Air & Liquid Cooling Systems for Data Centers
Maintaining efficient operational temperatures in data centers has evolved from traditional air-cooling methods to liquid cooling systems. Liquid cooling for data centers can better deal with the high thermal loads present in high-density centers. At Ryan Herco, we have been providing fluid handling solutions for over 65 years, and our expert technical staff can help you solve your unique application with the products to support your cooling application from the world-class suppliers you know and trust.
Air & Liquid Cooling Systems for Data Centers
There are several primary differences between air cooling and liquid cooling for data centers:
Air Cooling: Dissipates heat through air circulation. Cooling occurs at the server row or server rack level. Air cooling is generally highly scalable.
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Less efficient in high-density environments
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Lower installation costs; potentially higher operational costs
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Less complex equipment is easier to maintain
Liquid Cooling: This system absorbs and transports heat away with a liquid coolant (water or a specialized nonconductive liquid). These cooling systems typically remove thermal loads directly from the chips, commonly called chip-level cooling. Due to their more complex nature, these systems are more challenging to scale.
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More efficient due to higher thermal conductivity
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Higher initial investment; lower operational costs due to efficiency and reduced loads
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Advanced systems require specialized maintenance
Air cooling systems primarily use metals like aluminum, copper, and plastics. In contrast, liquid cooling systems rely heavily on copper, stainless steel, and specialized coolants, with some use of plastics.
Air Cooling vs. Liquid Cooling
Different types of data center air cooling include:
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Direct Evaporative Cooling: Air is directly cooled before it enters the data center, enhancing cooling efficiency and reducing the need for mechanical refrigeration
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Hot Aisle/Cold Aisle Containment: Servers are arranged in rows, with one side facing a cold aisle and the opposite facing a hot aisle. Rack-level cooling units and fans draw air from the cold aisles, pass it through the rack to cool the boards and components, and dispose of it into the hot aisles.
Liquid cooling for data centers primarily uses these methods:
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Immersion Cooling: Involves submerging servers or components in a nonconductive liquid coolant
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Direct-to-Chip Cooling: Uses liquid cooling systems to deliver coolant directly to CPU, GPU, and TPU processors themselves
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Rear-Door Heat Exchangers: Allows hot air from the servers to pass through liquid cooling units installed on the doors of the server racks
RHFS can help you identify cooling components or tailor liquid cooling solutions to meet the needs of your data center application. For example, high-density centers benefit most from immersion or direct-to-chip cooling, while medium-density centers favor rear-door heat exchangers or room-level cooling systems.
Benefits of Liquid Cooling
To maintain peak efficiency, the recommended ideal temperature of a high-density data center is 68 F to 75 F, while that for a low-density center is between 72 F to 80 F. Liquid cooling offers several benefits that help maintain the overall health of servers and storage systems:
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Greater cooling efficiency in high-density environments
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Lower power consumption leads to reduced energy costs
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Enhanced heat dissipation and uniform temperature distribution lead to higher performance and longer equipment lifespan
Successfully integrating liquid cooling into a data center involves the following:
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Carefully assessing the current infrastructure.
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Forecasting future growth and server density increases.
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Complying with industry standards and building codes.
Trust Ryan Herco for Your Air & Liquid Cooling Needs for Data Centers
In addition to fluid management and liquid cooling for data centers, Ryan Herco provides value-added services such as:
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High purity and industrial pump repair
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Custom systems for applications like pH neutralization and chemical dosing
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Custom fabrication using thermoplastic sheeting, metal sheeting, and fluoropolymer tubing
Contact one of our Technical Sales Representatives to discuss liquid cooling or to request a quote today.