Heavy Water

[J-Mag]

Anyone ever used heavy water in a WC setup?

I know it probably isn't practical due to cost. However, since it has an extra neutron it will have more heat capacity. It's viscosity is higher, but other than that they have about the same properties.

Thoughts?

[ghent915]

Say wha?
Going by http://www.lsbu.ac.uk/water/data.html, the thermal conductivity of D2O is actually LOWER than normal water (0.61 vs 0.595, H2O vs D2O). This means (to MY reading) that it would act as more of an isulator than a heat conduit.

Not only that, but you'd have to worry about annoying things such as the government knocking on your door, as D2O is controlled (I think). It's also probably expensive.

However, I can see that it would be definately cool to say that you cool your computer with the same stuff that they cool certain reactors with.
-Ghent

[J-Mag]

Say wha?
Going by http://www.lsbu.ac.uk/water/data.html, the thermal conductivity of D2O is actually LOWER than normal water (0.61 vs 0.595, H2O vs D2O). This means (to MY reading) that it would act as more of an isulator than a heat conduit.


Hmm I had been looking for thermal conductivity rating, thanks. Still that doesn't mean it is an insulator, just not as good of a thermal conductor. However D2O has higher heat capacity, so how does that effect cooling performance?



Not only that, but you'd have to worry about annoying things such as the government knocking on your door, as D2O is controlled (I think). It's also probably expensive.


Expensive Yes... Controlled I don't think so. It's not like Heavy Water is dangerous... While googling around I saw there were even cosmetic companies selling it in mist bottles.

[ghent915]

True. I was just thinking straight deuterium (D2), not deuterium oxide.
Once again, bang-for-buck wise, I'd go with just distilled water.

Heat capacity is how much heat it takes to raise a certain amount of said material 1*C. The higher the heat capacity, the greater the insulation ability. You need to strike a sweetspot, so that you can pick up a good bit of heat and still remain liquid, ect, but not just act as a thermal blanket and be an insulator.

Also, if it resists picking UP heat, it'll resist dropping it off. This would mean your rad would work harder (or the fans attached there to) to remove the heat from the substance in question.

As for the viscosity, it's so close to water, I DOUBT a decent pump would even notice the difference, or freak out. Besides, a good rinsing with distilled, and noone would ever know (for RMA purposes).

Now, if you want to buy me a gallon of distilled D2O for testing purposes...well...PM me for my address...LOL!
-Ghent

[n00b 0f l337]

And isnt heavy water, water that has been in contact with the control rods in a nuclear reactor? Radioactive is it not?

[Absolute_0]

I doubt there's a noticeable difference. We've been trying to come up with superior substitutes for water in h20 loops for a long time, but watercooling remains WATER cooling. Normal water too! :p:

what NOL i thought it was just an isotope with an extra neutron, radioactive? no.

[J-Mag]

And isnt heavy water, water that has been in contact with the control rods in a nuclear reactor? Radioactive is it not?

LOL well obviously you wouldn't want D2O used within a reactor!

Anyway heavy water is in ALL water, just in small quantities. I think it is 1 out of every 64000 molecules or something like that.

Still if it is not feasable to make/fill a loop with this stuff it would be fun to make ice cubes that sink in normal water...

[phelan1777]

I am still on my mouth wash kick ;-P

Yeah my first thought was radioactivity. But if someone wants to get a hold some it, and it works great, SWEET!

[BGP Spook]

Like J-Mag said, heavy water is common.
Practically every time you drink something there is some deuterium in the water, though it is in relatively small amounts.

Water containing tritium on the other hand isn't something you want to drink.(Turns you into -> :slobber: )

[ghent915]

Ohh....but think of the glowy-ness....THE GLOW MAN! THE GLOW! (In reference to tritium)

And I think J-Mag was talking about exculsively D2O, not just the usual traces of the stuff found in normal water.

