United States. Cargill, a specialty food company, has launched a plant-based dielectric immersion refrigerant fluid for use in data centers, cryptocurrency mining and other advanced applications that enable a more sustainable and efficient way to cool electronic systems, dubbed NatureCool 2000.
"Immersion cooling is the new frontier of technologies enabling more efficient, higher-performance systems that also help make the IT industry more sustainable," said Kurtis Miller, head of Cargill's bioindustrial business. "In the last 10 years alone, data center energy usage has increased from several hundred kilowatts to several hundred megawatts, an increase of more than 1000 times. As chip density continues to increase and the amount of data generated seems endless, we need to find more efficient and sustainable ways to operate these complex systems."
Cargill's fluid, made with more than 90% vegetable oil plus performance-enhancing additives, has more than 1,000 times more cooling capacity and up to 60% less energy use compared to conventional air cooling. The fluid is CO2 neutral, with a global warming potential (GWP) of zero.
According to Cargill, NatureCool 2000 has a 10% higher heat capacity than the main synthetic immersion cooling fluids, making it a higher performer. It also provides a superior level of fire safety with a very high flash point of 325°C, the company said. Unlike synthetic fluids, the NatureCool fluid doesn't turn on on its own and turns off after the heat source is removed, he said.
Data centers account for nearly 3% of global electricity used and more than 2% of total greenhouse gas emissions, as much as the carbon footprint generated by the entire airline industry.
Compared to conventional air cooling with HVAC systems, immersion cooling immerses servers in a non-conductive liquid bath, allowing the thermal heat generated by computer components to be transmitted to the fluid and cooled. This method greatly reduces power usage, extends equipment life, supports higher chip densities, and reduces overall operating cost.
Source: Fuelsandlubes.
