Swiftech MCW60-T Thermoelectric VGA Waterblock

The MCW60-T Thermoelectric VGA Waterblock is a fully assembled liquid-cooled thermoelectric (Peltier) solution, specifically designed for high-end graphics processors. Operating temperature ranges from ambient to freezing levels, depending on the heat load, and thermal capacity of the liquid cooling system.

This unit is intended for advanced users and requires appropriate insulation to prevent the formation of condensation in sensitive areas of the graphics card. Whereas Swiftech provides gaskets, and specific installation instructions for such assembly, utilization of this device is at the sole risk of the user.

Features

• Includes 3/8" and 1/2" Barbs
• 188 Watts built-in thermoelectric module that can be operated from 12 to 19 Volts.
• For reference in terms of power levels, we measured the actual power dissipated by a highly overclocked and voltage modded GeForce 7800 GT to ~60 Watts. At this power level the core temperature at full load is 17°C with the TEC operating at 12V, and 10°C wiht the TEC operating at 19V.
• Thermal grease included. (For optimal performance we recommend the use of a high quality thermal compound such as Arctic Silver. )

* not compatible with VGA adapters featuring TV tuners

Specifications

System Integration

1. Thermal load in existing liquid cooling circuits

Whereas graphic card liquid coolers can be occasionally used with their own separate cooling circuit, a number of users may wish to integrate the MCW60-T™ to the same cooling loop as the CPU. The following observations are relevant to the later case.

Careful consideration is necessary when adding a thermoelectric graphics processor cooler to the same circuit as a non thermoelectric-cooled CPU. The reason is simple: Peltier elements add their own internal thermal load (defined by Qmax) to the circuit, thus raising the temperature of the cooling fluid. The same observation is evidently true when adding this unit to an existing thermoelectrically cooled CPU. The additional thermal load requires more heat dissipation capacity from the heat exchanger.

When operated at 12 Volts the combined amount of heat (TEC + GPU) added to the circuit by the MCW60-T is approximately 180W The resulting rise in temperature of the cooling fluid will essentially depend on the circuit's heat exchanger thermal characteristics. Users should check these characteristics with the vendor, or if using a Swiftech heat exchanger consult the published specifications of the various models.

Depending on the system design goals (noise versus operating temperature), either a more powerful heat exchanger, or a more powerful fan may be required.

2. Seting up a separate cooling loop

It is suggested to users who wish to integrate the MCW60-T without affecting the temperature of the CPU to setup a separate cooling loop. As noted above, please consult our heat exchanger characteristics to determine the desired performance level. As an example, we can see in the MCR120-QP "Heat dissipated vs. Coolant Flow rate" curve that this heat exchanger would be adequate to dissipate 180 Watts while maintaining a 10°C air to coolant temperature (35°C coolant temperature being the reference used in the performance graph above).

3. Power supply requirements

The thermoeletric module draws approximately 9.3 A at 12 volts. When connecting the MCW60-T module to an existing power supply, users should verify their power supply current rating for the+12 volts rail. The total amount of current required for system integration will depend on the number of devices already connected to the power supply.

For maximum performance, use of an auxiliary power supply is suggested. The meanwell S320-12 sold by Swiftech is adequate in terms of power draw, and can also be operated at 14 Volts providing a nice power boost to the TEC module (see graphs above).