Rear CPU Socket Cooling

[photonblaster]

Continuing my research for my first OC build. I only found two sites that compared with and without backside CPU cooling.

 

Backside of MB CPU socket cooling is available in two gendre that I know of: a side panel fan in the Thermaltake Spedo, and an auxilary set of cooling fins in the IFX-10 CPU cooler. Both are supposed to be able to reduce the CPU temp by 4-5degC compared to cooling systems without them. This is not a small amount! Combining the two may even add another couple of deg C cooling.

Spedo (Graph about halfway down page)

IFX-10

I have done some engineering thermal modeling which seems to support backside cooling as a way to lower CPU temp even more than a great tower cooler. In fact beefing up the mounting screws to larger diameter could even help a few deg if backside coolng is used (theoretically at least)(It increased the heat conduction to the backside)

 

Has anyone real life experience with a highly overclocked I7 with and without rear CPU cooling? (could even be frontside H2O and backside air).

How much temp delta did you see?

Anyone measure the actual temp at the backside?

Any other cases or methods to do backside CPU cooling?

[Pariah43]

I can't see any reason why it would not be possible to simply install a backside mobo fan into your case? Could probably even turn it into a case mod really...

 

As for cooling, there shouldn't be any reason it would not cool it down more than normal front side cooling, so why not try it?

[CCICATRIXX]

...glad to see I'm not the only one interested in this subject. From your two examples perhaps the powers that be are taking a look at the same thing. I can't see why this approach has never been tested - approached before. There's only so much you can wring out of a frontside cooling solution and unless you go exotic...then you hit a wall.

My theory (your's too) is that you can perhaps give your cooler a "power assist" from the backside of the socket thru use of an additional cooling solution.

 

Here is the idea I'm playing with....I know the bad rap with TEC's but have never seen them used for this purpose. Here's a couple of links that will show my idea to address what you've asked. I'm NOT using the TEC as a total cooling solution - only an ancillary to the existing fronside one.

 

First is a link to a 2U heatsink that's pretty impresive e.g - 600gm Copper...

 

2U

 

...and this is a half baked pic of my use for this puppy....

 

http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/4338/mod2n.png"" target="_blank">Idea

 

motherboard tray + rear case side would have to be modded ...but that also X'fers the heat of the TEC out of the case. Would require use of non-dielectric thermal tape to contact the M/B ...and I'm not really sure of this...but can't think of anything else yet. Matching the right TEC is also a bit of dice throwing...and I'm thinking perhaps that the smaller guys might suffice.

 

anybody else with thoughts?