Tue, 23 Dec 2025

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 The showers and baths keeping data centre tech cool

Finding greener ways to keep giant new data centres cool is a challenge.

* Liquid cooling firm Iceotope says its technology can reduce energy demands by up to 80% and uses water in a closed loop, eliminating the need for constant supply.
* The company's CEO, Jonathan Ballon, notes that traditional air cooling methods are no longer sufficient for some operations due to increasing chip power.
* Iceotope's system uses oil-based fluid interacting with computer tech, which is cooled down by water, reducing the risk of overheating and energy consumption.
* Other companies are exploring alternative cooling methods, including microfluidics and pore-filled membrane-based technologies.
* Researchers have developed new ideas, such as a two-phase cooling system using refrigerants that do not contain PFAS chemicals.
* Firms like Microsoft have experimented with subsea data centres and liquid-based cooling ideas but ultimately concluded they were not economically viable.
* Industry experts emphasize the need for innovative cooling solutions due to rising demand for AI technologies and concerns about energy consumption and environmental impact.
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