutting open up a safe vault. The difference is that the copper sheathing is in uniform contact with the entire vault structure. Present day computers, all of them, must be re-designed, re-engineered, and re-tooled so as to take advantage of the copper sheathing effective heat dissipating abilities. This means a manufacturer must be willing to take that risk of designing a new computer engineering standard based on passive cooling. There is also an issue of dusts, so it means easy accessibility to the heat dissipating sheathing and fins will be mandatory for ease of cleaning out the dusts. Internal heat must have some means of high heat conductivity structures that can suck and dissipate heat away from the inteior of the PC and that of any other different kinds of computers.

By: wierdal

wierdal — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 07:53:39 +0000

Yo dudes, I have been running a completely silent HTPC for over a year, permanently on 24×7 with no special heatsinks. It is, admittedly, no mega power monster like this, but it works fine.

Silent CPU –> I also used the Scythe Ninja, fanless, on a mid-range Intel CPU.

Silent PSU –> The fantastically well-engineered Silverstone ST30NF

Silent Graphics –> Yeah, well, I only need MPEG2 decoding and no 3D at all, so I guess this is a bit different to all those high end gaming systems. I have an ancient nVidia 6200TC (!) installed (the mainboard has no onboard graphics).

Silent HDD –> System disk is an OCZ SSD. Most of my storage is on NAS, so I only needed a small system disk.

Note that the systemt includes two TV cards, a pro-audio soundcard and a couple of CD/DVD drives.

Now, I have to admit that it is in a case with a lot of space (UFO two tier case without the fans installed) and that the case is left open at the top (the Ninja doesn’t fit in the case anyway!!).

It does get fairly warm. Nothing too scary though and when you hit the power button to just LEDs and complete silence it is indeed kinda wierd.

By: Shmandy

Shmandy — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 14:49:15 +0000

that thing is huge does it seriously work cause if it does that guys a genious

By: bullzebub

bullzebub — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 12:18:28 +0000

cooling the psu was the hardest part?!
the only real cooing thats needed in a PSU is to a few transistors. just make extension cables for them and mount them on… well… the CPU cooler maybe?

By: keplenet

keplenet — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 09:29:32 +0000

wow that’s so big cooler, btw who want using te cooler?

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By: snow

snow — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 16:45:20 +0000

@ circs i completley agree

i think most of the people here miss the point.. of course there are LOTS(!!) of silent parts and pcs but he made one FROM SCRATCH.

@cooking oil doabe but really disgusting and smelly after a while unless you use mineral oil or make the whole thing airtight and bacteria free

cool project if i had the cash right now id try to put some peltiers in there if the temp difference between the dissipation plates and the environment is bigger they will act more effectively requiring less surface ( thats my theory anyways :P )

By: le'chef

le'chef — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 15:48:18 +0000

You should do the taste-test. The less the merrier I presume. Sunflower, maize, “raps” should all be good, but I’d stay away from olive – extra virgin is too expensive, and slut-oil is too contaminated.

An ammeter is probably more accurate than tastebuds, but I fear the resistance is too high anyway.

By: Sigg3.net

Sigg3.net — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 19:03:56 +0000

@K_3^3r94 What kind of cooking oil? Maize or olive?

By: ScrappyLaptop

ScrappyLaptop — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 16:52:32 +0000

You know, some laptops are 100% passive too, with the exception of the CPU fan. Wouldn’t it just be easier to modify a laptop with a large passive cooler for the cpu and call it a day?

By: K_3^3r94

K_3^3r94 — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:53:42 +0000

completely fanless computers are nice but try this one, ever heard of a comp submerged in cooking oil? As long as u dont submerge the power supply and cd drive u will be ok, the oil will absorb the heat from the mb. Just to make sure u do it right, try it on an old comp the u dont use and dont really care about.

By: kyle007

kyle007 — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 12:20:18 +0000

the conclusion to this project they guy states that the power supply died and the mother board was faulty and he scrapped the whole project. I’m not sure how much the heat pipes would displace heat when they where going to such a thick hunk of aluminum heat sink. I’m sure it drew some heat away but the original designed heat sink had these little thin pieces of metal “cooling fins” that would distribute the heat away better. Then only thing I have to say is what would happen if he bent the heat pipes out in such a way that they were standing straight upward and lengthened the cooling fins so each one was twice its original size. The whole thing would look like a tree or pine needles… If I ever get the money to throw around I will try this and submit it to this site. Great idea sorry it ended the way it did..

By: M4CGYV3R

M4CGYV3R — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 21:36:56 +0000

2.2 lbs per Kilogram = 44lbs for a 20kg Project.

I’d like to see a project where there’s a big flat skillet welded/soldered whatever to the thing and see if you can rightfully cook on it. I know the sinks have the possibility of getting pretty f-ing hot.

To the rest of you bickering children, go whip them out and measure on Digg or somewhere else. We’ll be here, doing real projects and learning from this info when you get back.

By: icefox

icefox — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 20:18:45 +0000

I’d be afraid to use it. I’d have to have a table-top fan next to it.

By: threepointone

threepointone — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 18:09:58 +0000

sad part is, my computer is actively cooled and it weighs even more than his =( 50lbs, thanks in part to the friggin heavy steel Armor case