I would guess that the low surface area would lead to problems. At first it would cool very well because of the huge thermal mass, but once it reaches thermal equilibrium the cooling would be quite weak.
You’re looking at about a half hour per kilogram of copper to raise it by 50 °C with 100W of heat.
Actual delta from ambient to thermal limit will typically be a little higher than that, but so is processor wattage on mid-to-high performance CPUs, so I’m happy enough with that as a ballpark estimate.
Someone else estimated that block as 4.5kg, so you’ve got something close to two and a half hours of cooling from an ambient start.
Despite the size i would be very surprised if this was even equivalent to a moderate performing air cooler. The reason normal coolers have all the fins is for more surface area and youre able to easily and effectively push lots of air through, pullung heat off those surfaces.
If that block is roughly 4.5cm x 4.5cm x 25cm then the volume of it is about 500cm³ which translates to 4.5kg of copper. At 11€/kg that makes about 50 euros.
I have a micro ATX case that itself is the cooler. Heatpipes transport the heat to the case walls and they have fins to increase surface area. It can handle up to 65 watt CPUs.
It’s not produced anymore. But with all the talk of the Gabecube I’ve been itching to make a new build with it. Unfortunately I have neither the money or the energy.
Copper is actually ~25-250X leas efficient at transferring heat than a heat pipe and convection is hundreds of times more efficient than radiation at transferring heat and the fins on a heat sink would have hundreds of times more surface area for dissipating heat all that is to say this might work but it would be orders of magnitude less efficient than a standard heat sink.
Looks nice. Why they don’t sell PCs with cooling like that? What are the downsides?
I would guess that the low surface area would lead to problems. At first it would cool very well because of the huge thermal mass, but once it reaches thermal equilibrium the cooling would be quite weak.
So we need more copper?
Yes! The only way to increase the surface is to build a higher tower!
I’d also think moving your PC will rip your CPU right off the motherboard
The trick is not to move the PC, but rather the copper block, which just happens to have a PC attached to it.
So, you’re saying that putting blocks of copper on everything in a PC will automatically shed unnecessary parts, building a more efficient system?
Just run a solid copper block for maximum efficiency.
Wouldn’t gold be more efficient? Can’t I just fill my PC with gold doubloons? The rattling noise means it’s running.
We’re talking about copper, dumdum.
how long till it reaches thermal equilibrium? maybe it can endure a full load for an hour
You’re looking at about a half hour per kilogram of copper to raise it by 50 °C with 100W of heat.
Actual delta from ambient to thermal limit will typically be a little higher than that, but so is processor wattage on mid-to-high performance CPUs, so I’m happy enough with that as a ballpark estimate.
Someone else estimated that block as 4.5kg, so you’ve got something close to two and a half hours of cooling from an ambient start.
Your mom can endure a full… oh never mind.
Despite the size i would be very surprised if this was even equivalent to a moderate performing air cooler. The reason normal coolers have all the fins is for more surface area and youre able to easily and effectively push lots of air through, pullung heat off those surfaces.
Do you have any idea how expensive a solid block of copper that big is?
If that block is roughly 4.5cm x 4.5cm x 25cm then the volume of it is about 500cm³ which translates to 4.5kg of copper. At 11€/kg that makes about 50 euros.
Cheaper than some noctua coolers.
Would you even notice, after buying the ram and storage?
Yes but you save on manufacturing.
What’s a solid block of copper cost? one banana?
Despite the cost, it’s damn heavy.
I have a micro ATX case that itself is the cooler. Heatpipes transport the heat to the case walls and they have fins to increase surface area. It can handle up to 65 watt CPUs.
It’s not produced anymore. But with all the talk of the Gabecube I’ve been itching to make a new build with it. Unfortunately I have neither the money or the energy.
Copper is actually ~25-250X leas efficient at transferring heat than a heat pipe and convection is hundreds of times more efficient than radiation at transferring heat and the fins on a heat sink would have hundreds of times more surface area for dissipating heat all that is to say this might work but it would be orders of magnitude less efficient than a standard heat sink.