2-PIC: Revolutionizing Data Center Cooling for Enhanced Performance and Sustainability
Importance of Improved Cooling
High-powered computing and unprecedented processing speeds have become essential for the operation of businesses, governments, organizations, and other entities vital to today's communities. These capabilities are now crucial across various sectors, including healthcare, finance, economic development, security, entertainment, and education. Delivering these services effectively hinges on the ability to acquire, store, and process data swiftly and reliably. This necessity continues to grow, with a U.S. Market report from Newmark projecting that "The U.S. data center footprint will absorb 35 gigawatts by 2030," more than doubling the power consumption of 2022.
When thinking of data centers, companies like Microsoft, Google, Meta, and Amazon often come to mind. However, enterprise data center operators, including governments, military, financial institutions, healthcare systems, and educational institutions, also rely heavily on high-performance computing. These operators provide essential services daily, ensuring our information remains secure and accessible. The increasing demand for AI, streaming, and other services is driving data center needs even higher.
As a result, next-generation chips, such as GPUs and CPUs, are being developed to meet these demands. These chips generate significantly more heat than their predecessors, and traditional air-cooled systems cannot manage this heat effectively. This situation necessitates innovative cooling solutions, such as liquid cooling.
The Emergence of Liquid Cooling
Interestingly, liquid cooling technology dates back to the 1940s when it was used to cool high-voltage transformers. In the 1960s, IBM introduced a direct liquid cooling system, popular until the 1980s when more energy-efficient chip technology made air-cooling systems more effective. However, with the significantly different needs of the 2020s, the industry has returned to liquid cooling to meet modern cooling requirements and address the high energy and water consumption of air-cooling systems.
Liquid cooling can remove heat more efficiently than air cooling by using liquids like water or dielectric fluids. These liquids cool heat-generating components of servers either directly or through a heat exchanger. Liquid cooling systems come in two types: single-phase, which uses a pump to circulate liquid through a closed-loop system, and two-phase, which uses a refrigerant that evaporates and condenses to absorb and release heat.
Why Two-Phase Immersion Cooling (2-PIC)?
Two-Phase Immersion Cooling (2-PIC) is gaining significant attention in the industry. In spring 2021, Microsoft became the first cloud provider to use 2-PIC in a production setting. With 2-PIC, server racks are submerged in a tank filled with a dielectric fluid. The fluid boils when heated by server components, creating bubbles that rise and condense in a heat exchanger. Gravity then returns the condensed fluid to the tank, forming a natural circulation loop without needing pumps or fans.
2-PIC is emerging as a crucial solution for the cooling demands of high-powered computing components. It offers numerous benefits beyond superior cooling capabilities. The combination of 2-PIC technology and the right dielectric fluid provides enhanced cooling performance, supports environmental initiatives, and offers cost savings. Industry models predict that 2-PIC can reduce cooling energy consumption by 90% compared to current air-cooled solutions. This reduction eliminates the need for air conditioning, fans, pumps, and other equipment, lowering the overall power usage of data centers. The dielectric fluid's higher heat capacity and thermal conductivity allow it to transfer more heat with a smaller temperature difference, improving the cooling system's performance coefficient.
Enhanced Performance and Reliability
Implementing 2-PIC enables servers to run at higher temperatures and power densities while minimizing the risk of overheating. This improvement boosts both the computing performance and reliability of data centers.
Reduced Physical Footprint
This technology decreases the amount of space needed for cooling equipment, allowing for more floor area to be dedicated to servers and increasing the rack density within data centers. Additionally, the use of dielectric fluid eliminates the need for raised floors, suspended ceilings, and plenums, simplifying data center design and construction.
Lower Water Consumption
Depending on the location and cooling design of the data center, water consumption can be significantly reduced or even completely eliminated.
Extended Equipment Lifespan and Reduced Maintenance Costs
Operating in a cooler environment leads to less wear on components, potentially extending their lifespan. The dielectric fluid used in 2-PIC also provides electrical insulation and protects against dust, humidity, and corrosion, which can further reduce maintenance costs, as noted by Forbes.
Circularity and Decarbonization
Unlike single-phase liquid cooling that typically uses hydrocarbon-based oils, 2-PIC fluids utilize hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs). These fluids can operate with minimal leaks and allow for the reprocessing and reuse of existing fluid, thereby reducing environmental impact and maximizing circularity.
Transitioning to 2-PIC
Considering the performance and cost advantages of 2-PIC over traditional air-cooling systems and single-phase liquid cooling, as well as its support for global sustainability and decarbonization goals, it’s clear why there is a growing interest in this advanced technology. As with any major technological shift, data centers will need to transition gradually. Each organization must decide the optimal time to invest in 2-PIC systems based on their resources, data storage and processing needs, and sustainability commitments. With 2-PIC technologies set to become more prevalent in the coming years, now is the time to educate yourself, assess options, and begin planning for future growth.
