Immersion Cooling

Sustainability in the Age of Digital Growth: The Sandia National Laboratories Example

September 26, 2024

0 min read

Immersion cooling technology can cut energy consumption in data centers by over 50% while turning server heat into reusable energy.

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In today’s fast-paced digital world, data is at the heart of nearly everything we do—from streaming your favourite shows to driving AI and managing global logistics. Data centers make all this possible, storing and processing vast amounts of data being produced every second. But behind their walls lies a growing challenge that could impact the future of both technology and the planet. 

Data centers, while essential to keeping our digital world running, are also some of the largest consumers of energy. And as our thirst for data continues to grow, so does the environmental burden. This raises a pressing question: how can we keep pushing the boundaries of technology without pushing the planet to its limits? 

Data Centers and the Energy Puzzle 

Data centers are key to our digital infrastructure, but they come with their own share of challenges. According to the International Energy Agency, they currently consume over 250 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity each year, accounting for about 1% of global electricity demand. While this may not sound alarming, the skyrocketing rate of data generation means that energy consumption in these facilities could rise to as much as 8% by 2030.  

The United States plays a critical role in this landscape, housing nearly half of the world’s data centers. While the U.S. is a leader in data management and tech innovation, the growth of its data center industry is slowing due to delays in power delivery Furthermore, increasing government regulations are starting to weigh heavily on the sector. 

In 2023, for instance, the U.S. Department of Energy introduced stricter standards for the HVAC systems that keep data centers cool, while the SEC is preparing to introduce regulations requiring data centers to disclose their greenhouse gas emissions. Consequently, the industry must think long and hard about its environmental footprint. 

Amid these challenges, however, the industry is also embracing innovations that could make a significant difference. One of the most promising developments in this space is immersion cooling technology.  

Immersion Cooling: A Sustainable Breakthrough 

If you’re unfamiliar with immersion cooling, prepare to be impressed. This technology is poised to revolutionize how we keep data centers cool by conserving water and reducing power consumption by over 50%.  

Here’s how it works: instead of using traditional air or water-based cooling systems (often resource-intensive), immersion cooling submerges servers in a non-conductive liquid coolant. This liquid efficiently draws heat away from server components, reducing operational costs by up to 95% and cutting capital costs in half.  

The benefits extend beyond cost savings. Immersion cooling systems can capture 99% of the heat generated by servers, turning it into warm water that can be reused for various applications.

Putting It to the Test: Sandia Labs and Hypertec Immersion-born Trident Servers 

While the theory sounds great, what happens when you put it in practice? Sandia National Laboratories decided to find out by putting immersion cooling technology to the test. In their experiments, entire servers—power cables and all—were submerged into large tanks filled with a dielectric coolant.  

Initial estimates from Sandia suggest that immersion cooling could reduce energy consumption by an impressive 70% compared to traditional methods. However, Sandia plans to conduct comprehensive tests, evaluating hardware’s reliability, cooling  infrastructure support, and the overall cost-effort balance. Once these evaluations are complete, they intend to publish a detailed case study with their findings.  

But Sandia didn’t do it alone. At the core of these tests were Hypertec’s immersion-born servers, engineered specifically to perform in these submerged environments. Built with a robust architecture, Hypertec servers not only withstand these extreme conditions but also optimize thermal performance. This allows data centers to pack more computing power into smaller spaces without worrying about overheating—an increasingly important consideration as data centers face both physical and environmental space constraints. 

The Road Ahead 

Achieving sustainability is not only possible—it’s necessary. While immersion cooling is just one piece of the puzzle, it’s a powerful technology that could help data centers significantly reduce their environmental impact without sacrificing performance.

As the digital economy continues to grow, the demand for more energy-efficient data centers to become more energy-efficient will only intensify. The good news? We already have the technology to meet this challenge. By embracing innovations like immersion cooling—and designing solutions that prioritize both efficiency and sustainability, we can ensure that data centers remain the quiet contributors of the digital age, powering our world without costing the planet. 