Good day to all))) As promised, I will try to describe in as much detail as possible the process of manufacturing this modification of the case. To begin with, I apologize to the moderators of this project, because the link is used, and the photographs used were taken at different times and not all are directly related to this modification, although they are as close as possible. But, the link is from this site)))) So, let's get started. To do this, we will need: (a) a strong belief that your case needs to be modified, (b) an ordinary centimeter ruler, (c) a compass or a simple pencil + a thin marker in a color different from the color of the case, (d) a drill or a screwdriver with two drills (on 4 and 8), (e) a jigsaw with a blade (nail file) for metal installed on it, (f) a Phillips screwdriver, a fan and fasteners (screws), (g) a protective device (grille, mesh, or without it). Further, in order: a) It is necessary to find out the location of our modification. In my case, opposite and a little lower than the video card, so that a stream of fresh air blows directly onto the video card. You can also apply airflow to HDD, CPU, northbridge or southbridge motherboard, a very rare case - on the power supply. b) With a ruler, find out the diameter (diameter of the fan) of the hole cut out in the case, which can be drawn (c) with a compass on the case wall. Or we will circle the inside of the fan with a pencil or a marker on this surface..jpg d) We will need a drill and drills to drill holes in the case. Drill for 8 - to insert a file from (e) a jigsaw and start sawing (in red in the photo), and a drill for 4 - to attach the fan with screws. Having cut out the required radius, we proceed to fastening. To do this, we need to mark the mounting points from (e) the fan and drill them out (black in the photo). (g) We will fasten the grille or its analogue (anything your heart desires, you can even do without it. But I used a protective grille from the power supply, because there is a small child in the house) we will fasten simultaneously with the fan with screws that come with almost all "carlsons" from the store. After mounting, I applied power to the fan. I used a connector on the motherboard and a resistor that lowers the speed.

Often used to build a large radiator heat pipes(English: heat pipes) - 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 heatsink work effectively in cooling. So, for example, the popular cooler is arranged

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

Recommendations for choosing here are the same: use slow and large-sized fans, the largest possible heatsinks. So, for example, popular cooling systems for video cards and Zalman VF900 look like:

Usually, the fans of video card cooling systems only mixed the air inside system block, which is not very efficient in terms of cooling the entire computer. Only very recently, cooling systems have been used to cool video cards that carry hot air outside the case: the first steels and a similar design from the brand:

Similar cooling systems are installed on the most powerful modern video cards (nVidia GeForce 8800, ATI x1800XT and older). Such a design is often more justified, in terms of the proper organization of air flows inside the computer case, than traditional schemes. Air flow organization

Modern standards for the design of computer cases, among other things, regulate the way the cooling system is built. Starting with, the release of which was launched in 1997, a computer cooling technology is being introduced with a through air flow directed from the front wall of the case to the back (additionally, air for cooling is sucked in through the left wall):

Those interested in details are referred 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 rotation speed of each of them, and, therefore, the noise during operation). Additional fans can be installed anywhere inside the computer case to increase airflow. Be sure to follow the rule: on the front and left side walls, air is blown into 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 rear wall of the computer does not fall directly into the air intake on the left wall 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 availability of appropriate mounts in the walls of the case. Fan noise is mainly determined by fan speed (see section ), so slow (quiet) fan models are recommended. With equal installation dimensions and rotational speed, the fans on the rear wall of the case are subjectively noisier than the front ones: firstly, they are farther from the user, and secondly, there are almost transparent grilles at the back of the case, while various decorative elements are at the front. Often noise is created due to air flow around the elements of the front panel: if the amount of air flow transferred exceeds a certain limit, eddy turbulent flows 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 vast majority of computer cases on the market today comply with one of the versions of the ATX standard, including in terms of cooling. The cheapest cases are not equipped with either a power supply or additional devices. More expensive cases are equipped with fans to cool the case, less often - adapters for connecting fans different ways; sometimes even a special controller equipped with thermal sensors, which allows you to smoothly adjust the rotation speed of one or more fans depending on the temperature of the main components (see for example). The power supply is not always included in the kit: many buyers prefer to choose a PSU on their own. Of the other options for additional equipment, it is worth noting the special fastenings of the side walls, 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 case. Exploring the fan

Used to transport air in cooling systems fans(English: fan).

Fan device

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

The reliability of the fan depends on the type of bearings installed. Manufacturers claim the following typical MTBF (number of 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 must work around the clock for many years, it is worth choosing more reliable fans.

