Mother Mine - Extreme Mining Setup

Dirk Diggler · 22 Feb 2014 at 21:52

darael said:
Couldn't you have the rigs near an external wall, then watercool them? The blow the air from a big massive radiator or two outside. That's about the only way I can think of getting rid of air without moving it about the room. I doubt it'd cost that much either.

Watercooling would cost a fortune for blocks, fittings etc.

joeyjojo · 22 Feb 2014 at 22:44

String said:
Air con is not pumping heat out, that's extraction. Air con is pumping refrigerated air in. Those big boxes on the outside of buildings are refrigeration units, they have refrigerant gas inside them.

I know where you're coming from, but AC doesn't pump any air "in" or "out". The only thing moving is the energy from the indoor air to the outdoor air, so I think it's better to just think of AC systems as heat pumps.

String said:
Your second paragraph is correct. Extraction will only be as good as the outside ambient, and in the UK that will be suitable for what, 90% of the time?

An air con system will cost big bucks, and considering that the ambient external air temp is 20C or below for the majority of the time in the UK, a total waste of money.

I don't know, that will be up to the OP to find out, but you'd think if it was a simple matter of using a few large extractor fans then server rooms would use this approach right?

Dirk Diggler · 22 Feb 2014 at 22:59

joeyjojo said:
I know where you're coming from, but AC doesn't pump any air "in" or "out". The only thing moving is the energy from the indoor air to the outdoor air, so I think it's better to just think of AC systems as heat pumps.

I don't know, that will be up to the OP to find out, but you'd think if it was a simple matter of using a few large extractor fans then server rooms would use this approach right?

Dude, AC uses refrigerated air. It has cool air intake, warm air extraction. As for server rooms, they work on the same basis.

To simplify this, if there's an opportunity to shift warm air outside, and shift cool air inside, then that's the way to go. All it requires is a fan for each.

If there's no access to external air, then that's when an AC system is required.

jimbaw · 22 Feb 2014 at 23:30

I'm not into mining at all but this setup is amazing!

gijohn2 · 23 Feb 2014 at 09:16

Your best bet is to go for knocking some bricks out with some extractor fans and hope convection is enough to draw the warm air out

Trig · 23 Feb 2014 at 10:10

I too would go for bricks out fan/vent in, cheapest option tbh

BaDBoY_uK · 23 Feb 2014 at 10:20

This is madness... all this and no business plan

Good luck to you mate tbh. I could not deal with this much risk

joeyjojo · 23 Feb 2014 at 11:31

String said:
Dude, AC uses refrigerated air. It has cool air intake, warm air extraction. As for server rooms, they work on the same basis.

What you've written doesn't make sense. The internal and external air is kept separate. Only heat is moved, from the inside to the outside. Look at the figure on wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_conditioning

Dirk Diggler · 23 Feb 2014 at 11:44

joeyjojo said:
What you've written doesn't make sense. The internal and external air is kept separate. Only heat is moved, from the inside to the outside. Look at the figure on wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_conditioning

Cool air intake to the room. This is achieved by intake system either bringing in air from outside that is sufficient temp, or cooling outside air with refrigerant gas before bringing it in. Extract side simply removes hot air from inside to out, ie exhaust.

I've installed the systems in industrial premises, and I won't be debating this any further as I'm sure everyone else reading the thread is bored with it.

Mole. · 23 Feb 2014 at 12:07

String said:
Cool air intake to the room. This is achieved by intake system either bringing in air from outside that is sufficient temp, or cooling outside air with refrigerant gas before bringing it in. Extract side simply removes hot air from inside to out, ie exhaust.

I've installed the systems in industrial premises, and I won't be debating this any further as I'm sure everyone else reading the thread is bored with it.

I think the argument here is stemming from one of your guys thinking of Air-Con as household machines and the other as industrial.
An Industrial installed machine will not transfer any air in or out, it transfers heat from the coolant outside and uses the now cooler coolant to cool down internal air. Where as the Household unit does it all in one unit and pumps the warm air created outside through a tube.
So you're both correct based on the type of Air-Con unit you are thinking about.

Bart_Hunt · 23 Feb 2014 at 12:17

I would like to point out this is a project log, so don't make a personal argument and derail the thread completely.

Trig · 23 Feb 2014 at 12:57

Air con will cost to buy, run and not be of much use once the project is complete.

I think in this instance the best bet is to just get some of the hot air out and thus lower the ambient, bricks out even without fans would help even if it only drops the temp a few c's, you could go one. Step further and have 2 sets of bricks out, on in one out, circulate the air a bit for minimum cost...

Dirk Diggler · 23 Feb 2014 at 13:31

Trig said:
Air con will cost to buy, run and not be of much use once the project is complete.

I think in this instance the best bet is to just get some of the hot air out and thus lower the ambient, bricks out even without fans would help even if it only drops the temp a few c's, you could go one. Step further and have 2 sets of bricks out, on in one out, circulate the air a bit for minimum cost...

This.

Treat the room like a PC case. Bricks out and fan at one end, bricks out and fan at the other. One fan intake, the other exhaust. It will definitely lower temps, and you don't need to worry about holes in the wall because there will be fans in them!

Whether this lowers temps by enough, remains to be seen.

C.R.A.Z.Y · 23 Feb 2014 at 20:47

You should be utilizing the heat generated to your benefit!
Get a couple of cheap in-line extractors and pump that hot air into your main house to reduce heating costs and drop temperature in cellar!! Win Win :-)

Cosimo · 24 Feb 2014 at 10:15

wndsr said:
I think any plans to buy more mines will be delayed by the need for better cooling. I'm probably going to have to forfeit another mine to pay for cooling.

How is the return on your investment?

Staffy50 · 24 Feb 2014 at 11:19

Have you looked at watercooling? Universal gpu blocks are not that expensive, and you could put the rads outside.

snips86x · 24 Feb 2014 at 13:30

I've had an idea about your basement! From what Chief said, it was pretty hot down there. Why not invest in channelling the heat to a greenhouse of some description and grow exotic fruit - it'll be the perfect temp for it. Add a little water spray for moisture and you're all set!!

Staffy50 said:
Have you looked at watercooling? Universal gpu blocks are not that expensive, and you could put the rads outside.

That would be a pain to drain if a card went down!

hawkhench · 24 Feb 2014 at 15:04

snips86x said:
Why not invest in channelling the heat to a greenhouse of some description and grow exotic fruit?

I'm sure exotic fruit is a euphemism right? ;p

delpy8 · 24 Feb 2014 at 15:34

hawkhench said:
I'm sure exotic fruit is a euphemism right? ;p

Lol you could grow juicy papaya and mangoes or even some banana trees but you need a lot of moisture

joeyjojo · 24 Feb 2014 at 17:43

snips86x said:
I've had an idea about your basement! From what Chief said, it was pretty hot down there. Why not invest in channelling the heat to a greenhouse of some description and grow exotic fruit - it'll be the perfect temp for it. Add a little water spray for moisture and you're all set!!

Great suggestion!