How about some new awards catagories?

[Kevin Hotton]

Hi XS'ers,

I was wondering how the coveted "-100C club member" or "-150C club member" status is awarded? Both are difficult to achieve if the requirement is the noted temperature being sustained by vapor-phase refrigeration while holding a (+200W) load.

I have a suggestion. Why not add a few more "status awards". I would recommend adding CPU bench-loaded cooling awards in finer (20C) temperature steps. I would start at -40C to allow single stage builders a goal. To reach the -60C award would likely require a simple autocascade design. The -80C category would be filled with 2-stage cascades (as well as autocascade designs). The -100C group would take a 3-stage cascade (remember these are loaded evaporators). Carrying a +200W load at and below -120C is a formidable challenge.

I guess what I am suggesting is the current -100C (unloaded and therefore of little practical use) is a contrived award. I feel CPU-loaded awards would be a nice addition.

Kevin

[wdrzal]

Hi XS'ers,


I guess what I am suggesting is the current -100C (unloaded and therefore of little practical use) is a contrived award. I feel CPU-loaded awards would be a nice addition.

Kevin

I agree and said the exact same thing many years ago. A zero load is meaningless.

BUT

The phase change section was really active with people who came here knowing zero about refrigeration or never even used a torch,gauges ,refrigerants or a vacuum pump and learned a lot through the forums. Just to see these guys make something that cools to those temperature(far below the factory ratings) from either parts from a scap yard or mis-matched parts fom Ebay,or from a window unit found on the curb was really a fun time here at XS.

Walt.

[n00b 0f l337]

Mine was 240w... I think there were very few no loads.

[Kevin Hotton]

Mine was 240w... I think there were very few no loads.

Holding 240W at -150C !!! :eek: Please do explain or show pictures. LN2 in a flask is not what this section refers to.

Kevin

[n00b 0f l337]

Three stager, 1.25hp//1hp/"7/8"hp high displacement. R507a/R1150/R14.
And woops, thought I had a -125C title not a -150C. -150C was no load. 240W was @ -131C.

[Kevin Hotton]

Three stager, 1.25hp//1hp/"7/8"hp high displacement. R507a/R1150/R14.
And woops, thought I had a -125C title not a -150C. -150C was no load. 240W was @ -131C.

Did you post a thread on this cascade? I would like to see it. Great results :clap:

Kevin

[n00b 0f l337]

I did but I can't seem to find it.
There appears to be a gap in the search results about a year or so wide.

[mytekcontrols]

I'll be the first to admit that my -150c Club title is based on very little load, probably around the area of 10, maybe 15 watts. But it was a reliable, repeatable result, and with very comfortable compressor pressures and discharge temperature. But like Walt said shooting for these temps with whatever a person had on hand, really made this place fun and exciting, even if it had no practical CPU cooling ability.

I also felt it wasn't fair to others to use my "industrial" autocascade results as a basis for my -150c Club title, since most people on here don't have access to that kind of equipment, or resources. So although I designed several industrial systems having capabilities of -100 to -170 C, and up to 3600 watts of heat load capacity starting as far back as 1985, it wasn't until my recent successes using parts from window AC units hitting these temperatures that I felt it appropriate to join that club.

Edit: I just thought I'd add that -150 @ 200 watts is a cinch when you have a 10 hp 37 CFM compressor pushing for you, in fact -155 C @ 800 watts is well within reach of such a system and at one of the places I work for, we do it all the time. When you have big resources, as in lots of money, a lot of things are possible.

[mytekcontrols]

Holding 240W at -150C !!! :eek: Please do explain or show pictures. LN2 in a flask is not what this section refers to.

Kevin
Actually Kevin I would just like to point out that there is an LN2 cooling section on these forums, and a person is not limited to only posting in this vapor phase change section. So there may very well be someone that has hit the -150 C or colder mark with 200+ watts of heat load using LN2 to cool a CPU.

And as for 200 watts being a criteria, this was not always the case. Some CPU's or setups did not produce this kind of heat load, while others did.

[Kevin Hotton]

I don't begrudge anyone for their cold-club-membership. All I am suggesting is that if the main purpose of this section of the forum is refrigeration of computer CPU's, that at least some recognition should be given to that refrigeration accomplishment. I also felt that starting at -100C for computer CPU cooling was too high (or should I say low) bar to cross. That is why I thought it might be nice to start at -40C and then on down in -20C increaments.

Kevin

[n00b 0f l337]

I think it was chosen mostly for it being a "cascade only" shindig. In a sense it differentiated those who were learning from those who "really went nuts".
It was originally not for owners, but just for builders.

These days when I do build it's almost all for the satisfaction. I suppose "going colder" is my overclocking of sorts.

[Charles Wirth]

Most people know to poke at staff for updates, but I see yours was not done Kevin.

[mytekcontrols]

I suppose "going colder" is my overclocking of sorts.
I totally agree with you on this. So for me hitting -150 C or colder was like overclocking a refrigeration system, and gave me the same thrills that a lot of CPU overclockers feel when they hit a new speed milestone.

I also agree with you Kevin that each category (single-stage, cascade, autocascade, ect.) should have a performance/temperature club of their own.