Building a Cool Box for multi-GPU-PC's [in function]

[rappet]

Hi guys,

I rendered this image with two PC's in 20 minutes and the working space was getting pretty warm.
You can gues what the room will be in summer, rendering with 3 PC's for a few hours...
So my plan to avoid working in a vulcano is build a small space (appr 2.6 m3) to box the computers and ventilate the hot air out.

OK, my thought is in the first stage as being an idea just born.

TapperCoolBox-01-small.jpg

So, now I am going into stage 2 of the plan, and that is searching for wisdom and make a plan.
I am doing research on the internet for a good and practical solution.

Maybe jsut ventilating the air out might be sufficient.
My second thought though, is simply add an airco to this space.
I might stumble into other ideas.

If you like to share your thougths and wisdom on this.. that would be very welcome ofcourse.
There are different things I need to keep in mind.. like
- the computers need to be accessible in the front (to turn on/off)
- the computers need to be accessible in the back (not too often)
- cabling for mouse/keyboard, usb, monitors...
- in winter it is a shame to throw the heat out of the building.. maybe direct it to a cold space
- more...
- and most important.. how to get the optimal aircooling in this Box, which even might help to perform GPU by throwing in cold air

Just a few images form the internet to take a look at some setups.

HotCold-examples.jpg

Greetz,

[smicha]

Before getting deeper into the topic - do you plan extra air conditioning for hot summer days?

[rappet]

Before getting deeper into the topic - do you plan extra air conditioning for hot summer days?

Hi Smicha,

No, not for the working space.
If I can isolate the GPU heat, Humans will be okay with the big fan on a standard to have some wind in the face for the three weeks that might be too hot.
I am mainly thinking of aircooling the Boxed space, but only if the airco solution for the box will have an option to throw some cold air in the room as well, that would be a nice extra, but it is not a priority.

Greetz,

[Jorgensen]

could watercooling be an alternative?

[rappet]

could watercooling be an alternative?

Hi Jorgensen,
You mean watercooling on every PC? No, not an alternative for me (yet?
And even with watercooling the room is getting hot, unless the radiators are mounted outside the room.
Greetz,

[glimpse]

Hi,

I'd say it's a bit of a headache, considering constructions, work etc.

If I were in Your place & would think how to cool something like this..
then I'd probably take slightly different solution:

put waterblocks in every machine, get a simple loop, but then a radiator (&/or water chiller) outside Your main room - You can have one powerful loop to dump all the heat outside. Having quick disconnects & at least basic (one movable set) rads would be ideal if You want to get one of Your machines out =)

It might be just me, so sorry if I wreck Your idea, but building dedicated "box" is a one step back - & it waste too much space..- simple pipe, external rad, chiller & more powerful pump would be the best option in my eyes.

[mib2berlin]

Hi, may you can use a server tower/cabinet with simple air cooling or electric.

http://www.lehmann-it.de/de/it-air-cond ... x2100.html

They are deep enough to put regular PC cases in.

Cheers, mib

[smicha]

http://www.lehmann-it.de/de/it-air-cond ... x2100.html

Curious how much it costs.

[Tutor]

Hello Rappet,

What about climate change/global warming? Heat is heat (and tends to rise) and cold is cold (and tends to fall). Thus, I'd suggest a more (w)holistic, less computer-centric solution. For each of my computer rooms, I use a small, mobile room air conditioner (in addition to the building's AC system) and insulated it's exhaust tube to ventilate the hot air generated by the computer to outdoors. If I had the internal room-within-a-room enclosure shown in your pic, I'd still do the same thing, for the goal should be to get the warmer air as far and as relatively, permanently away from the computer system(s)' environment as possible. Of course, "permanently" is a function of the quality/effectiveness of the building's insulation. Thus, I ensured that the building is fully insulated also from outdoor environmental conditions. Compared to the cost of building the enclosure and air-conditioning it and also air-conditioning the surrounding room, it's likely more cost effective to have insulation blown into the building's external wall and/or attic/floor (if that is the entry point of summer air), and/or get better insulated windows and caulk any entry points for ouside summer air and, conversely, cooler, air-conditioned air exit points. That aids a small room AC for extra heat reduction/extraction. I believe that this will be more effective for cooling over the long-term and least expensive. In the winter, I let my rendering systems replace or aid my heating systems; but if it gets to warm then, open a windows or two as needed.

