Hello there.. i finnaly got arround to design the amplifier i wanted to build. And figured i submit it to the critics in here for jugement. 
Its a combination of 2x Aleph 3 and 2x Aleph 5 Clone boards.
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The capacitor bank is 4x 144.000uf (32 Nichion 18000uf caps). for 576.000uf
Powersupply is made of 4 toroids (2x 220v - 500va with 2x25v -10ah ) And (2x 252va 2x18v-7ah )
The amplifier case will be made from 1mm polished copper plate. with a thin coating to keep it neat.
The floor in the amp is a 4mm thick aluminium plate for structure. with a copper plate layered ontop of it. for looks.
The heatsinks are 6.5kg each (13kg total) and 500mm x 125mm x 115mm .
there will be 10x10mm Aluminium struds to help the structure.
20Ah EMI filter and a softstart module with temperature safty shut off.
.
The output stage will have double Relays. as i designed the amplifer to work in pair with my NAD c298. The NAD, input its signal into this (two lower speaker sets) The signal then go trugh a relay in its OFF position splits the output (biwire) from this amp. (Both ground and live) and as soon as you swich this amplifier on, the relay will flick off the inputs from the NAD. over to the internal outputs. SO theres 0 contact between the circuts of the amps at any given time. not even ground. (i dont want to wire two amps to the same speaker in case i ever **** up on/off on one.
I have no intention to use this with movie nights or parties. therefore i use the C298 for that.
.
IT has 2x 30w and 2x 60w aleph 3-5 so i can biamp in the same case. 4 RCA inputs and 2 balanced inputs that splits.
.
Buttem of the amp will be for all the wireing as its going to be an open top amp. and will be divided into power / sound sections. with copper lining.
.
total waight scares me a little. as just from the heatsinks. copper plate. alu plate. Toroids. and capacitor banks its looking at about 35kg before all the wireing.
.
And no im not buying the Copper. i have a 60cm x 200cm x1mm plate in the basement thats been there for years.
.
yes the heatsinks have watercooling in them. (they have a hollow core). i had a 360 external watercooling set laying arround. so figured it make an external system so there isent any fans or noise in the chassis at all. with a 50c ON relay
.
Any suggestions within reason? i already bought allmost all the parts. the next frew months will be spent putting it all togeather with love.
Its a combination of 2x Aleph 3 and 2x Aleph 5 Clone boards.
.
The capacitor bank is 4x 144.000uf (32 Nichion 18000uf caps). for 576.000uf
Powersupply is made of 4 toroids (2x 220v - 500va with 2x25v -10ah ) And (2x 252va 2x18v-7ah )
The amplifier case will be made from 1mm polished copper plate. with a thin coating to keep it neat.
The floor in the amp is a 4mm thick aluminium plate for structure. with a copper plate layered ontop of it. for looks.
The heatsinks are 6.5kg each (13kg total) and 500mm x 125mm x 115mm .
there will be 10x10mm Aluminium struds to help the structure.
20Ah EMI filter and a softstart module with temperature safty shut off.
.
The output stage will have double Relays. as i designed the amplifer to work in pair with my NAD c298. The NAD, input its signal into this (two lower speaker sets) The signal then go trugh a relay in its OFF position splits the output (biwire) from this amp. (Both ground and live) and as soon as you swich this amplifier on, the relay will flick off the inputs from the NAD. over to the internal outputs. SO theres 0 contact between the circuts of the amps at any given time. not even ground. (i dont want to wire two amps to the same speaker in case i ever **** up on/off on one.
I have no intention to use this with movie nights or parties. therefore i use the C298 for that.
.
IT has 2x 30w and 2x 60w aleph 3-5 so i can biamp in the same case. 4 RCA inputs and 2 balanced inputs that splits.
.
Buttem of the amp will be for all the wireing as its going to be an open top amp. and will be divided into power / sound sections. with copper lining.
.
total waight scares me a little. as just from the heatsinks. copper plate. alu plate. Toroids. and capacitor banks its looking at about 35kg before all the wireing.
.
And no im not buying the Copper. i have a 60cm x 200cm x1mm plate in the basement thats been there for years.
.
yes the heatsinks have watercooling in them. (they have a hollow core). i had a 360 external watercooling set laying arround. so figured it make an external system so there isent any fans or noise in the chassis at all. with a 50c ON relay
.
Any suggestions within reason?
i already bought allmost all the parts. the next frew months will be spent putting it all togeather with love.
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I want to see how this one turns out - It will be a monster!
Between this one and @GypsysFire "Overengineer" thread we will see 2 over the top Aleph builds come to life.
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/lets-over-engineer-an-amplifier.404077/
Are we living in the newest golden age of Aleph builds?