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

Fan characteristics

Fans vary in size and thickness: commonly found in computers are 40x40x10mm for cooling graphics cards and hard drive pockets, as well as 80x80x25, 92x92x25, 120x120x25mm for case cooling. Also, fans differ in the type and design of the installed electric motors: they consume different current and provide different impeller rotation speeds. The size of the fan and the speed of rotation of the impeller blades determine the performance: the generated static pressure and the maximum volume of air transferred.

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

The simple conclusion from this follows: the more intensively the fans in the back of the computer case work, the more air can be pumped through the entire system, and the cooling will be more effective.

Fan noise level

The noise level created by the fan during operation depends on its various characteristics (more details about the reasons for its occurrence can be found in the article). It is easy to establish the relationship between performance and fan noise. Online major manufacturer popular systems cooling, in we see: many fans of the same size are equipped with different electric motors, which are designed for different rotation speeds. Since the same impeller is used, we obtain the data of interest to us: the characteristics of the same fan at different speeds rotation. We compile a table for the three most common 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 speed, we see an almost complete match. To clear our conscience, we consider deviations from the average: less than 5%. Thus, we got three linear dependencies, 5 points each. Not God knows what kind of statistics, but this is enough for a linear dependence: we consider the hypothesis confirmed.

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

Using the obtained hypothesis, we can extrapolate the obtained results using the least squares method (LSM): in the table, these values ​​are marked in italics. However, it must be remembered 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 neighborhood of this range; but at very high and very low speeds, the picture can change significantly.

Now consider the line of fans from another manufacturer:, and. Let's create a similar table:

Calculated data are marked in italics.
As mentioned above, at fan speeds that differ significantly from those studied, the linear model may be incorrect. The values ​​obtained by extrapolation should be understood as a rough estimate.

Let's pay attention to two circumstances. Firstly, GlacialTech fans are 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 graph growth. BUT the noise level at the same speed is approximately equal to: the proportion is observed even for fans of different manufacturers with different impeller shapes.

You need to understand that real noise characteristics the fan depends on its technical design, the pressure created, the volume of air pumped, on the type and shape of obstacles in the way of air flows; that is, on the type of computer case. Since there are a wide variety of 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.

Price categories of fans

Consider the cost factor. For example, let's take and in the same online store: the results are entered 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, so they make less noise; at the same speed they are more efficient than 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 strict requirements or with a limited budget (for example, for an office computer), simpler fans will do just fine. The different type of impeller suspension used in fans (for more details, see section ) also affects the cost: the fan is more expensive, the more complex bearings are used.

The connector key is beveled corners on one side. 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 12V will run the fan at normal speed, a voltage of 5-7V provides about half the rotation speed. It is preferable to use a higher voltage, since not every electric motor is able to reliably start at too low a supply voltage.

As experience shows, 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 accuracy of measurements: 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 stable work their devices only when using the standard supply voltage. But, as practice shows, the vast majority of fans start up perfectly even at low voltage.

The contacts are fixed in the plastic part of the connector with a pair of folding metal "antennae". 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 unbent 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: a molex connected in parallel and a 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 drive or optical drive. If you are swapping the pins in the connector to get a non-standard voltage on the fan, pay special attention to swap the pins in the second connector in exactly the same order. Failure to do so will result in the wrong voltage being supplied to the hard drive or optical drive, which will most likely result in their immediate failure.

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

The mating part is located on the contact pad; when connected, it enters between the guides, also acting as a retainer. The corresponding connectors for powering the fans are located on the motherboard (usually several pieces 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 tachometric 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 omitted. If the fan is powered separately (for example, via a molex connector), it is permissible to connect only the speed control contact and a common wire using a three-pin connector - this scheme is often used to monitor the fan speed of the power supply, which is powered and controlled by the internal circuits of the PSU.

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

Two identical fans with three-pin connectors can be connected in series to one power connector. Thus, each of the electric motors will have 6 V of supply voltage, both fans will rotate at half speed. For such a connection, it is convenient to use 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 connects to the motherboard as usual: it will provide 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 not recommended to connect two different electric motors in this way.: due to the inequality of electrical characteristics in various modes operation (start, acceleration, stable rotation), one of the fans may not start at all (which is fraught with failure of the electric motor) or require an excessively high current to start (it is fraught with failure of the control circuits).

