Liquid Cooling
Efficient solutions for racks with power densities up to 1.1 MW
Our Services
For power densities of 1.1 MW per rack, standard air cooling is insufficient, and dedicated liquid cooling infrastructure is mandatory. The primary solutions include:
Direct-to-Chip (DTC) Liquid Cooling
This is the most common and effective method for extreme densities. Coolant is circulated through cold plates that are mounted directly onto high-heat components like CPUs and GPUs. This method can manage thermal loads well over 200 kW and is proven to scale to 1 MW+ rack densities.
Rear-Door Heat Exchangers (RDHx)
These can be a part of a hybrid approach. They mount to the back of the rack and use chilled liquid to cool the air as it exits the servers, but for 1.1 MW, they are generally used in conjunction with more direct methods or for lower densities (up to 200 kW).
Immersion Cooling (Single-phase or Two-phase)
In this method, the entire server is submerged in a dielectric fluid. This technology is highly efficient and capable of handling extremely high densities, though it requires specific server designs and specialized infrastructure.
Key Components and Considerations
Coolant Distribution Units (CDUs): These units manage the flow and temperature of the coolant within the rack or row. Modular CDUs are available that can support a cooling capacity of over 1 MW or even 2.5 MW per module.
Power Infrastructure: Achieving 1.1 MW per rack requires a complete rethink of power distribution. Innovations like high-voltage direct current (HVDC) power distribution (e.g., +/-400 VDC or 800 VDC) are used to efficiently deliver such high power levels with minimal loss.
Efficiency: Liquid cooling for high-density racks significantly improves energy efficiency, potentially cutting cooling system power consumption and lowering the Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) compared to conventional air cooling.
In summary, for 1.1 MW per rack, robust liquid cooling solutions, particularly direct-to-chip or immersion cooling, are essential to manage the heat load effectively
FAQs
What is liquid cooling?
Liquid cooling uses coolant to remove heat from high-density racks efficiently.
Why not use air cooling?
Air cooling can’t handle power densities above 1.1 MW per rack effectively.
How does direct-to-chip cooling work?
Coolant flows through cold plates mounted on CPUs and GPUs, managing thermal loads over 200 kW and scaling beyond 1 MW per rack.
Rear-door heat exchangers cool air leaving the rack using chilled liquid.
Can these methods be combined?
Is liquid cooling mandatory?
For densities above 1.1 MW, liquid cooling is essential for safe operation.
Direct Cooling
Cold plates on CPUs and GPUs manage over 200 kW.
Rear Heat
Rear-door heat exchangers use chilled liquid to cool exhaust air, complementing direct-to-chip cooling for hybrid setups.
Hybrid Approach
Combining direct-to-chip and rear-door heat exchangers maximizes cooling efficiency for racks with densities up to 1.1 MW.
Gallery
Snapshots of our liquid cooling systems in action
