F E A T U R E in which to be housed, meaning that enlarging a CRACs system to cope with a more complex and a bigger facility can be expensive.

What’ s more, higher density racks in data centres, can result in CRACs and Fan Walls becoming less effective in response to resultant changes in data centre design.

With these factors in mind, the future of efficient and cost-effective cooling potentially lies in what are known as liquid-to-chip systems. This approach sees a liquid coolant circulated directly to processors via cooling distribution units, which then absorb the heat before ejecting it.

Liquid-to-chip cooling systems require a significantly lower amount of energy, since water has a higher thermal capacity than air, allowing for faster and more effective heat dissipation.

They are also more compact because they cool components directly. There is no need for the large ducts and raised access floors required by CRACs. As liquid-to-chip cooling systems can also handle higher thermal loads, data centres can then install more processing equipment into their facility.

As data centre hardware becomes more powerful and energy-intense, liquid-to-chip systems could provide a scalable solution to manage an increased heat load.

Both traditional CRACs and liquid-tochip cooling have their place in the data centre market. The former is a dependable, easy to maintain solution for low to medium density data centres. In contrast, liquid-to-chip provides better energy efficiency and higher density cooling for more advanced and hyperscale data centres.

10 ways data centres can reuse their heat energy

1. District heating systems: Capturing heat to warm water that is then circulated to nearby residential, commercial, or public buildings for space heating and hot water.

2. Industrial processes: Supplying heat for industrial applications requiring hot water or steam, such as preheating

water for cleaning, sterilisation, or other manufacturing processes.

3. Agricultural applications: Using heat to maintain optimal temperatures in greenhouses for growing crops, extending the growing season, or even for indoor farming initiatives.

4. Aquaculture: Warming water in fish farms to create ideal conditions for fish growth, potentially even in colder climates.

5. Material drying: Employing the heat to dry materials like wood, agricultural products, or other industrial goods before processing or packaging.

6. Absorption cooling: Using the heat to power absorption chillers, which can then provide cooling for the data centre itself or nearby buildings.

7. Electricity generation: In some cases, high-temperature waste heat can be used with Organic Rankine Cycle( ORC) systems to generate electricity.

8. On-site heating: Using recovered heat to warm office spaces, server rooms( in colder climates), or other areas within the data centre facility itself.

The cost of liquid cooling

However, there are certain caveats. While liquid-to-chip cooling offers a path towards a more sustainable future, careful consideration is required when planning an installation programme. Navigating and mitigating the costs of upgrades demands considerable skill and know-how.

As this is an emerging technology, there are currently fewer vendors, which can make for potentially higher upfront costs. However, the payback in terms of lower energy bills ought to be worth the effort. While CAPEX spend can be high, eventual annual operating costs could be as much as 10 % lower.

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