Often, fixed or variable resistors connected in series in the power circuit are used 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 are arranged. 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 various operating modes (starting, acceleration, stable rotation) are not the same, the resistor parameters 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, personally, I do not welcome manual cooling control, since I think that the computer is quite 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 fans connected to some three- or four-pin connectors. Moreover, some of the connectors support program control the speed of the connected fan. Not all connectors on the board provide such capabilities: for example, the popular Asus A8N-E motherboard 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 rotation speed does not depend on the chipset used or south bridge, but on the specific motherboard model: models from different manufacturers may differ in this regard. Often, motherboard designers deliberately deprive cheaper models of fan speed control capabilities. For example, the Asus P4P800 SE motherboard for Intel Pentiun 4 processors is able to regulate the speed of the processor cooler, while 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) - there are more and more of them on the modern market.

Fan speeds can be controlled 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 various operating systems that allow you to control and adjust the speed of fans, as well as monitor the temperature of various components inside the computer. Manufacturers of some motherboards bundle their products with proprietary programs for Windows: 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, not updated since 2004). The most popular program of this class is:

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

1. determining which of the channels of the motherboard controller are connected to fans, and which of them can be controlled by software;
2. specifying which temperatures should affect the speed of the various fans;
3. setting temperature thresholds for each temperature sensor and operating speed range 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 temperature of the 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 load. This is how the optimal settings for the HIS X800GTO IceQ II video card look in the program:

Passive cooling

Passive cooling systems are called those that do not contain fans. Individual computer components can be content with passive cooling, provided that their heatsinks are placed in sufficient airflow created by "foreign" fans: for example, a chipset chip is often cooled by a large heatsink located near the CPU cooler. Passive cooling systems for video cards are also popular, for example:

Obviously, the more heat sinks one fan has to blow through, the more flow resistance it needs to overcome; thus, with an increase in the number of radiators, it is often necessary to increase the speed of rotation of the impeller. It is more efficient to use a lot of low-speed large-diameter fans, and passive cooling systems are preferably avoided. Despite the fact that passive heatsinks for processors, video cards with passive cooling, even power supplies without fans (FSP Zen) are produced, trying to build a computer without 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 only by passive systems. Due to the low thermal conductivity of air, it is difficult to organize effective passive cooling for the entire computer, except to turn the entire computer case into a radiator, as is done in:

Compare the case-radiator in the photo with the case of a conventional computer!

Perhaps, completely passive cooling will be enough 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 nothing needs to be done?" was solved simply: until you need to execute user commands or running programs, the OS gives the processor a NOP instruction (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 running the Manager Windows tasks and watching the CPU (Central Processing Unit) Load History. Thus, with the old approach, about 90% of the processor time flew to the wind: the CPU was busy executing no one necessary commands. Newer operating systems (Windows 2000 and later) act more sensibly in a similar situation: using the HLT (Halt, stop) command, the processor is completely stopped for a short time - this obviously allows you to reduce power consumption and processor temperature in the absence of resource-intensive tasks.

Experienced computer scientists can recall a number of "software processor cooling" programs: when running under Windows 95/98/ME, they stopped the processor using HLT, instead of repeating meaningless NOPs, which lowered the processor temperature 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 measures to combat possible overheating, as well as tools that increase the efficiency of saving mechanisms when the computer is idle.

CPU thermal protection

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 one, the processor is forcibly stopped by the HLT command so that the crystal has a chance to cool down. In early implementations of this mechanism, through BIOS Setup, it was possible to configure how much time the processor would be idle (CPU Throttling Duty Cycle: xx%); new implementations "slow down" the processor automatically until the temperature of the crystal drops to an acceptable level. Of course, the user is interested in the fact that the processor does not cool down (literally!), but does useful work - for this you need to use a fairly efficient cooling system. You can check if the processor thermal protection mechanism (throttling) is enabled using special utilities, For example :

Minimization of energy consumption

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

1. enable the use of supported technology in BIOS Setup;
2. install the appropriate drivers in the OS you are using (usually this is a processor driver);
3. in Panel Windows controls(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 the BIOS Setup Advanced section> CPU Configuration > AMD CPU Cool & Quiet Configuration 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 the processor clock speed: from specialized types, up to the Windows Control Panel (Control Panel), section System (System):

AMD Cool "n" Quiet in action: current CPU frequency (994 MHz) is lower than nominal (1.8 GHz)

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 maximum (in the presence of computational load) to some minimum (in the absence of CPU load).

RMClock utility

During the development of a set of programs for complex testing of processors, (RightMark CPU Clock / Power Utility) was created: it is designed to monitor, configure and manage the power-saving capabilities of modern processors. The utility supports all modern processors and a variety of power consumption management systems (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 allows standard means: BIOS Setup, OS power management with processor driver. But the possibilities of this utility are much broader: with its help, you can configure a number of parameters that are not available for configuration in a standard way. This is especially important when using overclocked systems, when the processor runs faster than the nominal frequency.