High-powered computing and unprecedented processing speeds have become essential for the operation of businesses, governments, organizations, and other entities vital to today's communities. These capabilities are now crucial across various sectors, including healthcare, finance, economic development, security, entertainment, and education. Delivering these services effectively hinges on the ability to acquire, store, and process data swiftly and reliably. This necessity continues to grow, with a U.S. Market report from Newmark projecting that "The U.S. data center footprint will absorb 35 gigawatts by 2030," more than doubling the power consumption of 2022.
When thinking of data centers, companies like Microsoft, Google, Meta, and Amazon often come to mind. However, enterprise data center operators, including governments, military, financial institutions, healthcare systems, and educational institutions, also rely heavily on high-performance computing. These operators provide essential services daily, ensuring our information remains secure and accessible. The increasing demand for AI, streaming, and other services is driving data center needs even higher.
As a result, next-generation chips, such as GPUs and CPUs, are being developed to meet these demands. These chips generate significantly more heat than their predecessors, and traditional air-cooled systems cannot manage this heat effectively. This situation necessitates innovative cooling solutions, such as liquid cooling.
The Emergence of Liquid Cooling
Interestingly, liquid cooling technology dates back to the 1940s when it was used to cool high-voltage transformers. In the 1960s, IBM introduced a direct liquid cooling system, popular until the 1980s when more energy-efficient chip technology made air-cooling systems more effective. However, with the significantly different needs of the 2020s, the industry has returned to liquid cooling to meet modern cooling requirements and address the high energy and water consumption of air-cooling systems.
Liquid cooling can remove heat more efficiently than air cooling by using liquids like water or dielectric fluids. These liquids cool heat-generating components of servers either directly or through a heat exchanger. Liquid cooling systems come in two types: single-phase, which uses a pump to circulate liquid through a closed-loop system, and two-phase, which uses a refrigerant that evaporates and condenses to absorb and release heat.
Why Two-Phase Immersion Cooling (2-PIC)?
Two-Phase Immersion Cooling (2-PIC) is gaining significant attention in the industry. In spring 2021, Microsoft became the first cloud provider to use 2-PIC in a production setting. With 2-PIC, server racks are submerged in a tank filled with a dielectric fluid. The fluid boils when heated by server components, creating bubbles that rise and condense in a heat exchanger. Gravity then returns the condensed fluid to the tank, forming a natural circulation loop without needing pumps or fans.
2-PIC is emerging as a crucial solution for the cooling demands of high-powered computing components. It offers numerous benefits beyond superior cooling capabilities. The combination of 2-PIC technology and the right dielectric fluid provides enhanced cooling performance, supports environmental initiatives, and offers cost savings. Industry models predict that 2-PIC can reduce cooling energy consumption by 90% compared to current air-cooled solutions. This reduction eliminates the need for air conditioning, fans, pumps, and other equipment, lowering the overall power usage of data centers. The dielectric fluid's higher heat capacity and thermal conductivity allow it to transfer more heat with a smaller temperature difference, improving the cooling system's performance coefficient.
Enhanced Performance and Reliability
Implementing 2-PIC enables servers to run at higher temperatures and power densities while minimizing the risk of overheating. This improvement boosts both the computing performance and reliability of data centers.
Reduced Physical Footprint
This technology decreases the amount of space needed for cooling equipment, allowing for more floor area to be dedicated to servers and increasing the rack density within data centers. Additionally, the use of dielectric fluid eliminates the need for raised floors, suspended ceilings, and plenums, simplifying data center design and construction.
Lower Water Consumption
Depending on the location and cooling design of the data center, water consumption can be significantly reduced or even completely eliminated.
Extended Equipment Lifespan and Reduced Maintenance Costs
Operating in a cooler environment leads to less wear on components, potentially extending their lifespan. The dielectric fluid used in 2-PIC also provides electrical insulation and protects against dust, humidity, and corrosion, which can further reduce maintenance costs, as noted by Forbes.
Circularity and Decarbonization
Unlike single-phase liquid cooling that typically uses hydrocarbon-based oils, 2-PIC fluids utilize hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs). These fluids can operate with minimal leaks and allow for the reprocessing and reuse of existing fluid, thereby reducing environmental impact and maximizing circularity.
Transitioning to 2-PIC
Considering the performance and cost advantages of 2-PIC over traditional air-cooling systems and single-phase liquid cooling, as well as its support for global sustainability and decarbonization goals, it’s clear why there is a growing interest in this advanced technology. As with any major technological shift, data centers will need to transition gradually. Each organization must decide the optimal time to invest in 2-PIC systems based on their resources, data storage and processing needs, and sustainability commitments. With 2-PIC technologies set to become more prevalent in the coming years, now is the time to educate yourself, assess options, and begin planning for future growth.
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