Building a Dust-Proof computer ?

[Abhi]

I need a PC which has to be installed in an in a VERY dusty industrial environment. The air is full of Dust, Carbon Black, etc etc.

We have a PC there currently, but it has to be opened and cleaned every 10 days, or it starts overheating.... And cleaning it is NOT easy...

So basically, I need a dust proof computer (If there is just a thing)

I doubt that a Dell/Compaq will stand up to this kind of punishment, so I am assuming I ll have to build my own. I have no idea how to go about this, so I need AT's help...

1) Will filters on the intake fans work well enough?
2) Is it possible to make a totally air tight computer (Cooling w/o air?)

Please give your suggestions

Thanks

p.s. For the record, I am in India, so I ll have limited toys and options to play with.

Also, the hardware requirements are:

1) 2 Hard Disks
2) Onboard GPU is adequate
3) AMD/Intel, doesnt matter. I think I ll be going the AMD way though..
4) 512 Mb RAM
5) Optical Drive

 

[kitkat22]

My suggestion is to build some sort of box around the case and include a filtering device so all you have to do is change/clean the filter. As long as you leave enough room for the air intakes and such you shouldn't have to worry too much about overheating. The other option is to get a slow enough computer that doesn't need elaborate cooling, ie not prescott.

 

[Abhi]

Originally posted by: cscpianoman
My suggestion is to build some sort of box around the case and include a filtering device so all you have to do is change/clean the filter. As long as you leave enough room for the air intakes and such you shouldn't have to worry too much about overheating. The other option is to get a slow enough computer that doesn't need elaborate cooling, ie not prescott.

Can I use a slower chip, Undervolt it, Put on a heatsink, and forget about a fan?

If thats feasable, even then a fan will be reqd on the PSU, right?

 

[Lonyo]

Think about external watercooling, ie: you have the radiator outside the case.
You should be able to cool the CPU, GFX card and NB using a watercooling setup, and then if you install filters on the front of the case, and use limited case fans to ensure a supply of air to the HDD's and through to the PSU, then you might be OK.
The dust will also not affect the cooling of CPU/GPU, as the external radiator will be cooling them, and be cleaned much more easily than a heatsink inside the case.

 

[biostud]

Originally posted by: Lonyo
Think about external watercooling, ie: you have the radiator outside the case.
You should be able to cool the CPU, GFX card and NB using a watercooling setup, and then if you install filters on the front of the case, and use limited case fans to ensure a supply of air to the HDD's and through to the PSU, then you might be OK.
The dust will also not affect the cooling of CPU/GPU, as the external radiator will be cooling them, and be cleaned much more easily than a heatsink inside the case.

that's what I do, not because of dust though

 

[Vegito]

they have those sealed pc you can buy. since you're in india... that is not a good option..

but basically the desktop/notebook used in Iraq war.. panasonic use to make those.. not sure if they still do

something like this
http://www.intergraph.com/resource_files/literature/20030043/20030043_screen.pdf

you'll need to google hard for that...

 

[kitkat22]

I forgot about the Panasonic Toughbook

 

[dexvx]

You can contact an industrial PC OEM and get a PC specifically designed for harsh environments (Intergraph is one such company). That will cost a large chunk of change, but that is probably the most professional solution.

---

Or build a PC that requires a minimal amount of airflow (eg low heat):

Such as an undervolted Pentium-M with a large passive heatsink or a ULV Pentium-M. A single 120mm exhaust fan (no intake) should be more than enough to cool such a system. If you place an ultra-fine mesh over the exhaust, it should keep out most air.

Depending on how powerful you want it (seems like you just want a general desktop), you could go with this mini-ITX board (it fits standard ATX):

Shelton ITX

---

Or house any computer in an air-tight container with its own filtering system.

 

[Blain]

Why not just fabricate a mount to hold a 10x20 furnace filter...
Seal all the joints...
Have plenty of fans exhausting air...

You can just replace the filter. The side of an ATX tower should allow for plenty of room for the filter mount.

 

[GamerExpress]

There is no such thing as a dust free computer, unless you have a controlled environment and quite a bit of money to spend. You can however create an environment to limit the amount of dust that is able to get into your machine.

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

For a dust free comp...Wish i had thought of this when i worked in a HD diesel repair shop. We had a nasty autobody repair shop down wind of us. Fiberglass and Bondo dust everywhere.
About two years ago i saw this same type of set-up also ducted to a CRT to keep it clean internaly. That filtering device was setup with a three speed 110V blower fan inside.
The auther of the article stated that the air was better for him too and the rest of the office stayed cleaner.

Ppl have installed this type of deal under the house in the crawl space for cool & quiet computing then just used dryer duct to bring up the air.


...Galvanized

 

[BigToque]

Originally posted by: GalvanizedYankee
For a dust free comp...Wish i had thought of this when i worked in a HD diesel repair shop. We had a nasty autobody repair shop down wind of us. Fiberglass and Bondo dust everywhere.
About two years ago i saw this same type of set-up also ducted to a CRT to keep it clean internaly. That filtering device was setup with a three speed 110V blower fan inside.
The auther of the article stated that the air was better for him too and the rest of the office stayed cleaner.

Ppl have installed this type of deal under the house in the crawl space for cool & quiet computing then just used dryer duct to bring up the air.


...Galvanized

That's not a bad idea...

My suggestion would have been to get a water-cooling system. My next suggestion would be to underclock and undervolt a Pentium M

 

[xylem]

It could be done with a low-rpm hard drive and a cpu that has very low heat ouput. You would need to duct air to the power supply air intake from outside the case, and seal all other parts of the case. To maximize radiant heat dispersion, the case could be aluminum. If you desire more case cooling, you can bond heatsinks to the outer body of the case using thermal epoxy or screws and thermal paste, and either allow those to be passively cooled, or actively cooled by fans.

