[ExI] homebrew cold freon bath super computer

[spike]

>... On Behalf Of Tomasz Rola
Subject: Re: [ExI] homebrew cold freon bath super computer

On Fri, 9 Mar 2012, spike wrote:

>> We have a tool at work which is a cold Freon bath... Would that be a cool
science fair project or what?

>...Or what, I think. I mean, if you'd like some results out of this, better
aim for as much practicality as possible...

Ja, I think you are right.  The Freon bath coming available caused me to
think of the idea of a stack of low-end processors, but it is waay overkill
for that application, a solution in search of a problem.  Now I need to
think of something to use that cold Freon.

>...Used phones might be fine computing devices as long as you can have your
software installed on them. Imagine making custom Android images for five
different phone models...

I need to have all identical phones, objection noted.  I don't want to
master several different proprietary protocols.  I find it sufficiently
annoying to learn a new systems every couple years as it is.


>...With some modifications, your plan could be doable:

>...4a. For the rest of the cash buy yourself some cheap Linux based micros
with ARM cpu and 200-something megs of ram, like BeagleBone or Raspberry Pi

This I find interesting.  I might try that.  Those Pis are supposed to be
powerful and easily interfaced.  I can imagine setting a cluster of about
100 of those in an ordinary water bath cooling system dumping the heat into
a refrigerator, running something that is useful enough to take up room in
my fridge.  I think I can wire them together and figure out a way to bring
the signal out to a switch on the kitchen counter, perhaps by cutting a
notch in the door seal, or drilling a hole in the side of the refrigerator.
Good chance my bride will be less enthusiastic about this whole notion than
I am.

>...4b. You may consider buying and dismantling old broken laptops - ...

Possibly better performance than phones, but too much stuff there I don't
need.  Your Raspberry idea is better.

>...5. Install your soft (Beowulf, maybe?), connect the plugs, run run run.

Ja, but run what what what?  Folding at home?  Codebreakers?

>...6. Don't worry about temperature, if you don't overclock you should be
fine with air cooling (and maybe custom made big box with few grand voltage
regulated 120+mm propellers and many holes) - but I would measure temps all
the time, just in case...

Hard to say.  If I invest in 100 of these and want them in close quarters, I
need a major power supply.  I would think it would require a home
refrigerator scale cooling system.


>...Sorry if after modifications the plan is not exotic enough for you.
Seems to me, exotic is what makes you tick :-)... Tomasz Rola

Ja it is an aerospace engineer's thing.  Why make something simple and
straightforward, when it can be made complex and wonderful?

spike