Between this one and @GypsysFire "Overengineer" thread we will see 2 over the top Aleph builds come to life.
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/lets-over-engineer-an-amplifier.404077/
Are we living in the newest golden age of Aleph builds?
Looks like a well planned layout so far and the CAD looks good.
What is your plan for the coolant loop? I see that the annode and cathode are on the same end of the heatsink(s) and there is no internal path.
Also, placing the coolant tie-in fittings near the AC input bulkhead may not be the best idea.
What is your plan for the coolant loop? I see that the annode and cathode are on the same end of the heatsink(s) and there is no internal path.
Also, placing the coolant tie-in fittings near the AC input bulkhead may not be the best idea.
You also need to be aware of rapid expansion of the coolant as it enters the larger chamber volume of the heatsink. You may end up with an increase of pressure at the inlet, as the coolant must push through a positive pressure of liquid that has built up due to this rapid expansion.
The inverse would be true at the outlet end, it would act as a restrictive orifice that would cause pressure drop on the return path.
Both of these scenarios would cause the pump to work excessively and possibly block the flow of coolant.
You may be able circumvent these hypothetical issues by gradually increasing and decreasing the size of the inlet and outlet unions into the chamber.
*note, this is entirely beyond my pay grade. I’m just going on what seems logical.
The inverse would be true at the outlet end, it would act as a restrictive orifice that would cause pressure drop on the return path.
Both of these scenarios would cause the pump to work excessively and possibly block the flow of coolant.
You may be able circumvent these hypothetical issues by gradually increasing and decreasing the size of the inlet and outlet unions into the chamber.
*note, this is entirely beyond my pay grade. I’m just going on what seems logical.
Is it possible to over cool an amplifier then? The OP will not operate at an optimum temperature for best sound?
The flow of coolant in and out of the heat sink cooling cavities could be solved by making the intake tube very long and discharging the incoming cold coolant in the cavity end towards the front amplifier. Then the hot coolant simply exits off the back end of the amplifier. The intake tube can be built within the cooling cavity as well.
For cooling the innards of the amp, caps, use a fully perforated cover with two large, low speed fans integral in it. The fans should flow air gently into the center of the cavity and the air exhausts outside towards the perimeter. Done in copper, this could be an awesome looking box and with active cooling it will work really well.
The flow of coolant in and out of the heat sink cooling cavities could be solved by making the intake tube very long and discharging the incoming cold coolant in the cavity end towards the front amplifier. Then the hot coolant simply exits off the back end of the amplifier. The intake tube can be built within the cooling cavity as well.
For cooling the innards of the amp, caps, use a fully perforated cover with two large, low speed fans integral in it. The fans should flow air gently into the center of the cavity and the air exhausts outside towards the perimeter. Done in copper, this could be an awesome looking box and with active cooling it will work really well.
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That’s a good question…
Here’s a quote from Nelson Pass:
“50-60 deg C is about where I run my case temps, and my
stuff has been optimized around that. It's hard to say
which temp is best, but Mosfets like lots of current and
voltage, so I always run them as hot as I can safely get
away with.”
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/mosfet-temperature-vs-quality.24396/
Interestingly, Water cooling affords the ability to “tune” coolant temperature to some degree; if you decrease the flow rate you can essentially increase operating temperature. Similar to sizing a heatsink, except that it’s dynamic.
Here’s a quote from Nelson Pass:
“50-60 deg C is about where I run my case temps, and my
stuff has been optimized around that. It's hard to say
which temp is best, but Mosfets like lots of current and
voltage, so I always run them as hot as I can safely get
away with.”
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/mosfet-temperature-vs-quality.24396/
Interestingly, Water cooling affords the ability to “tune” coolant temperature to some degree; if you decrease the flow rate you can essentially increase operating temperature. Similar to sizing a heatsink, except that it’s dynamic.
I diddent model the internal piping on the heatsink no. But there will be a 40cm pipe on the inlet pipe. So the water discharges inside.. Allso the intire water system will only turn on after the sinks has hit 50c. and turn off again at 40-45 (dno yet. depends on the time it takes)
I dont think they are enouth to cool 600w passively. And the water was done to keep the amp at 50c. At all times. Bc. I diddent want to use noisy and ugley fans on the amp itself. i figured why not use what i had now that the idea was festering in my mind
remember the sinks are lying down. so thr passive cooling from the buttem and sides are minimal.
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and im sure a 120mm fan on each side was enough.. but. the coolness factor of that is marginal at best
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the placing of the fittings there dosent really matter. its water tight quick release.
a fair point.. tho the water loop has a very tiny air vent in the top of the reservoir
So, will the inlet pipe run the internal length of the heatsink tunnel? Then the outlet will mount to surface/plate. The coolant would be forced from one end of the tunnel to the other, this could work.