By Tassos Peppas, Regional Director, Middle East, Turkey & Central Asia at Vertiv.
In the era of rapid digital transformation, data centers play a crucial role in storing, processing and managing vast amounts of information. The sudden boom and reliance on IT services in the last few years has led to greater industry demands for data centers and hence, contributed to their complexity.
A data center houses equipment and IT systems that consume a large amount of energy and generate heat which needs to be countered by an efficient cooling system. The cooling system ensures that environmental conditions are kept in check to enable smooth operations.
Data centers consume a large amount of energy. This energy consumption is primarily by the servers processing data and applications, and also thermal management equipment needed to cool down the data center. With the rising volume of data, demand on data centers is increasing – according to sources, global data centers consume about 205 billion kWh which makes it one of the biggest concerns of the data center industry.
Given that 80% of the world’s energy comes from fossil fuels, increased energy demands have led to significant environmental problems. Hence, organizations around the world are realizing the importance of reducing their carbon footprint for optimal energy consumption, investing in energy efficient technologies.
Why is Data Center Cooling Important?
Thermal management is a vital part of data centers. Data centers are filled with racks of servers and other equipment that generate substantial amounts of heat during their operation. Excessive heat can damage sensitive components, degrade performance, and even cause system failures. Efficient cooling is crucial to maintaining optimal performance, prolonging equipment lifespan, and reducing energy consumption. According to research, the Global Liquid Cooling System Market size was estimated at USD 3,198.96 Million in 2020 and expected to reach USD 3,656.48 Million in 2021, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) 14.64% to reach USD 7,261.73 Million by 2026. Little attention was paid to liquid cooling benefits in the past but the growing energy consumption has made operators think twice about their power usage effectiveness (PUE).
“Today, the limitations of air processing in data centers are becoming increasingly evident. The demand for efficient and more sustainable cooling of high-density racks is reaching its peak, and traditional air-cooling systems are struggling to meet the challenge. That’s why data center operators are turning their attention to liquid cooling as a viable solution.” Noted Tassos Peppas, Regional Director, Middle East, Turkey & Central Asia.
Advancements in Liquid Cooling Technology:
Rapid digitization and increased efforts by organizations worldwide to reduce energy emissions are compelling companies to adopt liquid cooling units. Liquid cooling technologies offer a promising solution to overcome limitations of previously used traditional air-based cooling systems. Immersion cooling, which involves submerging servers in a dielectric liquid, allows for efficient heat dissipation and eliminates the need for traditional air conditioning systems. Direct-to-chip liquid cooling, on the other hand, involves circulating liquid coolant through microchannels integrated into the server components, enabling precise cooling at the source of heat generation. Direct to Chip utilizes Cold plates which attach directly to the high heat components such as CPUs, GPUs and accelerators, this method provides cooling locally to infrastructure, consisting of a copper plate with couplings, connectors and hoses to supply and return liquids. A coolant distribution unit (CDU) is used as an interface to the facility water system and the technology cooling system. A CDU is designed to manage high heat loads for accelerated compute and high-density data center environments, providing critical cooling capacity and heat removal functions. The CDU provides controlled, contaminant-free cooling liquid for heat exchangers, direct-to-chip, and immersion cooling devices.
A recently released paper by Vertiv and NVIDIA, Quantifying the impact on PUE and energy consumption when introducing liquid cooling into an air-cooled data center, showed a better than 15% improvement in total data center power usage effectiveness and a 10.2% reduction in data center power resulting from the introduction of liquid cooling. The availability of studies such as this can only increase the number of organizations integrating liquid cooling into their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) plans.
Energy Optimization Innovations and the Future of Data Center Cooling:
Advanced airflow management is another way to optimize cooling efficiency. The implementation of hot and cold aisle containment strategies, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations, and intelligent air distribution systems can minimize the mixing of hot and cold air, reducing energy waste and improving overall cooling efficiency.
Data centers are also deploying hybrid cooling systems that integrate liquid and indirect air cooling to achieve maximum cooling efficiency and flexibility. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) algorithms have revolutionized data center cooling management. These have the ability to dynamically alter and adjust cooling parameters, predict failures and identify areas of improvement which eventually lead to significant cost and energy savings.
“At Vertiv, we understand the importance of staying ahead of the curve with latest technologies. We have a comprehensive range of resources designed to help our clients navigate the complexities, opportunities, and technical requirements of liquid cooling. Our aim is to empower them to make informed decisions on how to implement and scale liquid cooling. With our expertise, customers can now unlock the full potential of liquid cooling and ensure optimal performances of their data centers,” said Tassos Peppas.
Top of Form Data center cooling is undergoing a transformative phase, driven by the need for enhanced energy efficiency, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness. The future of data center cooling lies in innovative technologies. By adopting these emerging solutions, data centers can tackle the challenges posed by high performance computing (HPC), optimize energy consumption, and ensure the reliable operation of critical digital infrastructure in the years to come.
