How do we maximize performance from our PCs?

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How do we maximize performance from our PCs?

• Prepared by Yousef Debs
• ELEC 101
• DECEMBER 5TH, 2007

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CPUs Thermodynamics

• Electronic thermodynamics show that CPUs run more
  efficiently under cold temperatures
• Maximizing speeds and performance requires more
  voltage supplied to the CPU
• More voltage More heat
• With extremely low temperatures, heat
  inefficiency is negated!
• How do we get these freezing temperatures?

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Is LN2 Viable?

• Liquid Nitrogen has been used to obtain the
  lowest temperatures
• LN2 cost efficiency? Safety? Ready availability?
• Phase Change cooling, the alternative
• Based on principles of refrigeration (HVAC)

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What is Phase Change?

• Just like an AC, refrigeration principles can be
  used to cool computers as well as rooms!
• Phase Change refers to the evaporation of
  refrigerant in the units evaporator
• Gas is compressed back to liquid
• Liquid is cooled, and evaporated at extremely low
  temperatures (R22 _at_ -42F)
• How do we get an AC into a PC?

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Components
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Evaporator

• The evaporator is the CPU heatsink
• Common OEM Computers have air cooled (fan
  powered) heatsinks to moderate temperatures
• In a Phase change unit, the evap. block is the
  heatsink freezing cold refrigerant is pushed
  through to cool the CPU at amazingly low
  temperatures

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Heatsink Vs. Evaporator
Standard Heatsink/Fan
Acrylic/Copper Evaporator
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How does this work with a PC?
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Continued
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Is there a market for this?

• Phase change and watercooling are extremely
  popular in computer/overclocking enthusiasm
• Prometeia and Vapochill
• Retail value of Phase Change coolers is 600

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Temperatures

• Vapochill and Prometeia advertise a full load CPU
  core voltage of approximately -20oC to
  -40oC!
• With these temperatures, almost double the stock
  voltage can be applied to the CPU, maximizing
  clock and bus speeds.

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Results?

• Intel Quad Core Extreme Overclock
• Stock Frequency is 3.0ghz _at_ 1.35V
• This is an overclock of 175 _at_ 1.65V
• Cooler core temp. allows for more efficient gain
  on voltage rise

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Conclusions

• Catered to enthusiasts, but a viable option for
  high performance computing
• LN2 and other alternatives are sparse, dangerous,
  and impractical
• Phase change cooling can be fit into a large ATX
  case form factor
• Extreme cooling allows users to maximize their
  PCs performance (Gaming)