Video card auto overclocking

A similar method is used by video card developers: 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 tuned so that the graphics chip serves the 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 to work at full capacity only when running 3D applications, for example, computer games. Similar logic can be implemented programmatically, 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:

Quiet computer: myth or reality?

From the user's point of view, a sufficiently quiet computer will be considered such, the noise of which does not exceed the ambient 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, it is permissible for the computer to make a little more noise. A home computer that is planned to be used around the clock should be quieter at night. As practice has shown, almost any modern powerful computer can be made to work quite quietly. I will describe a few examples from my practice.

Example 1: Intel Pentium 4 platform

My office uses 10 3.0 GHz Intel Pentium 4 computers with standard CPU coolers. All machines are assembled in inexpensive Fortex cases priced up to $30, Chieftec 310-102 power supplies (310 W, 1 80×80×25 mm fan) are installed. In each case, a 80x80x25 mm fan (3000 rpm, noise 33 dBA) was installed on the back wall - they were replaced by fans with the same performance 120x120x25 mm (950 rpm, noise 19 dBA) ). On the file server local network for additional cooling hard drives on the front wall there are 2 fans 80 × 80 × 25 mm, 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 processor cooler. Two computers have cheaper Asus P4P800-X boards, where the cooler speed is not regulated; to reduce noise from these machines, the CPU coolers have been replaced (1900 rpm, 20 dBA noise).
Result: computers are quieter than air conditioners; they are almost inaudible.

Example 2: Intel Core 2 Duo Platform

New home computer Intel processor The Core 2 Duo E6400 (2.13 GHz) with a standard CPU cooler was assembled in an inexpensive $25 aigo case, with a Chieftec 360-102DF power supply (360 W, 2 80×80×25 mm fans). There are 2 fans 80×80×25 mm connected in series in the front and rear walls of the case (speed adjustable, from 750 to 1500 rpm, noise up to 20 dBA). Used motherboard Asus P5B, which is able to regulate the speed of the CPU 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 audible over the usual noise in the apartment (conversations, steps, the street outside the window, etc.).

Example 3: AMD Athlon 64 Platform

My home computer is AMD processor Athlon 64 3000+ (1.8 GHz) was assembled in an inexpensive Delux case priced under $30, initially containing 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). The Asus A8N-E motherboard is used, 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 noise is less than 18 dBA). The problem with this motherboard: cooling of the nVidia nForce 4 chipset chip, Asus installs a small 40x40x10 mm fan with a rotation speed of 5800 rpm, which whistles quite loudly and unpleasantly (in addition, the fan is equipped with a sleeve bearing that has a very short life) . To cool the chipset, a cooler for video cards with a copper radiator was installed; against its background, clicks of head positioning are clearly audible hard drive. A working computer does not interfere with sleeping in the same room where it is installed.
Recently, the video card was replaced by HIS X800GTO IceQ II, for the installation of which it was necessary to modify the chipset heatsink: bend the fins so that they do 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 work quietly even with a fairly powerful video card.

Example 4: AMD Athlon 64 X2 Platform

A home computer based on an AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ processor (2.0 GHz) with a processor cooler (up to 1900 rpm, noise up to 20 dBA) is assembled in a 3R System R101 case (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), FSP Blue Storm 350 power supply (350 W, 1 fan 120 × 120 × 25 mm) is installed. A motherboard was used (passive cooling of the chipset microcircuits), which is able to regulate the speed of the processor cooler. Used graphics card GeCube Radeon X800XT, cooling system replaced by Zalman VF900-Cu. A hard drive was chosen for the computer, known for its low noise level.
Result: The computer is so quiet that you can hear the sound 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).

Often, after buying a computer, the user is faced with such an unpleasant phenomenon as loud noise coming from cooling fans. There may be malfunctions operating system due to high temperatures (90°C or more) of the processor or video card. These are very significant shortcomings, 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 advantages and disadvantages

The principle of operation of the computer liquid cooling system (LCCS) is based on the use of an appropriate coolant. Due to the constant circulation, the liquid enters those nodes, the temperature regime of which must be controlled and regulated. Further, the coolant enters the radiator through the hoses, where it cools, giving off heat to the air, which is then removed outside the system unit using 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 compromised.

When using SJOK, 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 SJOK include its high cost. Yes, ready system liquid cooling is not a cheap pleasure. But 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:

1. By type of accommodation:
   • external;
   • internal.
     

     The difference between external and internal FJOCs is where the system is located: outside or inside the system unit.

