LIQUID COOLING FOR DATA CENTRES
Deploying liquid cooling When implementing liquid cooling, meticulous planning is crucial, considering factors such as facility layout, existing thermal management methods, workloads and financial constraints. The deployment process typically spans multiple stages: l Assess workload requirements: Before initiating the deployment, it's essential to evaluate current and anticipated workload demands. This assessment provides insights into the cooling capacity needed to support the system effectively l Conduct site audit: Teams undertake a comprehensive site audit to determine the feasibility of integrating liquid cooling systems into the existing infrastructure. This involves collaborating with partners and conducting computational fluid dynamics studies to analyse airflow patterns. Additionally, assessments of current air- cooling equipment are conducted to assess their compatibility with the new hybrid cooling setup l Utilise Flow Network Modelling (FNM): FNM plays a pivotal role in the selection of coolant distribution units, sizing of piping and evaluating the system's capability to accommodate server liquid cooling requirements. By employing FNM, teams can optimise the distribution of coolant throughout the infrastructure l Analyse Water and Power Usage Effectiveness (WUE and PUE): Evaluating WUE and PUE helps to optimise resource consumption and identify areas for efficiency improvements. Through careful analysis, teams can refine operations to enhance overall effectiveness l Assess Total Cost of Ownership (TCO): TCO studies provide insights into the long-term financial implications of deploying liquid cooling solutions. By considering factors such as equipment costs, maintenance expenses and energy consumption, organisations can make informed decisions to reduce operational costs l Model new infrastructure: Armed with data from the site audit and partner collaborations, IT and facility teams can proceed to model the new infrastructure within the available
A hybrid approach Ultimately, the adoption of liquid cooling heralds a new era in data centre thermal management, marking a significant leap forward in addressing the escalating demands of modern IT infrastructure. However, a hybrid approach to cooling, which combines air and liquid cooling technologies, is poised to be the way forward for most data to effectively remove the heat from the room and the racks centres in the future. In this way, the strengths of each cooling method can be leveraged to optimise thermal management in data centres, offering several key advantages. By strategically employing liquid cooling to target specific hotspots and enhance temperature control, this approach optimises efficiency and reliability in cooling systems. Leveraging liquid cooling's superior heat transfer capacity, the hybrid approach can support dense workloads without compromising performance while reducing overall energy consumption compared to conventional air only cooling methods. As data centre environments continue to evolve rapidly, remaining vigilant and proactive in exploring emerging technologies and innovative cooling solutions will be paramount. It is important to work with experienced providers that can provide consultancy and customised designs. A good example is how the University of Pisa collaborated with Vertiv to expand its infrastructure capacity to support High Performance Computing and AI. By embracing this forward-looking approach, organisations can navigate the challenges of the digital age and seize opportunities to drive sustained business growth and competitiveness in an increasingly dynamic marketplace.
A hybrid approach to cooling, which combines air and liquid cooling technologies, is poised to be the way forward for most data to effectively remove the heat from the room and the racks centres in the future. “
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space. This phase involves designing the layout for integrating liquid cooling components while optimising space.
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