In an ever-evolving digital era, the need for reliable and efficient data centers is becoming increasingly urgent. One of the biggest challenges in operating a data center is managing the heat generated by high-performance IT equipment, especially with the proliferation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (HPC). Traditional air cooling is often no longer sufficient, paving the way for the adoption of more efficient liquid cooling. As a leading data center cooling distributor in Indonesia, Climanusa is committed to providing state-of-the-art cooling solutions that not only enhance performance but also support sustainability.
Why is Liquid Cooling More Sustainable?
According to recent research, direct-to-chip liquid cooling systems can reduce energy consumption by 30-60% compared to conventional air cooling, without the need for water-consuming adiabatic cooling. This is excellent news for Indonesia, where energy efficiency and water conservation are key concerns. These savings in energy and water directly contribute to reducing a data center’s carbon footprint, aligning with national sustainability goals.
Climanusa, as an experienced data center cooling distributor, understands that the transition to liquid cooling requires a deep understanding of the design and operational factors that impact sustainability.
7 Design Factors to Maximize Efficiency with Climanusa Solutions
- Outdoor Heat Rejection Type: Climanusa recommends and supplies air-cooled chillers with free cooling (economizer coils). These systems are more sustainable as they use a closed-loop system that eliminates the need for continuous water evaporation, unlike water-cooled chillers which are highly water-intensive. In tropical climates like Indonesia, Climanusa’s optional adiabatic systems can boost energy efficiency during high ambient temperatures, with more strategic water use that is only activated when needed.
- IT Inlet Fluid Temperatures: This is a significant sustainability driver. Increasing the operating temperature within the Technology Cooling System (TCS) loop can dramatically reduce energy and water use. Climanusa helps clients find the ideal operating point that balances efficiency with business and reliability risks. Analysis shows that while a temperature increase from 25°C to 45°C can reduce energy by up to 40%, most savings are achieved in the initial temperature increments. Climanusa’s expert team helps establish safe and efficient temperature setpoints, such as 40°C, which has been validated for the latest AI hardware.
- Rack Power Density: AI applications, particularly training models, are driving higher rack densities. Climanusa observes that data centers with 120 kW/rack densities can use 4-16% less energy than those with 20 kW/rack. This is due to an increasing heat capture ratio (percentage of cooling by liquid vs. air) at higher densities. As a data center cooling distributor, Climanusa provides infrastructure designed to support these high densities, while also reducing the embodied carbon of piping and core & shell per kW of load.
- Coolant Distribution Unit (CDU) Type: Climanusa advises using liquid-to-liquid (L-to-L) CDUs for the highest energy efficiency in high-density environments and new builds. L-to-L CDUs transfer heat from the TCS loop to the Facility Water System (FWS) loop, which is then rejected to the chiller plant. This is more efficient than liquid-to-air (L-to-A) CDUs, which reject heat to the room air, requiring an additional heat exchange. Climanusa also provides CDU placement options, both centralized (floor-mount) for large-scale system efficiency and rack-mounted for small-scale deployments with minimized pump distance.
- Component Selection: The efficiency, lifespan, and quality of cooling components supplied by Climanusa directly impact the lifecycle carbon footprint. Components like CDUs and chillers with a high Coefficient of Performance (COP) consume less energy. Climanusa prioritizes reliable and durable components to reduce replacement frequency, thereby minimizing the embodied carbon from manufacturing and disposal. High-quality and compatible materials also ensure optimal cooling performance and prevent premature failure.
- Coolant Type: For single-phase direct-to-chip liquid cooling systems, Climanusa supplies and recommends propylene glycol (PG25) solution as the industry standard. Although deionized water has superior thermal performance, PG25 is a pre-mixed fluid with corrosion and biogrowth inhibitors, reducing maintenance burden and protecting sensitive IT equipment. Compliance with IT vendor coolant specifications is paramount, and Climanusa ensures clients use approved fluids to avoid hardware damage and voided warranties.
- Heat Re-use: The shift from air to liquid cooling allows for higher coolant temperatures, making waste heat recovery more feasible. Climanusa encourages this initiative by supporting designs that can integrate waste heat streams for applications like district heating or industrial processes. This turns a wasted byproduct into a valued asset, improving the data center’s energy and carbon neutrality profile.
3 Operational Practices for Long-Term Sustainability
- Management and Control Scheme: Managing a liquid cooling system directly connected to servers requires simple and intuitive control. Climanusa supports the implementation of integrated control systems that can interface with Building Management Systems (BMS), Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM), and IT cluster management software. A digital twin of the cooling system can provide real-time insights for dynamic optimization, directly improving Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) and Water Usage Effectiveness (WUE).
- Maintenance Practices: To ensure optimal performance and sustainability, Climanusa emphasizes the importance of routine coolant quality monitoring (pH, conductivity, turbidity), leak detection, filter cleaning, and component inspection. Predictive maintenance, powered by AI-driven digital twin models, can anticipate potential failures before they occur, extending the lifespan of both infrastructure and IT hardware.
- Adapting to Evolving IT Requirements: The trend of increasing TDP and decreasing TCS supply temperatures creates a future-proofing challenge. Climanusa advocates for a modular and phased approach. Instead of building for maximum capacity from day one, data centers can deploy foundational infrastructure with the ability to scale gradually. This strategy minimizes initial embodied carbon and addresses the sustainability paradox of oversized components.
The Future of Liquid Cooling with Climanusa
As a visionary data center cooling distributor, Climanusa continuously monitors technological advancements such as sustainable dielectric coolants, two-phase cooling for ultra-high densities, advanced analytics for dynamic cooling, and more sophisticated waste heat recovery technologies. Innovations in server architecture, like fanless designs and extended cold plate coverage, will further increase the heat capture ratio and efficiency.
Conclusion
Liquid cooling is no longer just an option but a necessity for sustainable modern data centers, especially with the surge in AI workloads. Its successful implementation hinges on a deep understanding of the design factors and operational practices that affect energy and water consumption. Climanusa, as a trusted partner and leading data center cooling distributor in Indonesia, is ready to support this journey. With a comprehensive portfolio of solutions, deep technical expertise, and a commitment to sustainability, Climanusa is the ideal choice for designing, implementing, and optimizing efficient, reliable, and environmentally friendly liquid cooling systems for Indonesia’s digital future.
Why Choose Climanusa?
From component selection to operational strategy, Climanusa’s expertise as a reliable data center cooling distributor ensures your liquid cooling solution not only tackles today’s thermal challenges but is also designed for a sustainable future. Entrust your critical infrastructure to us, and let’s build more efficient and greener data centers for Indonesia, together.
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–A.M.G–