2. According to the connection diagram:
   • parallel - with this connection, the wiring goes from the main radiator-heat exchanger to each water block that provides cooling for the processor, video card or other computer node / element;
   • sequential - each water block is connected to each other;
   • combined - such a scheme includes both parallel and serial connections.
3. According to the method of ensuring the circulation of the liquid:
   • pump-action - the system uses the principle of forced injection of coolant to water blocks. Pumps are used as a supercharger. They can have their own sealed housing or be immersed in a coolant in a separate tank;
   • pumpless - the liquid circulates due to evaporation, at which pressure is created that moves the coolant in a given direction. The cooled element, when heated, turns the liquid supplied to it into steam, which then again becomes a liquid in the radiator. In terms of characteristics, such systems are significantly inferior to pump-action SJOK.

Types of SJOK - gallery

When using a series connection, it is difficult to continuously provide refrigerant to all connected nodes.
When using an external JOC, the internal space of the system unit remains free

Components, tools and materials for the assembly of the JHC

We will select the necessary set for liquid cooling of the computer's central processor. The SJOK will include:

• water block;
• radiator;
• two fans;
• water pump;
• hoses;
• fitting;
• liquid reservoir;
• the liquid itself (distilled water or antifreeze can be poured into the circuit).

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

Some components and parts, for example, a water block, a radiator, fittings, a tank, can be made independently. However, you will probably have to order turning and milling work. As a result, it may turn out that FJOK 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 mount the system yourself. In this case, it is enough to have a basic set of locksmith 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-action system for liquid cooling of a PC central processor.

1. Let's start with the water block. The simplest model of this node can be purchased in the online store. It comes with fittings and clamps.
2. The water block can be made independently. In this case, you will need a copper ingot with a diameter of 70 mm and a length of 5–7 cm, as well as the opportunity to order turning and milling work in a technical workshop. The result is a homemade water block, which, at the end of all manipulations, will need to be coated with automotive varnish to prevent oxidation.
3. To mount the water block, you can use the holes on the motherboard in the place where the air-cooling radiator with a fan was originally installed. Metal racks are inserted into the holes, on which strips cut from fluoroplastic are attached, pressing the water block to the processor.
4. The radiator is best purchased ready-made.
   

   Some craftsmen use radiators from old cars.

5. Depending on the size, one or two standard computer fans are attached to the radiator using rubber gaskets and cable ties or self-tapping screws.
6. As a hose, you can use a regular liquid level made of silicone tube, cutting it off on both sides.
7. Not a single SJOK can do without fittings, because it is through them that the hoses are connected to all nodes of the system.
8. As a blower, it is recommended to use a small aquarium pump, which can be purchased at a pet store. It is attached to the prepared coolant reservoir using suction cups.
9. Any plastic food container with a lid can be used as a liquid reservoir that acts as an expansion tank. The main thing is that the pump is placed there.
10. For the possibility of topping up the liquid, the neck of any plastic bottle with twist.
11. The power supply of all SJOK nodes is output to a separate plug for the ability to connect from a computer.
12. At the final stage, all SJOK units are fixed on a sheet of plexiglass selected by size, all hoses are connected and fixed with clamps, the power plug is connected to the computer, the system is filled with distilled water or antifreeze. After starting the PC, the coolant immediately begins to flow to the central processor.

Do-it-yourself waterblock on a computer - video

Water cooling outperforms the original modern computers air system. Due to the liquid heat carrier used instead of fans, the background noise is reduced. The computer is much quieter. You can make a SJOK with your own hands, while providing reliable protection the main elements and components of the computer (processor, video card, etc.) from overheating.

Foreword

Agree, the temperature is 66 ° C for Athlone 1000 MHz (do not laugh, my principle is not iron, but what surrounds it) at rest, and at 100% load 75 ° C, a bit too much ... Therefore, this unit was born.

This CBO was originally conceived as external - I put it in a corner and let it stand there, and only two hoses fit the computer, in my opinion, and ideas for the future, the system unit can be stuffed with something else, for example - neon lights, UV lights, beautiful round plumes glowing in UV, etc. Unfortunately, the drawings of some elements have not been preserved, and they are not needed - everyone does everything for himself, starting from the materials that he has. Main principle.

Accessories for SVO

Pump - Atman-103, sold at any pet store. It is installed inside the expansion tank on the wall using suction cups.

The regular pump outlet fitting was thrown into the trash due to the fact that its diameter did not fit my needs (the diameter of the hoses). Instead, a self-made one was installed with an inlet diameter of 16 mm, an outlet of 10 mm (outer diameters) and a transition cone.

