Due to advances in high-performance computing (HPC), streaming, machine learning, and AI, we are currently experiencing a moment of technological convergence. A decade ago, IT racks consumed between 5 and 10 kW; some consumed as little as 1 kW. This range remained unchanged for a long time. However, the development of high-performance chips and AI-specific architectures has led to more powerful and denser systems meaning that racks can now easily exceed 100 kW with an energy consumption range of 400 and 600 watts. This leap forward brings with it a key challenge: dissipating the heat generated by these systems.
This has increased consideration of and adoption of new liquid cooling options, technologies that inherently dissipate heat more efficiently than traditional air cooling systems. Liquid cooling reduces energy consumption and improves capacity availability in electrical systems by lowering cooling infrastructure power usage by up to 30%, minimizing thermal throttling (a mechanism that reduces a processor’s performance to prevent overheating) that affects performance, and allowing for higher density deployments in data centers while maintaining optimal operating conditions for the hardware components.
Why use liquid cooling?
In the video podcast What is next? with Vertiv, which you can listen to here, Diego Corceiro, mechanical engineering manager at , explained that water has significantly higher thermal conductivity than air, making it a more efficient medium for dissipating heat. As CPUs and GPUs become denser and add more compute power per rack, space available for air intake is reduced and air circulation alone is insufficient. In this context, liquid cooling, particularly the direct-to-chip system, in which the fluid circulates through cold plates that distribute cooling across the chip, is an effective solution for managing these new high-thermal-loads components.
Liquid cooling offers several benefits, including greater thermal efficiency through water's superior heat transfer capabilities, , reduced energy consumption (fewer fans are needed, so less energy is used for air movement), high modular scalability (ideal for projects that grow in phases), a smaller physical footprint, and better environmental control (quieter and more energy-efficient systems).
Although liquid cooling technology is advancing rapidly, a hybrid liquid and air approach to cooling the data center is currently the most realistic option. For now, it is not feasible to cool 100% of a data center with water in most cases. At Vertiv, we see a combination of some rows with liquid cooling racks and others with traditional air solutions, such as Computer Room Air Conditioners (CRACs) or Air Handling Units (AHUs) which are specialized systems for temperature and humidity control in data centers.
Considerations for your liquid cooling strategy
If you are a new investor interested in building a robust, sophisticated, and secure data center in the region, learn about essential steps and best practices for addressing these new demands in our video podcast 'What's Next? with Vertiv Study the market. Who will your customers be? What loads will they handle? Without this clarity, your infrastructure could become obsolete in as little as two years.
- Design intelligently. With liquid cooling, you can reduce the number of racks needed and concentrate the load in a smaller space. This gives you the flexibility to start small and grow over time. However, you must consider the mechanical, electrical, and civil infrastructure from the beginning.
- Prepare for the future. If your goal is to build a modern site, integrate liquid cooling from the beginning. This includes understanding thermal requirements, building conditions, access points, energy efficiency, and more.
- Understand the customer: Some will only need liquid cooling in specific areas, while the rest will continue to operate with air cooling. The key is to calculate a well-planned payback period to enable a good return on investment.
If you have an existing data center, it can be adapted for high density compute as well. It is not just a matter of installing a cold water pipe, though. You also need to evaluate the automation system, electrical infrastructure, civil architecture, drainage points, and structural load on the floor, among other issues. It is not a simple or quick process, but it is feasible. This guide will show you how to implement it.
Due to the explosion of AI, HPC, streaming, and other services, keep in mind that demand will continue to increase: Liquid cooling is here to stay.
At Vertiv, our product and services teams offer the technical expertise to support the entire thermal management chain (air cooling, liquid cooling, and external heat rejection) and end-to-end power train. We can help you choose the right systems and components for your needs. We also provide remote monitoring, preventive maintenance, and troubleshooting services to keep your liquid cooling and power solutions running at peak performance. Get ready to implement liquid cooling here.
