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Data sector growth is skyrocketing, with the global data center market estimated to reach as much as $143.4 billion by 2027. This isn’t surprising when you consider that data centers fuel the devices that keep the world turning, from smartphones to autonomous vehicles. However, data centers are notorious for their incredibly high energy consumption and water use. Recently, data center experts have employed a surprising new technology to work toward efficiency: immersion cooling. Read on to find out why this type of cooling could be the key to more sustainable, cost-effective data centers.

Immersion Cooling: What It Means for Data Centers

What Is Immersion Cooling?

Immersion cooling involves physically submerging servers, computers, or computer components in a unique type of liquid known as a dielectric coolant. This type of coolant is thermally conductive, but not electrically conductive, which means it is completely safe for the cooling of sensitive data center hardware. This type of cooling originated as a method to cool large power system components like transformers, but it’s becoming more popular in the data center sphere. Think of it this way: Currently, most data servers and large pieces of IT hardware require fans to keep cool. Without the use of fans, these components would quickly overheat. Immersion cooling doesn’t require the use of fans; instead, it transfers the heat from the electronic components to the conductive liquid, which is then carried away from the equipment. This reduces the overall energy use that occurs in data centers.

Benefits for Data Centers

There are several benefits of immersion cooling for data centers:

• Geographic flexibility: Immersion cooling offers consistent results regardless of location or climate, allowing for more flexible data center deployment.
• Lower operational costs: Immersion cooling is highly efficient, often eliminating the need for complex airflow management or air-cooling infrastructure like built-in chillers. This helps reduce overall electricity costs for data centers of all sizes.
• Reduced impact on climate: This type of cooling is undeniably more sustainable than traditional data center cooling methods. It’s power-efficient. Additionally, there are several ways to reduce or eliminate water waste through the use of dry coolers.

Types of Immersion Cooling

Single-Phase

The different types of immersion cooling are best understood in “phases.” In single-phase cooling, the cooling fluid remains in its “liquid phase,” meaning that the IT components are directly immersed in the heat transfer liquid. A sealed enclosure protects the components, allowing the heat to transfer to the liquid surrounding the component.

Two-Phase

In two-phase cooling, the equipment is submerged into a bath of dielectric heat transfer liquid, which has a low boiling point of about 50°C. The heat from the components produces a vapor that rises from the liquid. The rising vapor then passively transfers the heat away from the components. Finally, the vapor condenses within the tank, creating a liquid exhaust that flows out of the data center as the components cool.

Direct-to-Chip Cooling

Direct-to-chip cooling is a bit different in the sense that it can be implemented using either single-phase or two-phase technologies. This type of immersion cooling releases heat by pumping fluid through cold plates that are attached directly to the data center components. Direct-to-chip cooling may involve either dielectric or non-dielectric fluids.

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Immersion cooling is just one of the technologies available to create more sustainable data centers. At Positronic, we’re proud to stay on the cutting edge of technologies like this one, which allow emerging sectors to work toward efficiency and sustainability.

At Positronic, we believe in crafting versatile, high-quality connectors. Our design and manufacturing processes meet and often exceed our customers’ needs for quality and reliability. And to suit the needs of our varied customers, we have a plethora of options available. If you would like to request product recommendations, locate a sales agent, ask a technical question, or simply request a quote, please contact Positronic today.