Thermochill Radiators

Testing Results

With the following fans (voltage set as shown) the PA160 achieves the following approximate C/W ratings

Tricod @ 5.0v => 0.075 c/w (est: 10dBA, 23cfm)*
Tricod @ 12.0v => 0.044 c/w (est: 22dBA, 45cfm)*
Panaflo L1A @ 12.0v => 0.031 c/w (est: 30dBA, 69cfm) *
Panaflo M1A @ 12.0v => 0.026 c/w **
Panaflo H1A @ 12.0v => 0.022 c/w (est: 41dBA, 104cfm)*
Panaflo H1A @ 16.0v => 0.020 c/w (est: 48dBA, 130cfm)*

Papst 4312L @ 12.0v => 0.038 C/W
Papst 4312L @ 7.0v => 0.051 C/W
Papst 4312L @ 5.0v => 0.062 C/W

Noiseblocker XS1 @ 12.0v => 0.050 C/W
Noiseblocker XS1 @ 7.0v => 0.065 C/W
Noiseblocker XS1 @ 5.0v => 0.078 C/W

XinRuiLian RDL1225S @ 12.0v => 0.047 C/W
XinRuiLian RDL1225S @ 7.0v => 0.060 C/W
XinRuiLian RDL1225S @ 5.0v => 0.074 C/W

Testing done by Cathar at 110w Heatsource, with a flowrate => ~6.6lpm - see HERE for original source

* = as a result of preliminary testing.
** = projected result. based upon preliminary testing

"Given a rheobus I would say that the Panaflo was the preferable fan to have, only because it is more powerful and therefore gives more choice when/if the user needs extra cooling. If the Panaflo is slowed down to the equivalent air-flow of the Papst 4312L, then the noise levels are near identical. They both make a similar motor bearing ticking noise, with the Panaflo being slighly lower pitched and therefore arguably more preferable."

The design and development of the PA160 radiator was decided upon amongst many of the more technically-oriented (& highly regarded) names on the watercooling scene, based on numerous theoretical models to predict it's final performance. As such, the existence of this radiator is a result of a collaborative effort between members of ProCooling forums in the design spec, and ThermoChill in the physical production and engineering. The final specification was decided upon by Cathar of LittleRiver after the crunching of many models by various folks at Procooling.com

ThermoChill would like to acknowledge and thank everyone involved for their contributions which led to the production of this radiator.

The PA160 radiator - designed by the people, made for the people.

"...I was extremely pleased with the build quality and finish too. Easily the best finished radiator that I've handled, and the shroud is sturdy and excellent. Truly a clear step up from the common hack-jobs of reclaimed car cores (whether old OR new).

I'm really stoked about the performance that I'm seeing from it though. In every respect it allows the marriage of ultra-low noise fan use with good cooling performance, and for moderate fan noise offers what I consider to be great performance for something that can be compactly and easily be placed inside the case.

Gives me great joy to see the concept be brought to life as a reality. Thank you indeed Thermochill."

"As a single-fan radiator the PA160 is a total success. It outperforms the BA which has a 20% larger facial area by around 10% in a single-fan scenario. This allows for a weaker fan to be used for low noise scenarios and still achieve a good level of performance, and it is in a fairly compact form factor.

The BA on the other hand demands that it be used with two fans. Given that two fans are needed to outperform the PA160, this is still offset by the additional noise that two fans make. On a noise-per-noise basis the BA with two fans would roughly draw even with the PA160 if we lowered the dual fan speeds to the same noise-level as the single fan on the PA, but the BA is also bigger and is not as easy to fit in-case, and you still have to pay for the second fan.

What I think is most promising from the PA160 project is that it points the direction forwards for better single and multi-fan radiator development. It allows us to explore more compact radiators from a noise level point of view without sacrificing performance in comparison to existing radiators. It pretty much shows that it would be possible to develop a fairly compact dual-fan radiator that with two quiet fans would approach the levels of perfomance offered by existing tri-fan radiators with noisy fans. It shows that we could develop better compact radiators.

In essence, it highlight the philosophy of the design that air-flow rules all, and it is far better to keep the air-flow high by offering minimal resistance to the axial fans that we use, than it is to produce thick high-density radiators that achieve maximal heat-transfer efficiency into the air, but choke the air flow so much that there is insufficient air-flow to achieve an overall high level of cooling."