Want to Avoid Tech Debt? Convert to Immersion Cooling

For data centers—especially hyperscale data centers—avoiding technical debt is critical.

As defined by Data Center Knowledge, technical debt (or simply tech debt) “arises when IT or development teams do not improve inefficient, outdated processes. Often, technical debt accumulates when teams consciously make a decision to choose a ‘quick fix’ to a problem as opposed to a comprehensive long-term solution.”

Technical debt may include the continued use of outdated equipment, hardware or software—all of which can lead to increasingly inefficient operation over time, and it may be incurred in some unexpected places.

One example is the method by which a data center maintains optimal environmental conditions within the facility. Progressively more powerful servers generate more and more heat, which must be kept in check with the right data center cooling system. 

But traditional air-cooling methods have struggled to meet the cooling requirements of data centers—particularly hyperscalers—creating a prime opportunity for tech debt to manifest. A more suitable solution is required to enable tomorrow’s data centers to meet their full potential. 

That solution? Immersion cooling. Read on to learn how immersion cooling has significant potential to help data centers of all sizes get more computing power, efficiency and uptime from their IT infrastructure while avoiding tech debt.

How Immersion Cooling Can Future-Proof Your Infrastructure

Data center operators and managers are always looking toward the future. It’s a necessity of the job—widespread remote working, the growth of artificial intelligence, and other drivers have fuelled unprecedented demand for cloud-based services and the physical infrastructure that makes it all possible. 

The numbers tell the story. Traditionally, server configurations reaching 10 kilowatts of power were considered high-density, but tomorrow,  can top out at 40 kilowatts—a number fundamentally untenable for traditional air-cooling methods. 

It’s here where immersion cooling demonstrates its potential. The technique, which submerges server hardware in a dielectric fluid, is gaining adoption as a practical option for overcoming data center heat issues and the subsequent loss of rack density. Enthusiasm for liquid cooling is being driven by forward-thinking data center operators, especially cloud service providers. Some of tech’s biggest leaders have been clear about immersion cooling: “The time is now.”

The potential benefits include: 

Greater power density. Immersion cooling enables data centers to house and maintain server infrastructure to deliver more computing density and meet increased demand.

Better Thermal Performance. Less equipment throttling or downtime is experienced in systems with effective thermal management fluids. Immersion systems can also extend IT equipment lifetime compared to air- and indirect-cooling systems by reducing server design complexity (e.g., no integrated fans required) and reducing operating temperatures to prevent thermal degradation of server components.

Improved PUE. By eliminating power-hungry air-cooling systems, immersion cooling allows facilities to boost their power usage effectiveness (PUE) by as much as 20% to 25% by diverting more kilowatt consumption directly to hardware.

Heightened Sustainability¹. Immersion cooling uses less water than other cooling solutions/technologies and eliminates fluorocarbon-based fluids (commonly used in two-phase cooling) that may have unfavorable global warming potential or chemical reactivity profiles.

By investing in immersion cooling systems today, data centers have the opportunity to future-proof their business by proactively preparing for next-generation servers. It’s an effective way to avoid costly tech debt that may hamper your operations in the future. What’s more, it’s a reliable way to enhance the effectiveness of your systems today, helping you get ahead of the competition. 

Interested in learning more?

CompuZol™ immersion cooling fluid solutions from Lubrizol can be a game changer for your operations, and the key to getting in front of tech debt before it happens. Our team of fluid engineers can help you implement an effective immersion cooling solution tailored to your needs, complete with high-performing fluids that are specifically tailored to the needs of modern IT infrastructure.  Contact your Lubrizol representative to find out how CompuZol can transform your data center operations today.

Learn more about immersion cooling solutions from Lubrizol

¹ Two-phase cooling will be hit by EPA rules and 3M's exit from PFAS "forever chemicals" - DCD (datacenterdynamics.com)