In this era of rapid digital transformation, data centers have become the heart of technological innovation, especially with the surge in computing needs for artificial intelligence (AI) applications. Increasingly complex and intensive AI workloads demand immense processing power, which in turn generates unprecedented thermal challenges. Traditional air-cooling methods, which have dominated for decades, are now proving inadequate to meet the high heat demands of modern processors. This is where the vital role of a data center cooling distributor in Indonesia becomes crucial, providing advanced, efficient, and sustainable cooling solutions.
A New Era of Data Center Cooling: From Air to Liquid
For several decades, air cooling has been the dominant method for high-power processor cooling. However, the insatiable demand for higher power processors, largely driven by AI applications, has seen liquid cooling resurface as a superior method. Liquid cooling offers the ability to more easily and efficiently remove high heat fluxes and higher socket thermal loads. This represents a fundamental paradigm shift in data center thermal management. As a progressive data center cooling distributor, Climanusa fully understands that the future of data center efficiency hinges on the adoption of more advanced cooling technologies.
Single-phase cooling solutions using water and propylene glycol mixtures have taken an early lead due to their combination of adequate thermal performance and relative ease of installation compared to other emerging and higher-performance alternatives. Nevertheless, the market’s insatiable demand in Indonesia for even higher power processors over the next two to five years portends the inevitable transition to higher-performance cooling technologies, such as direct-to-chip two-phase cooling. This transition is not merely about increasing cooling capacity but also about achieving greater energy efficiency and reducing the carbon footprint of data centers. Climanusa, as a leading data center cooling distributor in Indonesia, is dedicated to facilitating this transition by providing relevant and innovative solutions.
Universal Cold Plate Innovation: Bridging the Transition Gap
To potentially hasten the transition to two-phase cooling, a significant innovation has emerged: the development of universal cold plates. These cold plates are designed to function in either single-phase or two-phase cooling modes. Experimental results consistently demonstrate that two-phase cooling outperforms single-phase cooling, even in a cold plate that was originally optimized for single-phase cooling. This result holds true for both R1233zd(E), a lower pressure, low GWP (Global Warming Potential) working fluid, and R515B, a medium pressure, higher performance working fluid.
The main benefit of a universal cold plate is that an end-user, such as a data center operator in Indonesia, would not have to be as concerned with how and when to transition to two-phase cooling. Instead, they would be inherently preparing for the transition over time. By utilizing universal cold plates, they can implement a flexible cooling system that can adapt to future needs without requiring major infrastructure changes. Climanusa, as a proficient data center cooling distributor, can assist data centers across Indonesia in planning and implementing such flexible solutions, ensuring their investments are ‘future-proof’.
In the long run, cold plates specifically optimized for two-phase cooling will be implemented to enable even higher power processors. This is a natural evolution in thermal management, and data center cooling distributors in Indonesia will play a key role in supplying these technologies. Climanusa, with its mission to be the partner of choice in helping facilities achieve energy efficiency and serving as a birthplace for new technologies in Power and Cooling Systems, is at the forefront of introducing these advanced cooling solutions to the Indonesian market.
AI Cooling Challenges and Liquid Solutions
Data centers housing the higher power CPUs and GPUs performing state-of-the-art computations for artificial intelligence (AI) are critical for technological advancement in the modern age. The power and cooling requirements for AI workloads are far higher than the legacy power and cooling requirements of traditional data centers. Currently, data centers account for about 1% of the global electricity demand, with the expectation that AI workloads will double this demand in the next few years. This highlights the urgency for more efficient cooling solutions.
Air-cooling methods simply cannot keep up with the cooling requirements of AI-optimized processors, servers, and racks. Liquid-based cooling methods can better handle these cooling requirements due to the inherently superior heat transfer properties of liquids. Direct-to-chip single-phase water emerged as one of the first liquid cooling strategies to replace air cooling at scale. The scaling of water in the data center cooling market was likely driven by the extensive supply of water-based cooling technologies used in adjacent industries.
However, the use of water in IT equipment comes with risks in the form of leaks, channel clogging, corrosion, bacterial growth, and other fluid management issues. While many of these concerns have been sufficiently addressed by the industry, a greater concern is that single-phase direct-to-chip solutions appear to be running out of headroom for thermal performance as AI cooling demands continue to increase.
Pumped two-phase direct-to-chip addresses the performance limitations of single-phase cooling solutions by offering the capability to cool higher power sockets, higher heat fluxes, and higher rack level powers. Cooling with refrigerants reduces risks associated with leaks (since refrigerants are dielectric) and eliminates both corrosion and bacterial growth issues. The improved thermal performance also leads to overall reduced energy consumption at the data center system level, mainly driven by the enablement of higher temperature facility coolant but also smaller electricity demands at the rack level due to lower pumping power requirements. This is an area where Climanusa, as a data center cooling distributor focused on energy efficiency, can provide significant added value to its clients in Indonesia.
