Ten ways to save money and lower data center energy consumption


Liquid immersion cooling helps servers chill out

Source:  Bob Fornal/Flickr

Mixing fluids with expensive enterprise-grade hardware typically gives a systems administrator nightmares. But the latest in liquid immersion cooling uses nonconductive, noncorrosive liquids that cover servers and other IT equipment to transfer heat away from components. As server racks become more concentrated with high-density configurations that feature hundreds of cores, immersive systems provide a more efficient cooling method for these hyperscale environments. With some modification, most vendor offerings will work with the existing rack servers in your data center.

Combined with a simple pump or a heat-exchanger system, immersion cooling, which uses mineral oil baths and other industrial cooling mixes, can save money not only on power bills but also computer room air conditioner maintenance. These immersive systems eliminate the need for air cooling and, due to their efficiency, also allow equipment to run at higher temperatures. For facilities in cooler areas, the heat can be removed from the immersive system and used to warm the rest of the building.

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