 

[Matthias99]

1) Will filters on the intake fans work well enough?

They'll help. This would be the cheapest solution; just take a standard case and put heavy-duty filters (like HEPA air conditioner filters) over the intakes (and seal all the crevices around the case so that there isn't air leaking in). You'll need some decent intake fans to pull air through the filters.

If you maintain positive internal pressure inside the case, and clean/change the filters regularly, you shouldn't have to open up and clean the case very often (although you will still need to do so occasionally).

2) Is it possible to make a totally air tight computer (Cooling w/o air?)

Extensive watercooling could work. Just put the radiator outside the case and seal it off as much as possible. The PSU will be difficult, though; a 'fanless' PSU would overheat with no airflow through the case (as would a PSU with a fan if there was no airflow). Maybe if you used one of the Lian-Li cases with the PSU in its own compartment, and then sealed off the rest of the case? Or you could duct air to the PSU as suggested by some of the other posters (but then you'd have issues with the PSU getting clogged with dust/dirt).

As noted, if you don't need much CPU power, you can undervolt/clock a Pentium M or Athlon64 CPU to get a system that doesn't need much cooling to begin with. This will make it easier to keep it cool.

A Panasonic Toughbook, if you can get one, might also work. I'm not sure if they are completely sealed, though -- if it has an air intake/exhaust for cooling the CPU heatsink, that would get caked with dust eventually.

 

[Abhi]

Thanks for the great response people....

Originally posted by: GalvanizedYankee
For a dust free comp...Wish i had thought of this when i worked in a HD diesel repair shop. We had a nasty autobody repair shop down wind of us. Fiberglass and Bondo dust everywhere.
About two years ago i saw this same type of set-up also ducted to a CRT to keep it clean internaly. That filtering device was setup with a three speed 110V blower fan inside.
The auther of the article stated that the air was better for him too and the rest of the office stayed cleaner.

Ppl have installed this type of deal under the house in the crawl space for cool & quiet computing then just used dryer duct to bring up the air.


...Galvanized

Whoa.... that is simply brilliant!

 

[dwcal]

This place makes enclosures. It's a sealed plexiglass box with a fan and an automotive air filter. It doesn't look very hard to build one yourself.

Clean Aire enclosures

 

[Pabster]

Not sure I understand the dust-free mentality.

One way to do it without worrying about your case is to use air purification. Like a Sharper Image purifier... takes all that crap out of the air before it ever makes it to your case.

Otherwise, canned air isn't that expensive. Take it outside and blow it out every once in a while

 

[Abhi]

Originally posted by: Pabster
Not sure I understand the dust-free mentality.

We have a PC there currently, but it has to be opened and cleaned every 10 days, or it starts overheating.... And cleaning it is NOT easy...

 

[corkyg]

Get hold of a second hand refrigerator - and place the computer inside. You can drill and seal access oles for cables, etc. That will give you a dust free and cooler environment.

 

[Auric]

Originally posted by: cscpianoman
My suggestion is to build some sort of box around the case and include a filtering device so all you have to do is change/clean the filter. As long as you leave enough room for the air intakes and such you shouldn't have to worry too much about overheating. The other option is to get a slow enough computer that doesn't need elaborate cooling, ie not prescott.

My first thought too, although with a sealed box (other than filtered air I/O), much of the case can be eliminated to increase the cooling effect. Perhaps use one large fan for the box and none in the PC.

 

[Lonyo]

Originally posted by: Pabster
Not sure I understand the dust-free mentality.

One way to do it without worrying about your case is to use air purification. Like a Sharper Image purifier... takes all that crap out of the air before it ever makes it to your case.

Otherwise, canned air isn't that expensive. Take it outside and blow it out every once in a while

I need a PC which has to be installed in an in a VERY dusty industrial environment. The air is full of Dust, Carbon Black, etc etc.

Air purification system in an industrial environment? With carbon dust?

 

[Deleted member 4644]

This is a little off topic, but what do you do about human breathing in this environment?

 

[Ken90630]

Originally posted by: Abhi
Thanks for the great response people....

Originally posted by: GalvanizedYankee
For a dust free comp...Wish i had thought of this when i worked in a HD diesel repair shop. We had a nasty autobody repair shop down wind of us. Fiberglass and Bondo dust everywhere.
About two years ago i saw this same type of set-up also ducted to a CRT to keep it clean internaly. That filtering device was setup with a three speed 110V blower fan inside.
The auther of the article stated that the air was better for him too and the rest of the office stayed cleaner.

Ppl have installed this type of deal under the house in the crawl space for cool & quiet computing then just used dryer duct to bring up the air.


...Galvanized

Whoa.... that is simply brilliant!

Except ... where does hot air exit from that computer?

There is no blowhole fan in the top of the case, and the traditional rear-panel exit fan has been replaced by the air-intake duct. So no air exit at all, except whatever the PSU blows out?

Not sure if just a PSU exit fan would be sufficient enough.

 

[aigomorla]

if u have a GF or wife id jack her stockings and cover all the intakes on your case. Stockings work great at trapping dust/particles and u just need to unsleve it and wash the stockings out let it dry. Of course ur gonna have to switch each set. Your only other option is to go h2o cooling and have the rad outside or use a passive RAD like the Zalmen.

 

[Abhi]

Originally posted by: Deleted member 4644
This is a little off topic, but what do you do about human breathing in this environment?

3M Dust masks...