When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Heres how it works.
Microsoftrecently ended a project involving an underwaterdata center, opting for liquid cooling opportunities on land.
The core concept leveraging liquid for cooling definitely holds merit when applied within data centers.
Image Credit: Shutterstock
Liquid cooling offers a compelling alternative to traditional air-based methods.
It can enhance energy efficiency, reduce operational costs, and enable facilities to repurpose excess heat.
First, however, lets uncover the benefits of liquid cooling.
Distinguished Engineer at Cadence.
Keeping them cool is crucial for optimal performance.
Traditional air cooling can struggle to achieve this as heat generation andserverrack densities keep rising.
This is where liquid cooling shines.
Importantly, when combined with density, it is around 3,500 times the amount of energy per unit volume.
Air cooling can readily handle heat loads of up to around 20kW per rack.
Yet, like every innovation, there are still drawbacks to be considered.
Operational hurdles
Historically, liquid cooling has had potential electrical hazards.
Although the risk was relatively low, the perception, alongside practicalities, hindered liquid coolings widespread adoption.
These transformations have made this alternative option considerably safer, but many operators remain nervous.
This attitude is changing but is not the only barrier to adoption.
Another major challenge is adding liquid cooling to air-cooled data centers.
Coordination between air and liquid cooling systems is crucial for efficiency.
Making it work requires managing logistical complexities and typically significantfinancialinvestments.
Even when implemented in new facilities, liquid cooling introduces operational challenges that can lead to hidden costs.
Compared to air cooling, liquid cooling systems demand additional work during installation.
However, these challenges arent insurmountable, and operators have multiple options to navigate them.
There are two fundamental methods.
Typically, 10-20% of the heat must still be captured by air.
The other method is immersion cooling.
Not unlike air cooling, the systems design must ensure adequate flow of liquid adjacent to the electronics.
Both methods can use a single-phase cooling approach or a two-phase approach.
This offers great potential for high-densityapplicationsbut has additional challenges, including global warming potential and open systems.
With these options, choosing the right fit for a facility can be a complex decision.
Thats where digital twins virtual replicas of data centers can help operators make an informed choice.
The result is a tailored solution that meets specific heat load requirements.
Once liquid cooling is installed, digital twins also help identify areas for continuing improvement.
While the allure of underwater data centers once promised free cooling, the logistical reality has dampened its appeal.
However, conventional data center liquid cooling offers a promising alternative.
We’ve featured the best green web hosting.
The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc.
If you are interested in contributing find out more here:https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro
