Details
The Aquacomputer Airplex Modularity 420 mm Radiator | Aluminum (33021) is a 420 mm water cooling radiator for three fans side by side. It has aluminum fins on copper tubes, stainless steel side panels and one circuit. It is 146 mm wide and 63.5 mm high, has G1/4 connection threads, and comes without mounting hardware.
Properties
- Fans
- Three, 420 mm size
- Size
- 464 x 146 x 64 mm (L x W x H)
- Ports
- G1/4, recess 19 mm in diameter and 3.5 mm deep
- Fins
- Aluminum, on 21 copper tubes
- Circuits
- One
A fully modular radiator system
At a glance, the main features start with an absolute modular system of exchangeable components. Aquacomputer says the series shows the competence and know-how of its ten year history at that time. Aqua Computer has been manufacturing water cooling systems since 2001, and it claims extremely high cooling performance for the series.
The radiator is very compact: shorter than most other radiators for the same fan size, and only 146 mm wide. The system is expandable in all dimensions, to unlimited size. Many colors were available for the side panels (brushed stainless steel, black aluminum, blue, red); this radiator has the stainless steel ones.
How it is built
Every airplex modularity radiator is based on a fin package of 21 copper tubes, with stainless steel flanges pressed on at the factory. On this one the fins are aluminum. On both sides of the fin package a terminal made from Delrin (acetal) sits facing the flanges, with a sealing gasket and o-ring seals, bolted on with screws.
There are no solder joints and no welding is performed during production, so no soldering or welding residues can stay inside. Because nothing is soldered, the radiator can be dismantled completely if necessary, for example to clean it. The fins carry no paint or coating, for optimal heat transfer. The fin spacing is optimized for low fan speed, and Aquacomputer says the slats have an optimal structure with excellent passive cooling performance.
No base metals are in contact with the coolant: the water path is only copper and stainless steel, plus the Delrin terminals. The aluminum fins sit outside the copper pipes, so the cooling liquid has no direct contact to aluminum. CNC machined components made from Delrin and stainless steel parts are used throughout. Aquacomputer says the highest accuracy of the individual components and its high precision production guarantee perfect installation and a perfect fit. Riveted threads take the fan mounting screws.
Copper fins are available too, which Aquacomputer offers for maximum performance in the smallest space and higher cooling capacity.
Flow and connecting radiators
Aquacomputer gives the series optimal flow, with optimized flow resistance through parallel pipe routes. In the Delrin terminal, a round pocket has been deepened over each threaded connection attached there. Small connection adapters plugged into these pockets join two radiators, mounted directly flush to each other, without bothersome hose connections or bulky tubing. The orientation of the radiators to each other determines the flow of coolant. Radiators interconnected laterally, next to each other, are connected in series. Coolant flows through horizontally stacked radiators in parallel.
The system can also grow indefinitely in length: further fin packages are connected via optional Delrin connection modules. The interconnection plates are sold as a side-by-side set (33503) and a horizontally stacked set (33504).
Sizes and rebuilding
Radiators in all lengths use the same Delrin terminals; only the side panels and fin packages are different. Accordingly, a radiator can be rebuilt into another size through the acquisition of those components. All sizes share the width of 146 mm, so they fit perfectly into standard 5 1/4 inch drive bays. In standard configuration, without the pump module, the height of every radiator is 63.5 mm. Its length is 44 mm longer than the respective fan size. The example of the 360 is 3x 120 mm = 360 mm, plus 44 mm, giving 404 mm; this 420 mm radiator, plus 44 mm, gives 464 mm.
The connectors are supplied as standard in G1/4, so all G1/4 connections from our shop can be used. The recess around each thread is 19 mm in diameter and 3.5 mm deep. Connectors with a larger outer diameter can only be installed with suitable extensions, which are not included in delivery.
Two circuits and pump modules in the range
For the first time, the airplex modularity system made it possible to operate two separate cooling circuits with one radiator. In the corresponding radiators, about 70% of the cooling surface is associated with the primary circuit and about 30% with the secondary. Thus an extremely compact two-loop system can, for example, cool both the CPU and graphics card on one loop and heat-sensitive hard drives on the other. The two circuits are completely separated from each other, so mixing of the coolant is impossible. Systems with multiple circuits can thus share one radiator; this radiator is the one-circuit version.
Pump modules with reservoir are available too. With the optional equipment of a pump module, an extremely compact and easy to install water cooling can be realized. On the radiators offered with a pump module, pump and expansion tank are integrated directly into the Delrin terminal. In addition, depending on the type, there is a USB fan controller with water temperature measuring, and optionally a flow meter and/or water filters. Of particular note here, in the range, is the Compact 600 pump module in the 12V version. It runs on Aqua Computer's proven ceramic bearing for whisper-quiet operation, and its integrated pump controller with USB interface allows a variety of monitoring and control options. A flow sensor and filter can be installed easily, and the job is quickly done.
The USB version of the Aqua Computer D5 pump mechanics has integrated control and monitoring electronics with USB and aquabus interface, a programmable alarm output and an external temperature sensor input. The aquasuite software for monitoring and configuring is a free download. Its four-pole aquabus interface also allows direct connection to an aquaero 5 controller (not included). The alarm output can optionally be configured as an artificial speed signal, for a fan output with speed signal evaluation (such as the motherboard). It can also be a switching output, for example to switch a LED in case of alarm. Besides the pump's speed signal, the external temperature sensor input is used for alarm monitoring as well. That input is compatible with all temperature sensors offered by Aqua Computer.
What the loop needs
Mounting hardware is not in the box, so plan the fan screws for the riveted threads; see our fan screws. The radiator takes three fans of the matching size. Each port in use takes one G1/4 fitting from our fittings section; a fitting wider than the 19 mm recess needs one of the male to female extension fittings. For mounting, the on-edge stands (33508) are part of the wide range of accessories, next to expansion tanks, pump modules, feet, filters and sensors.
Notes
- Approved for pressures up to 0.8 bar. A special design for up to 5 bar pressure is possible on request.
In the box
- One radiator
- Attention: no mounting hardware is included
