DIY radiator cooling instead of chiller

Wildman · 11/05/2011, 12:38 PM

I am in the process of designing my new build. I will be making a larger stand to accommodate more stuff. The larger stand will cover an existing floor vent for my HVAC. My plan is to build a false bottom in one corner of the stand and vent the HVAC out the side of the stand. This gave me the idea to put a radiator in the cavity and run my return through it to cool the tank water. I know copper is out. I am not sure what happens with aluminum and salt water. I was thinking about the titanium tubing in chillers. Does anyone have any idea where to get this tubing? Is it possible to get something with fins on it for better heat distribution? Does anyone have a better idea? My new build will include a LED fixture instead of the previous Metal halide fixture so the heat will be a lot less already. I am only looking for a couple degree decrease.

Thanks,
Travis

NanoNana · 11/05/2011, 09:02 PM

The first thought I had when I read the title was corrosion. Like you said "copper is out", but I would think Titanium tubed chillers would be somewhat cost prohibitive wouldn't they? Stainless steel seems to me to be the best option but please keep us updated, not interested in doing it myself but I would still like to know. Thanks!!

fppf · 11/05/2011, 09:15 PM

Raw aluminum is out as well. Anodized aluminum can stand up but it would be VERY hard to get a heat exchanger completely anodized (read near impossible).

Stainless is fairly good in saltwater, but not 100% corrosion resistant. The issue with stainless is crevice corrosion and salt creep. Crevice corrosion rates for stainless can be up to 10 times normal rates of about 0.001" per year. Areas where salt creep can form make highly concentrated levels of chlorides. Which can also increase rates.

Titanium is really the only metallic that has a zero for all corrosion rates in chlorides. You can get small quantities of tubing at a relatively reasonable price here.
http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant...2&top_cat=1353

Just as with other metals titanium comes in many grades and alloys. Make sure you use grade 2 or higher as it is the most pure titanium and has the highest corrosion resistance.

Wildman · 11/06/2011, 08:30 AM

Excellent thanks. It looks like 5 feet is around $80.00. That is definitely better than the cost of a chiller.
Can anyone give me a guess on efficiency? I am guessing HvAC air temp is around 60 and only runs intermittently. I have roughly 100gal water with LED lighting a skimmer and exterior recirc pump. Let's say four powerheads.

saltwater760 · 11/06/2011, 09:27 AM

u should not even need a chiller with leds

disc1 · 11/06/2011, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wildman

Excellent thanks. It looks like 5 feet is around $80.00. That is definitely better than the cost of a chiller.
Can anyone give me a guess on efficiency? I am guessing HvAC air temp is around 60 and only runs intermittently. I have roughly 100gal water with LED lighting a skimmer and exterior recirc pump. Let's say four powerheads.

Efficiency will be very low. With the air temp in the 60's and the water in the 80's, you're not going to get much cooling. Air doesn't have a great heat capacity and it is not very conductive to heat.

The air from your air conditioner is very dry. You would probably get a lot more cooling using it for evaporative cooling. Although you'd have to make sure you had the dust out of it. I know it sounds counterintuitive, but it takes a LOT of energy to evaporate water, and when it takes it from the tank it takes it in the form of heat.

Dustin1300 · 11/06/2011, 02:05 PM

I'm not sure you even need any cooling solution. With LEDs as long as you keep your house at a reasonable temperature then you'll be good

ecomdesign · 11/06/2011, 02:42 PM

I have LEDs and I still require a chiller. My problem is that the tank is in the front room which has a large bay window. The sun beads through it most of the day. It's always the hottest room in the house.

Wildman · 11/08/2011, 01:38 PM

I believe I have given up on the radiator cooling. My new plan is to keep the HVAC vented into the stand and use a combination of forcing the hot air accumulated in the stand out and a bong style filter.

Wildman · 11/08/2011, 01:40 PM

Sorry. Bong Cooler

disc1 · 11/08/2011, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wildman

Bong Cooler

Is that the technical term?

Wildman · 11/08/2011, 02:50 PM

Sadly yes. It looks exactly like one. Check it out.

Lavoisier · 11/08/2011, 03:23 PM

By the way HVAC is normally coming out at 53deg.

robertjk7005 · 11/08/2011, 03:47 PM

evap cooling is def easiest way i had a heater malfunction over the weekend and the tank got to 85 overnight thru a fan on it for about 4-5 hours and it brought it back down to 78 needed a top off but had ro water made so lucked out lol. but yea if u have a hvac vent right there i don't think u will have to even worry about heat. I would think that u might even evap at a higher rate then normal with it.

Wildman · 11/08/2011, 07:30 PM

53 degrees. Good to know.

I am guessing the dry air straight out of the vent will definitely increase evaporation. That is why I want to design some kind of control so I can decide how much I want to divert.

