Water Block Deconstructed

Raystorm CPU Waterblock

The Raystorm block consists of two parts, the base block assembly and the aluminum mounting bracket. The top of the block has a raised rounded-square inner section with the inlet and outlet ports. The ports each have a raised outer lip on which the holes in the mounting bracket fit through. The mounting bracket itself sits over the raised square portion of the block, framed by the embedded acrylic sections in the bracket. When assembled, the top of the block and mounting bracket form a flat plain.

The mounting bracket is a single machined aluminum part with an integrated acrylic channel for to illuminate the block. The acrylic section frames the raised inner portion of the copper block, separated by a thin metal layer to minimize light leakage. The bracket contains two 3mm LED holes to the right and left of the liquid port cutouts. This configuration gives the block an edge-lit appearance with the LEDs installed.

The base block assembly consists of a CNC machined copper top and copper base plate. The top is held to the base plate with four flat-head hex screws and seals to the copper plate with a rubber grommet along the outer edge of the block's top. The inlet and outlet channels in the top are G1/4" threaded holes with each channel sealed from the other via the rubber grommet inside compartment of the inlet chamber. The inlet port in the top cover is marked with an inverted "V" symbol engraved into the plate itself.

The top of the block consists of the copper top and a steel injection plate. The injection plate sits just below the block inlet channel and accelerates the incoming water to increase pressure through the water channels in the base plate. The injection plate is sealed to the inlet channel with a rubber grommet along the outer edge of the inner port. That way, water is forced to pass evenly along all channels in the base plate to exit the block through the outer outlet port. The injection plate itself sits perpendicular to the direction of the base plate's micro-channels.

The copper base plate contains a series of micro-channels through which the water is forced to cool the block's base plate (and the CPU in the process). The thin-finned nature of the micro-channels increases the surface contact area for the transfer of heat to the coolant. The inlet formed by the injection plate site perpendicular to the water channels, forcing water across all channels and out via both sides of the base plate's micro-channels.

The only downside with using a micro-channel design is the increase in flow restriction inherent in its use – pressure builds up on the inlet side because water flow is restricted by the micro-channels. While the water velocity through the micro-channels is increased, the flow rate over the entire system decreases because of the micro-channels.

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