Dr. John Summers demonstrates the Icetope liquid cooling system by submerging an iPhone in the 3M Novec solution. (Video: University of Leeds)
Researchers at the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom have developed a cooling method that they claim reduces energy consumption for cooling by 80 to 97 percent by immersing server components in an electrically non-conductive liquid solution.
While the concept of liquid cooling has been explored previously as an option for cooling electronics, the new liquid cooling system, known as 3M Novec, approaches the idea from a new angle. Because 3M Novec does not conduct electricity, the liquid coolant can be in direct contact with server components without causing a short circuit, allowing for a greater amount of heat to be pulled away from the server more efficiently without the need for additional pumps, fans and air conditioning units.
“The liquid we are using is extraordinary stuff. You could throw your mobile phone in a tub of it and the phone would work perfectly. But, the important thing for the future of computing and the internet is that it is more than 1,000 times more effective at carrying heat than air,” Dr. Jon Summers of the University of Leeds’ School of Mechanical Engineering said.
Dr. Nikil Kapur, also of the University of Leeds’ School of Mechanical Engineering, suggests additional uses for the new cooling system. “[Because] it does not interact with its environment in the way an air-cooled server does, you could put it in an extreme environment like the desert. It is also completely silent. You could have it on a submarine or in a classroom.”
For more information, visit The University of Leeds.
