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What is liquid cooling and why is the technology suddenly so relevant for data centers? This post was submitted by Schneider Electric. Due to the relevant perspective and
What is liquid cooling and why is the technology suddenly so relevant for data centers?
This post was submitted by Schneider Electric. Due to the relevant perspective and topicality of the topic, the editorial team publishes it in its entirety on ITdaily.
Data centers have always relied on air-cooled servers for computing power, but the acceleration of AI deployments is now leading to a move toward liquid cooling. Training AI requires a significant increase in computing power, requiring chip designers to improve thermal design capabilities. This is the maximum amount of heat generated by a processor that must be dissipated by a cooling system to prevent overheating.
Because chips give off more heat, air cooling is ultimately not enough, which is why liquid cooling is a better option for AI servers. Liquid cooling is not new; After all, it has been used in high performance computing (HPC) for years. Still, traditional data center environments must adapt to the shift to liquid cooling to meet the demand for AI.
Here you will find the most frequently asked questions and answers about AI and liquid cooling:
The growing interest of companies in implementing AI applications requires more liquid-cooled servers. Liquids dissipate heat better than air and many new chips for AI solutions cannot be sufficiently cooled with air. Therefore, data center administrators must quickly build infrastructure to support liquid-cooled servers.
The most popular variant is to attach a cooling plate to a processor or memory, for example. Water with a special composition is passed through the plate, absorbs the heat and then transports it through a TCS (Technology Cooling System) circuit to a coolant distribution unit (CDU) with a heat exchanger that removes the heat. Although a water-based liquid is most commonly used, a specially designed liquid that boils in the cooling plate and then condenses in the CDU can also be used. Although cooling plates dissipate most of the server heat via liquid, air cooling is still required.
Another method is Immersion coolingThis involves placing a server in a case or tank that is filled with a dielectric fluid to cool the entire server. This dielectric fluid is typically a synthetic oil that dissipates heat. Although this method is currently not as popular as the heat sink, there are advantages. With immersion cooling, no airflow is required through the server, ensuring high thermal stability throughout the server.
It is best to connect a CDU (Coolant Distribution Unit) to an existing water system (circuit) of your data center, building or facility to allow heat from the Technology Cooling System (TCS) circuit to flow directly to the cooling system of the data center, building or installation Plant can work. If connection to the existing water system is not available, a data center operator can deploy a CDU that discharges liquids into the air. When building new data centers, the water systems can be immediately designed so that they are fully suitable for liquid cooling upon commissioning.
A CDU, or coolant distribution unit, controls the temperature, chemical composition, and flow of the fluid to the server being cooled. The function of a CDU is similar to that of a transformer that regulates voltage. In this case, the CDU uses a heat exchanger and pumps to regulate the flow and temperature of the fluid sent to the equipment for cooling. The CDU also isolates the TCS (Technology Cooling System) circuit from the data center, facility or building systems via an integrated “liquid-liquid” or “liquid-air” heat exchanger.
Data centers will not be 100% liquid cooled, although liquid cooling is increasingly becoming so must Used in high density environments. The challenge for designers is to ensure their cooling systems are flexible. This will soon become easier as cooling systems will come onto the market that allow switching between air and liquid cooling. This not only provides the necessary flexibility, but also increases efficiency and supports sustainability strategies for data centers.
Yes, but this depends on the server requirements and climate of the data center location. Free cooling uses outside air to lower the temperature of the liquid used for cooling. Using outside air is a more economical cooling method and is suitable for locations with lower temperatures. However, the water used to cool chips does not have to be cold; Temperatures above 37°C are still acceptable depending on the processor. This means free cooling is possible even in warmer climates, helping to control data center cooling costs and promoting sustainability.
This post was submitted by Schneider Electric. Due to the relevant perspective and topicality of the topic, the editorial team publishes it in its entirety on ITdaily. Schneider Electric has also published a white paper on “Navigating Liquid Cooling Architectures for Data Centers with AI Workloads.”
Source: IT Daily
As an experienced journalist and author, Mary has been reporting on the latest news and trends for over 5 years. With a passion for uncovering the stories behind the headlines, Mary has earned a reputation as a trusted voice in the world of journalism. Her writing style is insightful, engaging and thought-provoking, as she takes a deep dive into the most pressing issues of our time.