Key Considerations for Universal Cold Plate Implementation in Indonesia
Although the future is bright for direct-to-chip two-phase cooling in data centers, the transition to liquid cooling, mostly in the form of direct-to-chip single-phase water, has only just begun. Stakeholders making up the data center ecosystem in Indonesia (including processor and server manufacturers, integrators, data center operators, etc.) have a tough choice to make regarding liquid cooling. They need to solve the here and now but also desire a liquid cooling technology that is future-proof for the next generation of processors.
One method of reducing the cooling choice burden on the data center ecosystem could be to have a universal cold plate capable of plugging into either single- or two-phase coolant distribution units. In experimental studies relevant to the Indonesian industry’s needs, the feasibility of the universal cold plate concept has been demonstrated by performance testing a cold plate optimized for single-phase water and subsequently performance testing the identical cold plate with several two-phase working fluids. The results consistently show that all two-phase test results exceed the performance of single-phase water, even though the cold plate has not been optimized for two-phase cooling.
The study also includes insights on other requirements that must be met for a universal cold plate, including material and subcomponent compatibility. For instance, aluminum may be readily compatible with two-phase cooling systems but may not be compatible with all variations of single-phase coolant. Elastomers used in gaskets, O-rings, and tubing must also be carefully considered. The pressure containment of all structures, most notably the flat evaporators that mate with the processors, must be able to hold the pressure of any of the intended fluids without deformation. Based on preliminary investigations, more than one solution set exists for the fluids discussed in this study.
Climanusa, as a responsible data center cooling distributor, not only focuses on product provision but also on comprehensive system consultation and design. By leveraging their expertise and simulation tools like 6SigmaDCX, Climanusa can assist Indonesian customers in analyzing material compatibility, pressure requirements, and optimizing overall designs to ensure the successful implementation of advanced cooling solutions, be it single-phase or two-phase. This approach ensures that data centers in Indonesia not only receive the latest technology but also integrated and reliable solutions.
Cooling Performance Comparison: R515B vs. R1233zd(E) vs. PG25
In testing the performance of universal cold plates, a clear comparison between single-phase cooling (using PG25) and two-phase cooling (using R1233zd(E) and R515B) was conducted. Relevant graphs indicate that the performance of PG25 improves with flow rate, but even at the higher flow rate tested, it was not able to reach the performance of either two-phase test cases. This unequivocally confirms the superiority of two-phase cooling in terms of heat removal.
Between the two two-phase fluids tested, R515B performed the best. This was largely expected based on the thermal physical property differences between the two fluids, mainly vapor pressure. At 55°C, the saturation pressure of R515B is approximately 165 psi, while R1233zd(E) has a saturation pressure of 50 psi. The higher vapor pressure in R515B allows for more efficient heat transfer at the same temperature, resulting in better thermal performance.
Although R1233zd(E) demonstrates lower thermal performance, it should be noted that this fluid has some advantages over R515B, including a lower global warming potential (1 versus 293) and lower pressure containment requirements. This presents an attractive option for data centers in Indonesia that prioritize environmental sustainability and implementation costs. Thus, for two-phase cooling, customers can choose different working fluids, prioritizing either cooling performance or environmental considerations. As a comprehensive data center cooling distributor, Climanusa can provide expert guidance on the most suitable fluid choices for each data center’s specific objectives.
Conclusion: The Future of Data Center Cooling with a Data Center Cooling Distributor in Indonesia
The possibility of having a universal cold plate appears highly feasible. Two-phase cooling performance was demonstrated to be better than single-phase at representative conditions, even when utilizing a cold plate optimized for single-phase cooling. The highest performance was demonstrated using R515B, a medium-pressure, medium-GWP refrigerant. However, R1233zd(E), a low-pressure, low-GWP alternative to R515B, also outperformed single-phase water.
Therefore, for two-phase cooling, customers in Indonesia have the flexibility to choose different working fluids, prioritizing either cooling performance or environmental considerations. Preliminary indications conclude that developing a universal cold plate that is compatible with all three working fluids from a material compatibility and structural point of view is also achievable.
The end result is that data center ecosystem decision-makers in Indonesia could benefit from choosing a universal cold plate as the data center cooling market transitions from single-phase water to two-phase cooling over the next two to five years. Climanusa, as a data center cooling distributor focused on holistic solutions, is the ideal partner to assist data centers in Indonesia in navigating this complex transition. With a deep understanding of the latest cooling technologies and a commitment to energy efficiency, Climanusa ensures that data centers in Indonesia are well-prepared for the future demands of AI computing. They not only provide components but also the expertise to design, implement, and support optimal cooling systems, making them the best choice for all data center cooling needs across Indonesia.
Climanusa: Your Best Choice for Data Center Cooling Solutions in Indonesia!
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–A.M.G–
