Liquid Cooling Technology Implications for AI-Era Data Center Designs

Recognizing how data center liquid cooling technology has taken the spotlight this year, in this episode of the Data Center Frontier Show podcast, DCF Editor in Chief Matt Vincent sits down with Mark Fenton, Sr. Product Marketing Manager for Cadence Design Systems; and Mark Seymour, Distinguished Engineer with Cadence and co-founder and CEO of Future Facilities, Ltd., a company specializing in digital twin technology for data centers, whom Cadence acquired in July of 2022. The discussion unpacks some of the implications of the rise data center liquid cooling technology for data center designs in the era of AI, as proclaimed earlier this month in the pages of VentureBeat. Here's a timeline of points discussed on the podcast: 1:06 - Transitioning to the "AI Era" of Data Centers? 2:06 - The Cloud and AI Are Absolutely Symbiotic 3:40 - Liquid Cooling Customers: Traditional vs. Now 5:43 - The Beauty of Direct Liquid to Chip Technologies 7:07 - The Issue with Rack Retrofits 8:17 - Timing of Liquid Cooling Imperatives for Data Center Design 11:02 - Cost Considerations for Liquid Cooling: Is PUE a Bad Premise? 13:13 - How Data Center Design Tools are Accounting for Liquid Cooling Technologies 14:40 - Digital Twins for Air Cooled vs. Liquid Cooling Data Centers 16:30 - Liquid Cooling Doesn't Stop Inside the White Space 17:31 - How Liquid Cooling Improves Sustainability and ESG for Data Centers 18:46 - Liquid Cooling Can Potentially Produce Higher-Quality Waste Heat 20:18 - The Holistic Efficiencies of Data Center Liquid Cooling 22:29 - From Opportunities to Challenges 23:32 - Data Centers Love a Silver Bullet 25:34 - Evolution of Data Center Liquid Cooling Designs 26:21 - The Problem Is Power Densities are Rising 27:36 - Drawing Distinctions for Immersion Cooling 29:35 - Immersion Cooling Maintenance Questions Here are links to some recent DCF articles on data center liquid cooling technology: Investors Are Warming Up to Liquid Cooling Liquid Cooling Is In Your Future. Are You Ready? How to Get Started on Your Immersion Cooling Journey Direct Liquid Cooling - The Ultimate Guide for Data Centers Liquid Cooling: Going Beyond Water Four Factors to Consider When Selecting the Right Glycol-Based Fluid for Liquid Cooling Why Liquid Cooling is Critical for Your Data Center's Future