P.S. (1) I embrace your idea of having the ability to divert warm air to a cold space where more warmth is desirable, using duct(s) placed at room high points for existing warm air and placed at room low points for entering cool space. That seems like an environmentally sound, low cost solution to energy conservation;
(2) If you decide to go with a Cool Box, I'd suggest adding a heat exhaust duct at the top of it, attached to insulated piping that takes the hot air to outdoors and/or a cool space;
(3) I use the water condensate from my small room air conditioners to water plants.

[rappet]

Thanx guys for your thoughts, I appreciate it.

Don't be sorry, glimpse, to wreck ideas with other ideas... It is nice to think things over
Considering construction it is not that a big thing as it might look like in the conceptual visual. I might use low (appr70cm height) Ikea cabinets (I already have) for storage space and make a platform on top of that.
For non transparant wall and ceiling I am thinking of hardtop isolated roof panels,
which are very cheap (few euro m2): I have to think about the finish though; I can glue my own print to it, just paint it or add thin surface in other material.
The 'glass' parts is the biggest puzzle, but I might get my hands on some aluminium window products with isolated glass that are dissaproved for architectural project.

About your (glimpse) idea going on water is tempting to get much better gpu performance, but still then I am thinking of isolated them in this mini space and just add an airco to get the heat (from radiator) out, instead of getting the radiator outside. I am holding back on going on water, because I really enjoyed the flexibility of swapping GPU easily in the past two years... But probably I'll go on water some day, but not 'today'.

@mib2berlin, That CoolRack is probably an expensive solution to have 3 of those and add one PC in each Rack... and I do not think this might be a good solution for me anyway or I took a too quick look and overlooked something here?
..thanx for pointing out though.
I rather build my own custom made big fridge... Haha

I have no other inner space to install equipment, and I have one wall to outside to mount installation for inlet and or outlet. It is on the first floor, so it must not be something I need to have maintainance on and climbing ladders to adjust a thing.

@Tutor,
You made me think more about embracing the idea of having the ability to divert warm air to a cold space where more warmth is desirable.
I will try to find out if there are systems with selection of two outlets; one will go outside through the wall in summer, the other outlet I could lead to i.e. a hallway to warm the building in winter. Should be possibe with splitting outlet tube by simple hardware manual switch.
I can imagine you, Tutor, water the plants, smiling not to throw away the water

Anyway... Indeed a less computer-centric solution is good thought.
I am thinking about just mounting the airco in the small boxed space with the computers, to the outer wall (within the box) and not have airco in the working space. But...
The box should be opened and closed easily form back and front.
In winter I can have the box open and let the heat get out to the back and when it is getting too hot in the whole working space I can close ithe box and turn on the airco to get the heat out of the box to outside (or indeed, direct it to a cold space!)
In summer I probably close the box pretty soon, turn on the airco, and direct the heat outside.
The building has wall isolation, but if the temp in the working space is getting too warm too work, I could try and open the box, turn on the airco and not only cool the box with gpu computers, but now also cool the whole working space at the same time?

Now I am trying to figure out what the best setup would be, in case this plan turns out to be a good plan.
Seeing the schedules of server room cooling and also seeing the airflow schemes of PC cooling like it is on all three PC's .... The cold air should be coming from front and below, and exhausting hot air should be on back and top.
Airco systems are often on just one place (like window placed airco),
And they throw in cold air, but also exhaust heat at the same place, right?
Could I the install an airco on the outer wall near to ceiling, and that is it
Or should I direct cold air from the airco to below/front of PC's with tubes?
Or should I have an airco on below/front and have an exhaust fan on the wall near to ceiling at the back of the computers.
A lot technical stuff to figure out... I got time... it is not summer yet

Greetz,