Wednesday, April 7th 2021
Microsoft Tests New Liquid Cooling System for The Data Center
Microsoft employees are trialing a novel new immersive cooling system for their data center servers involving boiling liquid. Microsoft has looked to this two-phase closed-loop system as a solution to increasing power requirements from components. The cooling system features large vats where servers are submerged in a specially designed fluid from 3M which is harmless to electronics and boils at just 50°C (122°F). The heat from the servers is transferred to the fluid which boils and carries the heat away without any risk of overheating. The vats each contain a condenser that comes in contact with the gas cooling it down into a liquid and falling back into the loop. Microsoft claims that this new cooling approach will improve efficiency and sustainability through increased utilization of resources.
Source:
Microsoft
21 Comments on Microsoft Tests New Liquid Cooling System for The Data Center
Der8auer offered also at that time some systems at Caseking with this principle but if I remember correctly the cost of one high end PC with such submerged liquid cooling was around 10k€. :oops:
He at that time said that servers use this.
So maybe it was not widespread in server and Microsoft want to bring it to next level now. :rolleyes:
news.microsoft.com/innovation-stories/project-natick-underwater-datacenter/
3M synthetic liquids immediately remind me of PFOA / C8 chemical scandal which can be found in multiple U.S. water sources.
It can cause multiple cancers. Some people who worked directly with the chemical died in just a few years.
www.britannica.com/event/Bhopal-disaster
[MEDIA=Youtube]YyKIZPuepl8[/MEDIA]
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/florida-reservoir-leaking-toxic-wastewater-demonstrates-decades-regulatory-failure-environmental-n1263089
2 phase cooling is when the liquid change phase (evaporate) then is condensed and put back in the loop.
Changing phase require a lot of energy. So when the liquid boil, it absorb a great deal of energy from the part you want to cool. (This is how humans cool themselves by sweating). And when the liquid condensate of it have to release a lot of energy. Vapors are easier to move around also.
But you are right, heatpipe are 2 phase cooler and they were around for quite some time. The difference here is the liquid isn't encapsulated into pipe. The whole system sit in it.
Servers
PC
The gist, it's expensive AF, liquid gold levels of expensive.
I think the only twist that MS is bringing is that it's a condensing closed system, making sure you don't lose the liquid gold to evaporation
We had to cool the batteries with this stuff "3m Novec 7300" . I Think one Liter cost 110-130€
A fluid like this has to be used in a condensing closed system - there simply is no other option when you're working with a fluid close to its boiling point. The datasheet indeed suggests that the fluid can also be used in single-phase systems - but the super low boiling point is one of the characteristics that make it super expensive, and why would anyone buy it and then not make use of evaporation?