Energy efficient pumps and the future of data centre cooling
With the accelerating demand for data centre capacity, the sector’s energy demands are growing at a colossal pace. The consequence, however, is carbon emissions that have surpassed those generated by the aviation industry, so it is essential that action is taken to reduce the industry’s energy usage. One solution is for data centres to adopt single-phase immersion cooling, which, when powered by high-efficiency pumps, can offer significant energy savings, as pumping specialist Crest Pumps explains.
A data centre is a facility that houses and manages a large amount of data and the IT infrastructure required to process and store that data. It is the backbone of the digital economy, supporting critical organisations, from hospitals to small businesses, and can vary widely in size, power requirements, redundancy needs, and overall structure. Without data centres, many of our daily digital activities would not be possible.
The data centre market is experiencing significant growth due to the increasing demand for digital technologies and cloud computing. As more businesses and individuals rely on cloud-based services and storage, the need to store and process this data is skyrocketing. The market size stood at $263 billion in 2022 and is expected to advance at an annual growth rate of 10.9% during 2022–2030. This growth is driven by the digitalisation of corporate operations and the increasing use of streaming, internet usage, and, of course, AI.
This substantial growth brings about the challenge of making data centres more energy efficient. Data centres consume an enormous amount of electricity, often 100 to 200 times more than standard office buildings, due to the high-power requirements of the servers and cooling systems. The recent annual electricity report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) says that globally, data centres consumed 460TWh of electricity in 2022, a figure that could rise to more than 1,000TWh by 2026.
History
Servers generate a lot of heat, and over the years, data centres have relied upon a variety of cooling methods to maintain the optimal temperature for equipment. In the early days, air conditioning units were the primary cooling method. However, these systems had limitations in terms of energy consumption and scalability, as they struggled to handle the increasing heat loads generated by modern equipment.
As technology advanced, raised floor cooling systems emerged, with cold air delivered through perforated floor tiles. While this improved energy efficiency, cooling high-density server racks effectively was still challenging. Hot aisle/cold aisle containment is another commonly used practice, segregating hot and cold air streams to minimise mixing and improve cooling efficiency.
Liquid cooling systems, such as chilled water or refrigerant-based systems, then became popular. These offered better heat dissipation capabilities but were complex and required additional infrastructure.
More recently, rear-door heat exchangers and direct-to-chip liquid cooling have been adopted for high-density computing environments, providing efficient cooling solutions for advanced data centres. However, these methods often require specialised equipment and maintenance, making them less accessible for smaller data centres.
Single-phase immersion cooling
In modern data centres, best cooling practices focus on energy efficiency, temperature control, and humidity management. Single-phase immersion cooling is a revolutionary method that involves immersing the data centre equipment in a fluorinert non-conductive liquid. This liquid efficiently absorbs and dissipates heat, providing a highly efficient cooling solution.
Single-phase immersion cooling offers superior cooling performance, reduced energy consumption, and improved reliability compared to traditional methods. Servers or IT components are fully submerged in a thermally conductive dielectric coolant. This coolant, which is in its liquid state, is circulated by a cooling distribution unit (CDU) to a heat exchanger outside the tank, where the heat is transferred to a secondary cooling circuit. The coolant is non-electrically conductive, ensuring it does not disrupt the servers’ function.
By eliminating the need for fans and air conditioning units, this cooling method significantly reduces energy consumption. According to industry experts, immersion cooling can achieve energy savings of up to 95% compared to traditional air-cooling systems with Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) values as low as 1.03, resulting in substantial energy savings.
Unlocking the power
The benefit of immersion cooling is that it eliminates the need for traditional air-cooling infrastructure, reducing capital expenditure and operational costs. This cooling method relies on the principle of direct liquid-to-heat contact, providing a more efficient and effective cooling solution for data centres. The main benefits of single-phase immersion cooling include:
Environmental: Immersion cooling uses less energy and can decrease carbon footprints by 40%, real estate footprints by 30%, and water use by an astounding 8 million gallons per megawatt.
Space: Immersion cooling allows for higher server density, saving space in high-density data centres.
Safety: The coolant used in immersion cooling acts as a fire suppressant, reducing the fire risk in the data centre.
Scalability: As data centres grow, so do their cooling requirements. Immersion cooling is easily scalable and can accommodate future growth and changes in cooling needs.
Single-phase immersion cooling enhances the reliability of data centre equipment. By providing precise temperature control, it reduces the risk of equipment overheating and failure. This improved reliability ensures uninterrupted operation and minimises downtime.
Optimising immersion cooling
Immersion cooling systems are designed to minimise energy consumption and maximise uptime, so it is crucial to choose a pump with the same ethos. The AVF-C pump by Assoma (available exclusively in the UK via Crest Pumps) is the first thermoplastic canned motor pump to exceed Europe’s highest MEI >0.7 energy efficiency standard.
The pump’s low power consumption, small footprint and fan-less design make it the ideal choice for immersion cooling and the model has already been successfully installed within Ali Baba and Intel systems.
By reducing energy consumption, data centres can significantly lower their operating costs and improve profitability. Investing in high-efficiency pumps is a strategic decision that saves money and contributes to a greener and more sustainable data centre industry, which is vital when the sector is under increasing pressure to reduce its environmental impact and comply with energy efficiency regulations.
Conclusion
As data centres continue to play a crucial role in our digital world, implementing effective cooling strategies is paramount. By implementing single-phase immersion cooling and utilising high-efficiency pumps to optimise temperature and humidity control, data centre managers can ensure efficient operations, minimise downtime, and reduce energy consumption.