Radiator - from the stove of a Toyota car, I gave it to a friend for two kopeck pieces of beer, drunk together. Cleaned of dirt with acetone, washed inside with it, painted on the outside with spray paint. The inlet and outlet fittings are replaced, again, with homemade ones. Installed with sealant. It turned out great - no leaks anywhere.

Two fans, purchased from the Internet store, are installed on the radiator - they cool and look great!

For a long time I thought about how to fix the fans on the radiator. Everything turned out to be simple - down with self-tapping screws and complex fasteners !!! Everything ingenious (well, modest me) is just ...
To attach the fans, it took a few rubber bands (erasers) from the nearest stationery store and cable ties.

The rubber bands are cut into cubes, couplers are inserted into the mounting holes of the fans and fixed with the same cubes.

Then the ties are inserted into the slots of the radiator.

We fix it on the reverse side with cut-off locks from the same ties. And this is what we get

I think it's great ... and simple !!! The expansion tank is a plastic food container, in my case round, but there are others in shape, you can find it in a manufactured goods store. To top up the liquid, a neck from a 5-liter bottle of water is cut into the tank lid.

Hoses - silicone tube inner diameter 8 mm, bought a liquid level in a hardware store.

Mounted on fittings with pre-heated hoses for a tighter fit. Landing points are crimped with clamps from the nearest auto shop.

Relay - BS 115C, purchased from a radio store. Necessary for automatic start CBO at the same time as turning on the power of the computer.

The system is mounted on a plexiglass platform, found in the garage, since it was badly scratched, it had to be made matte. The tank is mounted on rubber gaskets to reduce vibration during pump operation.

To enter the hoses into the computer case, an adapter panel was made from a standard plug. There are two fittings on it, the inlet and outlet of the coolant, and a connector for connecting power - 12V.

It connects to the CBO panel using this tail:

I pay special attention to safety measures when handling electricity!
All current-carrying elements must be protected from accidental contact with fingers!

In general, the unit looks like this

The general dimensions of the system are as follows: D270, W200, H160.

The water block is made of M1 grade copper. This copper blank was bought at the non-ferrous metal collection point for 200 rubles. Its diameter is 65mm, height 25mm. It is assembled from two parts, a base and a cover made in the form of a glass with holes for fittings. The thickness of the base is 5 mm, heat-removing ribs 2 mm wide and 7 mm high in 2 mm increments are located on it, in total 11 ribs. This product is made using turning and milling machines. The design is absolutely hermetic and tested under a pressure of 4 atmospheres.

The side of the bottom adjacent to the processor is polished. In order for the water block not to oxidize and darken over time (copper after all), I had to cover it with a thin layer of automotive varnish from a can.

The fasteners of the water block are individual for each, it all depends on the type of mother and the processor used. I went the easiest way. I installed metal racks in the holes near the processor on the motherboard (the main thing is not to forget about the dielectric gaskets).

Small “ears” are made of PTFE, with the help of which the water block is attached to the motherboard with screws. charm this material consists in its strength and ease of processing, only a knife was needed from the tool. And it also springs a little and, therefore, when installed on the processor, it will not allow you to overtighten the screws until unwanted cracks form on it.

After the final installation in the case, everything looks like this:

Computer cooling systems are different types and different efficiency. Regardless of this, they all have the same goal: to cool the devices inside the system unit than to protect them from combustion and increase work efficiency. Different systems designed for cooling different devices And they do it in different ways. This, of course, is not the most exciting topic, but it does not become less important from this. Today we will understand in detail what cooling systems our computer needs, and how to achieve maximum efficiency of their work.

To begin with, I propose to quickly go over the cooling systems in general, so that we approach the study of their computer varieties as prepared as possible. Hope this saves us time and makes it easier to understand. So. Cooling systems are...

Air cooling systems

Today it is the most common type of cooling systems. The principle of its operation is very simple. The heat from the heating component is transferred to the radiator using heat-conducting materials (there may be an air layer or a special heat-conducting paste). The heatsink receives heat and releases it to the environment, which is either simply dissipated (passive heatsink) or blown away by a fan (active heatsink or cooler). Such cooling systems are installed directly in the system unit and on almost all heated computer components. The cooling efficiency depends on the size of the effective area of ​​the radiator, the metal from which it is made (copper, aluminum), the speed of the passing air flow (on the power and size of the fan) and its temperature. Passive radiators are installed on those components of a computer system that do not get very hot during operation, and near which natural air flows constantly circulate. Active cooling systems or coolers are designed mainly for the processor, video adapter and other constantly and intensely working internal components. Passive radiators can sometimes be installed for them, but always with more efficient heat removal than usual at low air flow rates. It costs more and is used in special silent computers.

