Requirements for data centers’ infrastructure are growing more and more critical, making effective cooling solutions essential. Immersion and direct-to-chip cooling are two cutting-edge cooling methods that have become industry leaders. Although both promise increased effectiveness and performance, there are a few common misconceptions about both. We’ll explore these cooling techniques in detail in this blog, debunk popular myths, and provide a comprehensive knowledge of their benefits and drawbacks.
Immersion Cooled Server Vs. Direct to Chip Cooling at a glance
If you are still confused between the two cooling techniques, here is a quick view of both:
Immersion Cooling:
Servers are immersed directly in a pod containing a non-conductive dielectric liquid. The heat produced by the hardware is absorbed by this coolant and subsequently released by a heat exchanger or a dry cooler. This Dielectric is 1500 times more effective in absorbing heat than air hence translating to 90% reduction in electricity and water consumption.
Direct-to-Chip Cooling:
A cold plate that is directly linked to the chip is used for direct-to-chip cooling, often referred to as direct liquid cooling (DLC), in which a water-based coolant is circulated through the micro-channel of the heat sink directly attached to the CPU and GPU of the server.
We will discuss both in detail in our upcoming blogs. Firstly you need to get rid of the myths you have in your mind.
Read below!
Myths & Reality: Immersion Cooling Vs Direct-to-chip Cooling
Let’s take a few common misconceptions:
Myth #1: Direct-to-Chip Cooling and Immersion Cooling Are the Same
Reality: Despite using liquids to dissipate heat, immersion cooling, and direct-to-chip cooling are essentially distinct from one another.
In contrast to direct-to-chip cooling, which includes a water-based coolant flowing through a cold plate attached to particular components, immersion cooling immerses all server components in a pod-filled special dielectric liquid. Immersion cooling does not put your equipment at the risk of water damage.
Myth #2: Immersion Cooling is too expensive to implement
Reality: As immersion cooling has a very uncomplicated approach the components of the system are far lesser and work under low pressure as compared to DLC in turn making it cheaper to implement.
Myth #3: Immersion Cooling is unreliable and prone to leaks
Reality: As the system works under low pressure the chances of leaks are not there, but the same cannot be guaranteed in a DLC system as it functions under high pressure. Moreover, as dielectrics have been used as fire suppressors in data centers for a long time due to their property of absorbing heat without damaging the electronic hardware, any minor spill will not cause any damage. In the case of DLC, any leaks will be catastrophic.
Myth #4: Only High-Performance Computers can use Immersion Cooling
Reality: Immersion cooling is just another efficient technology that may be applied to any kind of computing. The technology’s affordability has increased, allowing it to be applied in a wider range of data center environments in addition to high-performance computing. DLC is still a capital-intensive technology
Myth #5: Immersion cooling has problems with compatibility and warranties
Reality: Immersion-ready servers are already available on the market. Furthermore, standard servers can be converted to immersion cooling by making just 2 changes, swapping out the fans and replacing thermal paste with indium. It’s that simple! Owing to better heat dissipation the life of the hardware increases by about 30%. In DLC only the CPU and GPU are cooled hence the rest of the system is exposed to dust moisture prone to oxidation and offers no product lifecycle benefits over air cooling.
Myth #6: The Heat Rejection Capability of Immersion Cooling Is Too High for Current Server Requirements.
Reality: The amount of heat transfer capability of immersion cooling is ahead of its time and the current cooling systems might be handling the present requirements of the bulk of low performance compute adequately but they consume a lot of water in the process. Immersion cooling Cuts fresh water usage by up to 90% which is a reason enough to switch.
Major Flaw: Direct-to-Chip Cooling Humidity Problems
After these common myths of Immersion cooling Vs. Direct-to-chip cooling systems, we would like to share a major flaw in the latter one:
The fact that direct-to-chip cooling is susceptible to condensation in humid settings is a major disadvantage. The sweltering weather in tropical nations like India might lead to condensation on the cooling plates, which could harm the hardware. Adding to the fact that DLC can only remove 70% of the total heat, Controlling humidity levels further necessitates extra energy use, which might offset direct-to-chip cooling’s efficiency advantages.
In the Nutshell:
Data center cooling technology has advanced significantly with the use of both immersion cooling and direct-to-chip cooling. Despite their differences in strategy and execution, Immersion cooling provides significant advantages over Direct-to-chip cooling and conventional air cooling techniques. For data center operators aiming to maximize their cooling techniques, they must understand these myths and adopt the facts to get the most effective and advanced Immersion technology for their data centers.
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