We’re already talking again about Billet Labs and watercooling. In fact, the brand is launching pre-orders for an innovative product that will be of interest to Small Form Factor enthusiasts . Introducing a DDC watercooling pump. ..watercooled.
DDC Billet Labs: a little technical background
A few brief technical details are in order to appreciate the product’s appeal. To assemble a custom watercooling loop, users can choose between two types of pump (mostly). The first is the D5 pump: larger, often silent, good flow but lower pressure. The D5 pump has a special design feature: the water in the circuit directly cools the pump and dissipates the heat generated by its motor. The second is called DDC, and shines when the circuit is highly constrained (multiple local pressure drops) and/or when space is limited. It’s much smaller than a D5. Unfortunately, the water in the circuit cannot cool the DDC. At least until now.
Equipped with a temperature-measuring device that is as accurate as possible, Billet Labs conducts a series of tests. Without claiming to be scientifically rigorous, the results are clear-cut. It is strongly recommended to equip the DDC pump with at least a thermal pad, ideally a good-sized metal heatsink. But then you lose one of the pump’s major assets: its compact dimensions! Without a heatsink, it reaches temperatures close to 60 degrees and risks degrading over time.
DDC Billet Labs: the proposal
Billet Labs ‘ idea is as simple as it is effective: ensure thermal coupling between the lower part that houses the pump (and receives its heat) and the upper part in which the cooling water circulates. And the whole thing has to be thin! Once again, copper was chosen for its good thermal conductivity and its suitability for watercooling circuits. In addition to the thermal coupling of the assembly, the block acts as a heatsink (albeit less efficient on its own than dedicated finned heatsinks).
Tests speak for themselves. The system offers even more efficient cooling than large-format metal heatsinks within a contained form factor. As a result, the pump temperature barely exceeds that of the water (less than 2 degrees difference). A success and a real breakthrough in a field where there are few. The block is available for pre-order for €230.
Here’s the detailed video to tell you more: https://youtu.be/FpwTzKj0tpo?si=1EYdeulx3U9vnSv5
