Synapsys Systems (Pty) Ltd, the specialist distributor of PC cooling and noise-management products, has announced the local availability of the Koolance range of professional liquid cooling solutions for personal computers.
The systems, which consist of a range of premium-quality PC tower cases with integrated water-cooling, are designed specifically for professional and commercial applications, though hobbyists and overclockers have been amongst the most enthusiastic adopters in the USA and Europe.
"Liquid cooling has been standard on larger midrange and mainframe computers for over tewnty years," says Arthur Williamson, managing director of Synapsys. "As PC processors, chipsets and disc drives become faster and therefore hotter, so the need for more efficient and reliable cooling on PCs becomes critical in order to maintain system reliability and balance - and acceptable noise levels," Williamson says.
Williamson, who is one of the pioneers of the PC industry in South Africa, believes liquid cooling is ready for the mainstream. "The current generation of Intel and AMD processors require massive heat sinks and large, noisy fans - and even then many struggle to run at acceptable temperatures in many environments, especially here in Africa," Williamson says.
"By 2005 CPU's will be in the 6GHz range, and the method of cooling is unknown. Liquid cooling is a technology ready for prime time," says Williamson.
"A recent US Dept of Defense study concluded that up to 60% of hardware failures are due to overheating, and even some software-related errors are caused by devices running too hot.
"Water has 30 times the thermal conductivity of air and is more efficient at cooling than even oil and specialised coolants", he adds. "The technology is proven, stable, and extremely reliable - and it's now available for PCs."
Developed by Koolance, Inc, the recognised global leader in professional liquid cooling solutions for PCs, the systems have enough cooling capacity for future generations of processors, disc drives and chipsets (such as North Bridge or graphics processors), the company says.
The Koolance range consists of a series of naked tower cases with integrated heat exchanger, reservoir, twin pumps, and thermal management control logic. A rack-mount 4U Industrial PC case with integrated liquid cooling is also available, as is an all-in-one add-on for existing PCs - the award-winning Koolance Exos.
Users will also need to purchase the gold-plated copper CPU cooling block for Intel and AMD processors. In addition, cooling blocks are available for motherboard chipsets (such as Northbridge) and for graphics processors on display adapters, as well as liquid cooling blocks for disc drives.
Obviously, you don't want the system to leak. "This seems to be a primary concern of those new to liquid cooling, but in actuality it's not a significant risk", Williamson says. "Short of deliberate damage, or perhaps a shipping catastrophe, a professional system doesn't leak."
Hose clamps used internally are only a precaution in Koolance systems. Each device is designed to fit snugly with the next, and the system could run perfectly without being clamped. Anyone who has installed a Koolance system quickly realises the amount of sheer physical stress a typical hose connection can take.
Koolance components are also pressure-tested at many times their operating rate during the manufacturing process. In particular, air is injected into the heat exchanger at 70 times (7kg/cm(, 100psi) the normal running pressure to certify it from leakage.
"Koolance have really done their homework to produce the world's best systems," Williamson claims. "Until now, liquid cooling for PCs has been a fringe thing, with hobbyists cobbling together kits from various manufacturers, sometimes with rather questionable quality and performance. In contrast, these systems are designed for mainstream commercial users where utter reliability and balanced system performance are prime requirements."
The pump is a liquid cooling system's "heart". Koolance has co-developed its current 2W pumps specifically for long-term use in its liquid cooling systems. They are submersible centrifugal pumps which have been running in Koolance testing labs for nearly two years with no failures. A hundred pumps are operating 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, and half of those are being shut on and off each second.
Reliable? Absolutely, and Koolance uses two of them in each system. This may add to the system's stability, but the primary reason for dual pumps is to increase liquid pressure.
Corrosion is another issue that has been addressed by Koolance, Williamson says. "Galvanic corrosion, caused by different trace elements in the water, can be a problem. However, the Koolance coolant includes chemical corrosion inhibitors used in high-end engineering environments, and this significantly extends system life," he adds.
Another indication of the quality built into the Koolance systems is the fail-safe intelligent control circuitry. "Let's assume something does go wrong. You installed a motherboard cooler, and the tubing got folded during the installation of a new video card. There is almost no liquid flow, which is essentially the same as a dead pump. The CPU is heating up, the liquid is easily absorbing the additional heat, but slowly, the liquid temperature begins to increase.
"In a regular liquid cooling kit, this would eventually result in a dead computer," Williamson says. "Koolance systems, however, have built-in hardware safety features. Once your liquid temperature reaches 50oC, an alarm sounds. If you're not there to hear or see it, the system shuts off power to the computer at 53 oC, protecting your computer from any heat-related damage."
Liquid cooling for PCs is the next important step in overall hardware evolution, and particularly appropriate for African conditions, Williamson believes. "Koolance is the first company in the world to offer a complete and professional liquid cooling solution," he claims.
"Each component in these systems is professionally designed and produced by Koolance. They don't outsource heat exchangers, or use a different company's CPU cooler with the hopes it will provide good performance. Every device in a Koolance system is specially-developed to work in harmony with every other device, so the systems are balanced, reliable, and properly integrated.
"The entire system is offered complete. You will not need to modify your case, or find a place to mount an oversized reservoir and pump. The primary cooling components have already been configured and installed.
"One of the key features is quiet operation. With an emphasis on silence, liquid cooling easily reduces noise levels. Koolance systems even have built-in fan control for the lowest-noise operation possible.
The heat exchanger is located remotely from heat-producing devices, so airflow can be controlled. "This considerably reduces dust accumulation on sensitive electronics, and can result in a longer component lifespan and cleaner overall system," Williamson says.
These products are designed and built to look and operate professionally. "You will not need power tools or a tape measure to install a Koolance system, and it should even be less difficult than assembling other computer hardware.
"While not only featuring dual pumps, every Koolance system includes built-in hardware safety features. The power control board constantly monitors liquid temperature, sounding an alarm if it should get too high, and even turning-off the computer if you are not there to do so.
"And safe CPU installation is easy. Koolance's innovations extend beyond just cooling features. Their unique patent-pending CPU retention clip places even pressure across the CPU, protecting the chip and simplifying installation. There's even a ratcheting tension screw for precise contact pressure.
Synapsys Systems is the sole African distributor and is actively seeking sub-distributors and resellers. They can be contacted on (011) 447 9175 or at www.synapsys.co.za.
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