Mineral oil

[tkal]

I am tring to find a good cheap supplier of mineral oil. I plan on using it in a immersion cooling style computer project. I have look at 3M's web site and called some of their distributors. While I have not been able to track down any mineal oil with them they do have fluorinert, unfortunaly the cost is rather prohibitive at $3,000 usd. If you are wondering I was looking at FC-77 if you care to glance at it. In my searches I have not been able to track down a mineral oil supplier. If any of you know where I can get this I would be greatly appreciate it.

As I understand it, grocery store bought mineral oil does not have a high enough dielectric strengh to use this in an immersion cooling type project.

Another thing about the FC-77 is that it will "eat" certain plastics. PCB? The tank portion of the case will be made out of lexan or plexiglass.

 

[elfgriper]

Tkal,
we use Shell dila-ax in our hi Voltage (120KV@50ma)power supplies. These supplies use convental electronics parts and large power tubes. I have seen no problems with these circuits with this product. I recently purchased a 55gal drum from Pennisula Oil here in the Bay area (Ca) for $350.00 dilivered. It's harmless to humans and circuits. You will still have to get the heat out though. Most Xformers use the same oil and have either cooling fins or large surface areas to get the heat out to the air. This means you won't be able go cooler that Ambient outside temp without another form of cooling. The spelling may be a little off but you can search and find the data (MSDS) data sheet.
Good luck -elf

 

[busbar]

On Shell Diala-AX, see:

https://thegenesisnetwork.equilon.com/genesis/prodinfopdf/out/DIALA OILS A&AX.pdf

http://www.shell-lubricants.com/Electrical/products.php

 

[JavaMoose]

Hey guys, thanks for all the responses and ideas.
Info:
Box is ~12 1/2" Wide x ~12 1/2" Deep x 8" Tall. Bottom is clear-blue, hence the color the oil seems to be. Oil is pure clear. I bought one bottle, tested it with Multimeter...didn't carry any current, so I was good to go.

Everything is glued together with a special plastics cement. Nasty smelling and has a "WARNING - This Product contains blah blah cancer blah blah". You put it on with a syringe and capillary action pulls it into the seams of the plastic to seal it. Two coats inside seam, two coats outside seam...not a leak anywhere.

Cement I used:

http://www.ipscorp.com/ind_html/indprdcts.html

I used the one made for Acrylics, along with a squeeze bottle w/ syringe top.

TIP: DON'T try to pour it into the tiny bottle, instead, fill it like a baster (ie Squeeze air out of bottle, then dip the
syringe in the can to fill). You REALLY don't want this sh*t on your Skin/Hands!

As foor cooling the Oil:
There will be two small powerful (quiet) fans on the sides, top near front of case. The will be pulling air IN. Then there will be a larger (80mm) slower fan on the back of the LID drawing air OUT. The cooling stacks are going to be in the front, just to the side of the "Light Bar".
With this fan setup, air will come IN > blow across stacks > Out Top
This keeps cool air coming in, and the hot rising air out...should be pretty efficent!

 

[JavaMoose]

Hmm, not sure what happened to my post with the pictures...here are some links...

http://users.adelphia.net/~javamoose/Oil_Cooled/Oilcase1.jpg

http://users.adelphia.net/~javamoose/Oil_Cooled/Oilcase2.jpg

http://users.adelphia.net/~javamoose/Oil_Cooled/Oilcase3.jpg

http://users.adelphia.net/~javamoose/Oil_Cooled/Oilcase4.jpg

http://users.adelphia.net/~javamoose/Oil_Cooled/Oilcase5.jpg

http://users.adelphia.net/~javamoose/Oil_Cooled/Oilcase6.jpg

http://users.adelphia.net/~javamoose/Oil_Cooled/Oilcase7.jpg

http://users.adelphia.net/~javamoose/Oil_Cooled/Oilcase8.jpg

http://users.adelphia.net/~javamoose/Oil_Cooled/Oilcase9.jpg

 

[peebee]

You should put some plastic fish in there. Too bad you can't use real ones.

 

[elfgriper]

Tkal,
I was in a store the other day and ran across a picknick 12v automobile cooler/heater box. I think it used peltier devices (cooling/heating Diode stacks). It wasn't very expensive <$30.00. This would make a interesting container for your Motherboard or you could just use the cooling system from it. I Don't know know if it would handle the heat load (you would probably have to add cooling fans for the hot side) but it would be fun to try And it could keep your Beer cold.
-elf