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Next Generation CPU Refrigerators
Iddo Genuth writes "Researchers at Purdue University are developing a miniature refrigeration system, small enough to fit inside laptop computers. According to the researchers, the implementation of miniature refrigeration systems in computers can dramatically increase the amount of heat removed from the microchips, therefore boosting performance while simultaneously shrinking the size of computers."
Only because they cool below the dew point - which, in turn, is dependent on the humidity levels.
People who build active cooling into their computers (for overclocking) typically insulate the chip(s) and cooling block to keep air-exposed surfaces at or above ambient temperatures for just that reason.
Also, even if it does produce condensation I'd say there's little reason to worry... just recycle the condensate to provide evaporative cooling on the (much hotter) heat sink side of the system.
=Smidge=
You mean mineral oil immersion?
linkage: http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/12/puget-custom-computers-mineral-oil-cooled-pc/
http://www.zombieapocalypse.tv/
I think he's probably thinking of Fluorinert, which was used to cool the Cray 2.
You're right, liquid nitrogen does not cost anywhere near $300/gallon, but the GP wasn't talking about nitrogen, they were talking about 3M Fluorinert, which does indeed cost an arm and a leg.
The problem with these fluids is they can't keep up with today's processors. Immersing a PC in a vat of mineral oil won't magically cool the damned thing. You still need to extract the heat from that big pool of sludge; natural convection just doesn't cut it anymore. In fact, the fluid acts kind of like an insulator, because it moves so slowly that heat builds up right on your processor. You'd need propellers to move the flooz around, probably pump it through some sort of radiator.
On the plus side, I could use my overclocked PCs to cook me some french fries for my poutine :)
-Billco, Fnarg.com