Liquid cooling systems

A miracle-wonder-invention of the last decade, it is used mainly for servers, but due to the rapid development of technology, over time it has every chance to move to home systems. Expensive and a little scary if you imagine, but quite effective since water conducts heat 30 (or so) times faster than air. Such a system can cool several internal components at the same time with virtually no noise. A special metal plate (heat sink) is placed above the processor, which collects heat from the processor. Distilled water is periodically pumped over the heat sink. Collecting heat from it, the water enters the radiator cooled by air, cools down and begins its second round from the metal plate above the processor. The radiator at the same time dissipates the collected heat into the environment, cools down and waits for a new portion of the heated liquid. Water in such systems can be special, for example, with a bactericidal or anti-galvanic effect. Instead of such water, antifreeze, oils, liquid metals, or some other liquid with high thermal conductivity and high specific heat capacity can be used in order to provide maximum cooling efficiency at the lowest liquid circulation rate. Of course, such systems are more expensive and complex. They consist of a pump, a heat sink (waterblock or cooling head) attached to the processor, a heatsink (can be either active or passive) usually attached to the back of the computer case, a working fluid reservoir, hoses and flow sensors, various meters, filters, drain cocks, etc. (listed components, starting from sensors, are optional). By the way, replacing such a system is not for the faint of heart. This is not for you to change a fan with a radiator.

Freon installation

Small refrigerator mounted directly on the heating component. They are effective, but in computers they are mainly used exclusively for overclocking. Knowledgeable people say that he has more flaws than virtues. First, the condensation that appears on parts that are colder than the environment. How do you like the prospect of liquid appearing inside the holy of holies? Increased power consumption, complexity and a considerable price are lesser disadvantages, but this does not become an advantage either.

Open cooling systems

They use dry ice, liquid nitrogen or helium in a special tank (glass) installed directly on the cooled component. Used by the Kulibins for the most extreme overclocking or overclocking, in our opinion. The disadvantages are the same - high cost, complexity, etc. + 1 is very significant. The glass must be constantly filled and periodically run to the store for its contents.

Cascade cooling systems

Two or more cooling systems connected in series (for example, radiator + freon). These are the most complex cooling systems in the implementation, which are able to work without interruptions, unlike all the others.

Combined cooling systems

These combine elements of cooling systems of various types. An example of a combined one is Waterchppers. Waterchippers = liquid + freon. Antifreeze circulates in the liquid cooling system and, in addition to it, is also cooled by a freon unit in the heat exchanger. Even more difficult and expensive. The difficulty is that this entire system will also need thermal insulation, but this unit can be used for the simultaneous effective cooling of several components at once, which is rather difficult to implement in other cases.

Systems with Peltelier elements

They are never used on their own and other than that, have the least effectiveness. Their working principle was described by Cheburashka when he suggested to Gena to carry the suitcases (“Let me carry the suitcases, and you will carry me”). The Peltelier element is mounted on the heating component and the other side of the element is cooled by another, usually air or liquid cooling system. Since cooling down to temperatures below ambient is possible, the problem of condensate is also relevant in this case. Peltelier elements are less efficient than freon cooling, but at the same time they are quieter and do not create vibrations like refrigerators (freon).

If you have never noticed, then inside your system unit the most violent activity is constantly boiling: the current runs back and forth, the processor counts, the memory remembers, the programs work, the hard drive spins. The computer works, in a word. From the school physics course, we know that the passing current heats the device, and if the device heats up, then this is not good. At worst, it will simply burn out, and at best, it will simply work hard. (This is indeed a common cause of a not weakly braking system). It is in order to avoid such troubles that several types of various cooling systems are provided inside your system unit. At least for the most important components.

Cooling the system unit

How is cooling done? Mostly air. When you turn on the computer, it starts to buzz - the fan turns on (very often there are several of them), then it stops. After a few minutes of operation, when your system has reached a certain temperature threshold, the fan turns on again. And so all the time of work. The largest and most visible fan inside the system unit simply blows heated air out of the box, which cools everything together, including components that are difficult to install their own cooling system, such as a hard drive. According to the laws of the same physics, cooled air enters the place of heated air through special ventilation holes in the front of the system unit. More precisely, the one that has not yet had time to warm up. Cooling the internal parts of the computer, it heats up itself and exits through the holes in the side and / or rear panel of the system unit.

