The company Chip-Con has developed a compressor cooling system that is sold in the form of a barebones system. We received the top-of-the-line configuration from the manufacturer for both Intel and AMD platforms. Compared to competitors, such as Vapochill, Chip-Con's system is based on a power compressor, the Danfoss NL11F with an 11.2cm³ piston hub. The manufacturer thus builds the largest model from the "N" series from Danfoss. According to the specifications, the compressor is meant to reach temperatures ranging from -10°C to -35°C. In our last test, we showed that it's possible to get significantly more out of it. Through our modifications, the system reached a maximum temperature of -52°C.

A few background details: Danfoss manufactures compressors for technical cooling systems (e.g., for freezers and refrigerators). Compared to a traditional refrigerator, the CPU cooler has two clear advantages: the evaporator takes the form of the CPU element, and is thus much more compact than the evaporator found in a refrigerator. This makes it possible to reach a higher vacuum pressure and a lower boiling point for the liquid (R134a). The results are lower temperatures and higher cooling performance. In addition, an actively cooled heat exchanger transfers heat efficiently due to the complex geometry of the cooling ribs. By contrast, a typical refrigerator is equipped with a black heat exchanger on the back, and it works passively as well.