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Products
Hydro-TEC 
Hydro-Stream
Hydro-Spin |
Hydro-TEC
Overview Introduction The HydroTEC is a Peltier chiller that replaces the water block in a water-cooled PC. It must be used with an associated radiator and pumping system, and requires a 24V, 250W power supply for the Peltier. Contents 1. Clamping Mechanism 2. Inside the HydroTEC 3. Peltier 4. Inside the Box 5. Condensation - the CPU killer Clamping Mechanism All Hydro-TEC's come with an associated clamping mechanism, that enables swift and simple installation. For socket A (AMD) processors, the clamp attaches to the lugs on either side of the CPU slot. For a Socket 478 (Pentium 4), the clamp slots into the heat-sink mounting posts on the motherboard. This means that there is no requirement for motherboard removal to install a Hydro-Stream. Clamping force is applied through a cam lever, which applies pressure directly above the CPU die location. Inside the HydroTEC There are 5 main components in a Hydro-TEC, pictured below: 
Manifold 
This is the plastic housing that gives the Hydro-TEC its unique and attractive appearance. The two 12.5mm fluid fittings are moulded as part of the manifold to ensure maximum protection from leaks. Base tray The Hydro-Stream base tray is only 0.5mm thick, and is manufactured by the Perth Mint from 100% pure silver. This provides absolute corrosion protection against leaks as well as fantastic heat transfer into the micro-channel convector. Convector This is an array of copper micro-channels that provides fantastic cooling to the hotside of the Peltier module. The key to the Hydro-Stream's construction is in the heat transfer through these fins into the cooling fluid. Spreader plate The spreader plate functions as a highly conductive medium between the surface area of the CPU and the surface area of the Peltier base. It is made from 6mm copper and can be supplied silver-plated on request. Peltier The Hydro-TEC chiller is powered by a 172W Peltier module. The Peltier is the component in the system that operates like the compressor in your home refrigerator. A Peltier is a semi-conductor device that pumps heat when a voltage is applied. By using the Peltier, a Hydro-TEC is able to achieve sub-ambient cooling of a processor. 
A Peltier module is made up of 100's of tiny pellets, linked in a long chain. As current passes along the chain, it flows from P-type to N-type junctions, alternately cooling or heating the junction. Thus, one side of the device gets extremely hot, the other, extremely cold.
Inside the box In the HydroTEC box you will find the following:
Condensation - the CPU killer Condensation is the process where vapour changes into liquid. Any chilled surface exposed to ambient air will cause condensation, as seen when you take a can of drink from the refrigerator, and droplets quickly appear on the outside. This is a cool effect for advertising cold drinks, but is not so great when mixed with semiconductor electronic devices such as your personal computer. The copper base of the Hydro-TEC can be chilled to -37°C, and is thus a prime candidate for creating condensation directly above your CPU. This is a bad thing. Really bad. The reason that so much moisture appears on your drink can is that it has a virtually unlimited volume of air to condense the moisture from. Ergo, to prevent condensation on your CPU, the cold-plate of the Hydro-TEC must be sealed to be totally airtight. If this is successfully achieved, you are well on the way to a happy Peltier cooling experience. The Hydro-TEC is designed with a few features to help you out. There is insulating foam inside the plastic manifold (see diagram on next page). This isolates the cold-plate from the manifold edges, ensuring that the warm water flowing on the hotside will maintain them above ambient temperature. Additionally, Hydro-TEC's are provided with adhesive foam insulating pads for the back of the motherboard, and around the CPU socket. The RTV sealant included in the box can be used to fill any other difficult air gaps that might occur around electronic components that vary from motherboard to motherboard. 
The only area that is going to be chilled is the faces adjacent to the processor, the processor itself & the processor slot. These need to be insulated & sealed airtight. HydroTEC's are dependent on high quality installation by the user, and are installed at the users own risk. Hydrocool accepts no liability for any damage due to the use of a Hydro-TEC cooler, and users should be aware that most PC components have void warranty if they are used in a water-cooled system. |