11/05/2011, 12:38 PM	#1
Wildman Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Knoxville Posts: 225	DIY radiator cooling instead of chiller I am in the process of designing my new build. I will be making a larger stand to accommodate more stuff. The larger stand will cover an existing floor vent for my HVAC. My plan is to build a false bottom in one corner of the stand and vent the HVAC out the side of the stand. This gave me the idea to put a radiator in the cavity and run my return through it to cool the tank water. I know copper is out. I am not sure what happens with aluminum and salt water. I was thinking about the titanium tubing in chillers. Does anyone have any idea where to get this tubing? Is it possible to get something with fins on it for better heat distribution? Does anyone have a better idea? My new build will include a LED fixture instead of the previous Metal halide fixture so the heat will be a lot less already. I am only looking for a couple degree decrease. Thanks, Travis

11/06/2011, 09:27 AM	#5
saltwater760 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 3	u should not even need a chiller with leds __________________ 60 gallon cube running for a year 6x 18 watt current t5 lights g1 skimmer

11/06/2011, 02:05 PM	#7
Dustin1300 Reefaholic Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Carmel, IN Posts: 5,135	I'm not sure you even need any cooling solution. With LEDs as long as you keep your house at a reasonable temperature then you'll be good __________________ INDMAS President Check out my tank in the Large Tank Forums, "A Reefaholic's 1000+ Gallon Mixed Reef System Build"! Current Tank Info: 600 Gallon DT, 140 Gallon Grow Out Tank, 125 Gallon Sump, 90 Gallon Fuge, 200 Gallon Fish QT, 15 Gallon Frag QT

11/08/2011, 03:47 PM	#14
robertjk7005 Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Piscataway, nj Posts: 152	evap cooling is def easiest way i had a heater malfunction over the weekend and the tank got to 85 overnight thru a fan on it for about 4-5 hours and it brought it back down to 78 needed a top off but had ro water made so lucked out lol. but yea if u have a hvac vent right there i don't think u will have to even worry about heat. I would think that u might even evap at a higher rate then normal with it. __________________ 120Gal mixed reef tank w/ 50Gal sump/refuge, chinese led lights, Euroreef skimmer, 200lbs LR, 80LBs fiji sand.

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11/05/2011, 09:02 PM	#2
NanoNana Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Livingston, TX Posts: 103	The first thought I had when I read the title was corrosion. Like you said "copper is out", but I would think Titanium tubed chillers would be somewhat cost prohibitive wouldn't they? Stainless steel seems to me to be the best option but please keep us updated, not interested in doing it myself but I would still like to know. Thanks!!

11/05/2011, 09:15 PM	#3
fppf Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Buffalo NY Posts: 929	Raw aluminum is out as well. Anodized aluminum can stand up but it would be VERY hard to get a heat exchanger completely anodized (read near impossible). Stainless is fairly good in saltwater, but not 100% corrosion resistant. The issue with stainless is crevice corrosion and salt creep. Crevice corrosion rates for stainless can be up to 10 times normal rates of about 0.001" per year. Areas where salt creep can form make highly concentrated levels of chlorides. Which can also increase rates. Titanium is really the only metallic that has a zero for all corrosion rates in chlorides. You can get small quantities of tubing at a relatively reasonable price here. http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant...2&top_cat=1353 Just as with other metals titanium comes in many grades and alloys. Make sure you use grade 2 or higher as it is the most pure titanium and has the highest corrosion resistance.

11/06/2011, 08:30 AM	#4
Wildman Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Knoxville Posts: 225	Excellent thanks. It looks like 5 feet is around $80.00. That is definitely better than the cost of a chiller. Can anyone give me a guess on efficiency? I am guessing HvAC air temp is around 60 and only runs intermittently. I have roughly 100gal water with LED lighting a skimmer and exterior recirc pump. Let's say four powerheads.

11/06/2011, 02:42 PM	#8
ecomdesign Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 458	I have LEDs and I still require a chiller. My problem is that the tank is in the front room which has a large bay window. The sun beads through it most of the day. It's always the hottest room in the house.

11/08/2011, 01:38 PM	#9
Wildman Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Knoxville Posts: 225	I believe I have given up on the radiator cooling. My new plan is to keep the HVAC vented into the stand and use a combination of forcing the hot air accumulated in the stand out and a bong style filter.

11/08/2011, 01:40 PM	#10
Wildman Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Knoxville Posts: 225	Sorry. Bong Cooler

11/08/2011, 02:50 PM	#12
Wildman Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Knoxville Posts: 225	Sadly yes. It looks exactly like one. Check it out.

11/08/2011, 03:23 PM	#13
Lavoisier Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Overland Park, KS Posts: 1,030	By the way HVAC is normally coming out at 53deg.

11/08/2011, 07:30 PM	#15
Wildman Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Knoxville Posts: 225	53 degrees. Good to know. I am guessing the dry air straight out of the vent will definitely increase evaporation. That is why I want to design some kind of control so I can decide how much I want to divert.