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CPU fan air filtering

OvenMaster

OvenMaster

Baby, you're my winterblue
I need a bit of advice from all you PC fans (pun intended)

My PC is on 12-14 hours a day, running a program called Folding@Home, which studies protein folding errors that cause diseases. This program uses 100% of all unused CPU cycles, fully loads the CPU, and makes a lot of heat. To get cool air to the fan and heatsink, I cut a hole in the side panel of my PC and put a 2" diameter cardboard tube duct directly from the CPU fan to the outside. The good part is that the CPU temp is always really low. The bad part is that the fan sucks in all the dust in the air and I end up having to blow out the clogged heatsink every month with canned air or else the CPU temp starts rising.

A couple of years ago, I saw washable metal 80mm fan filters for PC's at CompUSA, but wasn't running a program like that then. Now that I want a filter, I can only find them online. The cost is reasonable, but the minimum order and shipping costs add up to more than double the cost of the filter. So, does anyone have any ideas as to some home-brewed or easily-available filter material that's both washable and does not restrict airflow to a 20 cfm, 60mm CPU fan? I'd even use one of those metal filters on this with homemade cardboard ductwork for a larger surface area. I'm sick of having to move this PC and use expensive canned air all the time. Any ideas would be a big help.

Tom
 
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Foam sheet type air conditioner filter material. (open cell)
It is used by oil-less respiratory air compressors, and as pre-filter for oxygen concentrators, before the hepa input filter.

My buddy swears by quilt ticking, can get lots cheap, don't clean it, just toss it.
(he does troubleshooting for Motorola all over the ConUS).

I WOULDNT use air filter material that is used in furnaces, it is generally fiberglass, and we all know how that stuff itches.... cutting it just releases more...
 
Mark, that open-cell stuff, that's similar to what is used in humidifier drums and belts, if I'm not mistaken? That dark grey/black coarse foam?
I'm even looking at those green ScotchBrite scouring pads! :lmao:
Much appreciated, Mark, EW, thank you:) All great ideas!
Tom
 
OvenMaster said:
I'm even looking at those green ScotchBrite scouring pads! :lmao:
Click to expand...

ScotchBrite :yikes:


Humidifier drums??? YES !!!! DAMN, that inspiration was hidden by the shadow of my nose.... THANK YOU .. I never thought of THAT source... <door slams> <car peels out..>
 
Don't know if you have access to a Walmart where you live, but I buy my computer filters from there. They have it in the humidifier/air (Frost King Air conditioner filter) conditioner aisle and it comes in 15" X 24" sheet and is super cheap. As markthefixer said, it works great.
You can also see/order it here:
http://doityourself.com/store/u673517.htm
 
As a matter of fact, I do need to hit Wal-Mart soon. I'll be looking there; thanx, Crotalus!
Jeez, Eric! :lmao: I actually did consider a car air filter at one point. You must be a mindreader! :D
Thanx, guys!
Tom
 
Well, that was easy. A 15"x24"x 3/16" open-cell sheet of air-conditioner filter foam for just $1.79 at my local Ace hardware store :) Now all I gotta do is design a holder for it. I'll try to K.I.S.S. and take pix.
Thanx for the info, guys.
Tom
 
Part I

A hole was sawn with a metal hole cutter, 3" in diameter. A paperboard tube was taped with aluminum HVAC tape to a square box that fits snugly over the 60mm fan mounted on the CPU heatsink. This box is then taped to the heatsink with HVAC tape. The tube on the filter assembly fits snugly onto the tube mounted on the heatsink to eliminate air leaks. The perforated panel below was taped closed when it was found that air being pulled into the pc case bypassed the pc's hard drives and caused their temperatures to rise too high.

All paperboard parts were assembled with the same aluminum HVAC tape.
 

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Part II

The filter assembly (9" tall, 6" wide, 1" deep) tube (about 1 7/8" diameter) is pressed onto the CPU intake tube by hand. It is only slightly larger than the tube on the CPU, to insure an airtight path. The upper support is only fixed on one side and swings out to accomodate hand pressure on the tube for installation. The support tab is necessary because it was found that too much weight on the intake tube caused the tube to fall; heating of the tape holding it in place on the heatsink weakened the adhesive. When installing the filter assembly, it is lifted slightly with one hand, and then clear tape holds the support tab in place on the case panel. This way the tape and tab support the weight, not the tube, fan, CPU, or heatsink. AMD-equipped PCs are especially prone to socket failures, as heavy CPU cooling solutions put all the weight on the socket, not the motherboard, as is the case with Intel-equipped PCs.
 

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Part III

The completed filter assembly in place. The support in front of the intake tube was thought necessary in order to slow down airflow directly in front of the intake tube; most air would be pulled in directly in front of a few square inches of area, rather than gently spread out over the filter surface. Airflow is unrestricted, owing to a very large filter area of 36 square inches. The surround is paperboard as well, only 1/8" larger on each side than the filter assembly itself, to allow for a friction fit of the filter element. Filter element size is 8"x11"x¼" air conditioner filter foam of open-cell design.
 

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Part IV

The computer in its normal operating position, 2½" away from a left-hand wall. This gives approximately 1½" clearance between the filter and the wall. Since the airflow is slowed down slightly by the internal support, the air goes through the filter element gently and is not impeded by the wall's proximity.

Happily, CPU temperatures and fan speeds are exactly as they were before this filter assembly was installed. The filter element is inexpensive if it needs to be replaced, but is washable for re-use if wanted. Cleanliness of the heatsink and fan, as well as how much the filter has trapped, will be checked in a few months time.

My sincere thanks to all that helped with ideas. I've wanted to do this for ages but had no clue as to what to use for a filter element.

Tom
 

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Update.
Took the PC away from the wall and took a look at the filter. Yecch! :yuck: Covered in dust. Took it off, rinsed it off in the sink, and towel-dried it. I opened the case and the only dust was that which was pulled in by the case and power supply fans; the CPU heatsink was only like 10% as dirty as it used to be, thanks to this filter. One quick shot of canned air and clean as a whistle once more.
Success!

Tom
 
Wow, thanks for the update... sounds like it was a success, a worthy endeavor...

Having cleaned out my pc (yikes!!) in the intervening time, I can really get behind this...
 
Mark, if it weren't for your suggestion of the air conditioner filter material, I'm positive this would not have been such a success. Thank you.
Regards from Tom
 
Another option....get rid of the fan and heatsink alltogether and watercool.
I've been running water for a year and a half without any problems....and it is quiet too :banana:
 
1. Wouldn't I still need a fan in front of a small radiator? And a small pump?
2. It's just a Frankenbox eMachines. Maybe if it were a custom full-sized tower (I'd love to build one someday) I'd seriously consider it.
Tom
 
There's some interesting web pages on water cooling experiences by a fella in Australia... there's always some hitch with any cooling methods...
 
OvenMaster said:
1. Wouldn't I still need a fan in front of a small radiator? And a small pump?
2. It's just a Frankenbox eMachines. Maybe if it were a custom full-sized tower (I'd love to build one someday) I'd seriously consider it.
Tom
Click to expand...

Hey Tom,
1. well yes, however there are people out there that seem to think they need to make watercooling harder than it really is.
2. you can do it on an e-machine :D

Look at the Koolance EXOS. It is an external cooling system. with the proper cpu block can dissipate up to 700watts of heat. Right now room temp is 85f and cpu is running @ 99f (P4 3.2ghz also cooling an Nvidia 6800GT vid card) :yes:
www.koolance.com
 
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