-Ghent

[Stigma]

And isnt heavy water, water that has been in contact with the control rods in a nuclear reactor? Radioactive is it not?

No... but heavy water isn't something you can just go buy at your nearest gas station. Even if you WERE able to producre it somehow, it would cost an arm and a leg, AND it would likely give you worse performance in your system - not better, or at the very least not anywhere near anything to make it worth it.

If you really really HAVE to go beyond water mixes, i'd "recommend" looking into using a liquid metal instead. That is the only element that would probably give a noticable petter performance than water. if you don't mind quicksilver being extremely poisonous, hard to get hold of and expensive, then that would work if you had a pump that could handle it, and a loop that didn't react to it.

Other than that the only liqud metal at room temp suitable I can think of would be some kind of germanium-alloy like this:
http://www.frozencpu.com/thr-26.html
but... you'd probably have to have it specially made in a lab. I can't think that anyone would be producing large quantities of something like this for sale (atleast not in the quantities you'd need). BTW, germanium based alloys eats aluminium like sufuric acid through paper. You'd better not try running that in a loop with anything but copper and plastic heh =P

Note: I *think* germanium is the element I am thinking of, but take that with a grain of salt. My chemistry knowledge may be failing me.

All in all, its not worth the effort over normal distilled/battery water even if you COULD get it. Use your time/effort/money in other areas to increase cooling performance. You'l be much better off, trust me.

-Stigma

[Stigma]

And isnt heavy water, water that has been in contact with the control rods in a nuclear reactor? Radioactive is it not?

Not radioactive no. Doubt it would even be poisonous to drink. Just because it is used in reactors and the creation of atomic weapons dosn't mean its nessecaily radioactive ya know =)

-Stigma

[Fairydust]

...Other than that the only liqud metal at room temp suitable I can think of would be some kind of germanium-alloy like this:
http://www.frozencpu.com/thr-26.html
but... you'd probably have to have it specially made in a lab. I can't think that anyone would be producing large quantities of something like this for sale (atleast not in the quantities you'd need). BTW, germanium based alloys eats aluminium like sufuric acid through paper. You'd better not try running that in a loop with anything but copper and plastic heh =P

Note: I *think* germanium is the element I am thinking of, but take that with a grain of salt. My chemistry knowledge may be failing me...


The stuff you linked is a gallium-indium-tin alloy, if you need litres of the stuff it would set you back a couple of thousand bucks.

You could make it courself pretty easily at home.

[n00b 0f l337]

Someone mentioned tritium, you can't drink tritium, its a gas hydrogen isotope of hydrogen. I doubt u can get it even scattered in water.

[BGP Spook]

Someone mentioned tritium, you can't drink tritium, its a gas hydrogen isotope of hydrogen. I doubt u can get it even scattered in water.

Beg to differ.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tritium



Tritium combines with oxygen to form a liquid called tritiated water T2O or partially tritiated THO.

:nono: :fact: :slapass:

[n00b 0f l337]

Combines... reforms... its not pure tritium.

[Stigma]

The stuff you linked is a gallium-indium-tin alloy, if you need litres of the stuff it would set you back a couple of thousand bucks.

You could make it courself pretty easily at home.

yea, of course. Gallium is right. Something was telling me Germanium wasn't right hehe...

Make it at home? Possibly, but your right about the price anyway. it would be extremely expensive.

I wonder what the price of quicksilver really is (and if you could get hold of it legally). Its sure to not be cheap, but all in all it would probably be the better choice if you could get a pump and loop that was non-reactive to it.

-Stigma

[BGP Spook]

Combines... reforms... its not pure tritium.

I believe I said "containing" tritium.



Water containing tritium on the other hand isn't something you want to drink.(Turns you into -> :slobber: )

Or am I misunderstanding you?

[nn_step]

Heavy water actually is worse for Thermal conduction than regular water. The reason it is used in nuclear reactors is because it is a better moderator for the Neutron flow...