Views: 0 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2025-06-05 Origin: Site
In the era of digital transformation, the explosive growth of artificial intelligence (AI) and big data has driven an unprecedented surge in computing power demand. Traditional air-cooled servers struggle to keep up with the heat generated by high-density workloads, leading to performance bottlenecks and energy inefficiencies. Liquid-cooled servers have emerged as a revolutionary solution, offering superior thermal management and energy savings. This article explores the key components of liquid-cooled systems and their critical roles in enabling next-generation data centers.
Liquid cooling leverages the superior thermal conductivity of liquids—approximately 25 times higher than air—to efficiently dissipate heat from servers. This technology is particularly vital for AI training, high-performance computing (HPC), and large-scale data analytics, where sustained high-performance computing generates intense heat. Compared to air cooling, liquid-cooled systems can reduce energy consumption by 30–50%, making them a key enabler for achieving green data center goals, such as China’s mandate to lower Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) to below 1.5 by 2025.
The CDU acts as the "heart" of a liquid-cooled system, regulating the flow of coolant to server components. It separates process fluids (used for cooling) from facility water, ensuring efficient heat exchange. CDUs come in two types:
Rack-mounted CDUs: Compact and ideal for small-to-medium data centers.
Cabinet-mounted CDUs: Larger units designed for high-density deployments in hyperscale facilities.
Leading suppliers include Emerson, Vertiv, and domestic players like Ingenuity and GaoLan.
Immersion tanks are the centerpiece of single-phase or two-phase liquid cooling systems. Servers are fully submerged in a dielectric coolant (often fluorinated liquids), which absorbs heat through direct contact. Two-phase systems, where coolant vaporizes and condenses, offer even higher efficiency but require precise pressure and sealing controls. Companies like ExxonMobil (with Intel) and domestic firms such as Luxshare Precision are pioneering innovative tank designs.
The coolant is the lifeblood of liquid cooling, requiring exceptional thermal conductivity, electrical insulation, and chemical stability. Fluorinated liquids are the gold standard due to their non-flammability and low viscosity. Chinese companies like Henghua and Xinyou are advancing coolant technologies to meet growing demand.
UQDs connect coolant hoses to server cold plates, ensuring leak-free and efficient fluid circulation. However, supply chain constraints have made UQDs a bottleneck in liquid-cooled server adoption. Global leaders like Parker Hannifin and domestic firms such as AVIC Optoelectronics are addressing this challenge with high-reliability designs.
The liquid-cooled server market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 54.7% from 2022 to 2027, reaching $8.9 billion in China alone (IDC). As AI workloads escalate, innovations in cooling fluids, UQD sealing technologies, and modular CDU designs will drive further adoption. Collaborations between upstream suppliers and server manufacturers will be crucial in standardizing liquid cooling solutions.
In conclusion, liquid-cooled servers represent a paradigm shift in data center thermal management. By mastering their core components—CDUs, immersion tanks, coolants, and UQDs—industry stakeholders can unlock the full potential of high-performance computing while advancing sustainability goals.