CPU Cooling

The processor, as a very important and constantly loaded component of your iron friend, has a personal cooling system. It consists of two components - a heatsink and a fan, of course, smaller than the one we just talked about. A heatsink is sometimes referred to as a heatsink, referring to its main function - it dissipates heat away from the processor (passive cooling) and a small fan on top blows heat away from the heatsink (active cooling). In addition, the processor is lubricated with a special thermal paste that promotes maximum heat transfer from the processor to the heatsink. The fact is that the surfaces of both the processor and the heatsink, even after polishing, have notches of about 5 microns. As a result of such notches, a very thin air layer with very low thermal conductivity remains between them. It is these gaps that are smeared with a paste of a substance with a high coefficient of thermal conductivity. Pasta has a limited shelf life, so it needs to be changed. It is convenient to do this at the same time as cleaning the system unit, which we will discuss below, especially since the old paste can generally have the opposite effect.

Video card cooling

A modern video card is a computer inside a computer. The cooling system is essential for her. Simple and cheap video cards may not have a cooling system, but modern video adapters for gaming monsters definitely need a refreshing coolness, perhaps even more than you do in forty-degree heat.

Dust pollution

Along with the air from the room, dust enters your system unit. Moreover, even in a regularly cleaned and ventilated room, there is surprisingly enough dust to entangle your brand new twister with long, unpleasant for the eyes woolen tufts taken from nowhere for several months of daily work. This has the opposite effect - the ventilation holes are clogged, and the “shags” (besides the fact that they physically do not allow the fan to spin) will warm your computer to the processor itself as well as a mink coat, not only in tropical heat, but also in polar blizzard. A person, as far as I know, gets sick from hypothermia, while a computer may well get sick from overheating. We treat the poor fellow about once every half a year, not with antibiotics and hot tea with raspberries, but with a vacuum cleaner. Preferably purchased in a special computer hardware store. The usual, in a very extreme case, will do, but you should be extremely careful with static electricity. He is very disliked by internal components.

Cleaning the cooling system

The first sign of a poorly functioning or not working system at all is that the fan “does not buzz” and the system unit heats up. By the way, this is a common reason for a computer to turn itself off or the system to work too slowly, and the diagnosis is so simple that it may not even come to mind. And it begins: updating drivers, scanning with antivirus, updating the system hardware, buying additional modules random access memory and other awkward gestures. Funny? Rather sad. We urgently open the patient and look at what is inside him. Before that, it is advisable to look for the exact algorithm for carrying out the procedure in the technical documentation from the motherboard manufacturers.

In principle, there is nothing complicated in cleaning the system unit. You need to turn off the computer, remembering to unplug the power cord, disassemble the system unit and carefully clean all the insides from dust. Special vacuum cleaners are sold in stores, which are best for doing this. Most of the dust accumulates on the radiator with a fan and near the ventilation holes on the system unit. Carefully remove dust accumulations from them and lubricate if necessary (you need to remove the sticker from the fan and put a few drops on the fan axis). Good oil for sewing machines. In addition, it is necessary to clean the processor from the old thermal paste and smear a new one on it. We repeat similar actions with the video card and the fan of the system unit. It remains to assemble the computer and use it for a few more months before re-cleaning the system unit. Laptops also need to be cleaned, and judging by my experience - a little more often than stationary ones (small distances between the components inside the laptop and the consumption of cookies and sandwiches next to it do their dirty work). Many users can easily cope with this procedure without help. computer specialists, but it's best not to rush, especially with laptops, unless you feel confident enough. Risks: static electricity can damage the motherboard, processor or anything else, and you yourself, due to inexperience, can easily damage something important. Jokes, jokes, but you really need to do this, otherwise problems may appear just an unmeasured amount.

If you cleaned your computer, but it did not bring noticeable relief, you may need to install a stronger cooling system. In the mildest case, an additional fan can help. To find out the degree of heating of system components, you can look at the website of the motherboard manufacturer. It is possible that there you will find a special software which will help determine this. The average indicators for the processor are 30-50 degrees, and in load mode up to 70. Winchester should not be heated by more than 40 degrees. More accurate indicators should be checked in the technical documentation.

In conclusion, I want to say that in 90 (if not more) percent of cases, a standard standard cooling system is quite suitable. To rush between quality and price, as well as to introduce a cooling system into your computer (sometimes it’s quite risky and not at all easy) is really necessary for owners of servers, powerful gaming computers and lovers of experiments with overclocking. If you are buying a computer for your home or office, you just need to ask what is inside it, so that the manufacturer’s possible savings do not come out sideways for you.

We provide repair and configuration services for computers, smartphones, tablets, wi-fi routers, modems, IP-TV, printers. Qualitatively and inexpensively. Got a problem? Fill out the form below and we will call you back.