Revolutionizing Data Center Cooling with Immersion Technology
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Overview of Submer and its Team
- Focus of the R&D Department
- CPU and IC level thermodynamics
- Breaking the 400-watt limitation for single-phase immersion
- Forced Convection Heat Sink
- Modification of a standard 1u air heat sink
- Optimization for immersion
- Addition of force convection using fans or propellers
- Benefits of redundancy
- Cost-effectiveness and Scalability
- Low cost of building the component
- Open design for industry-wide production
- Operation and Replacement of Fans
- Simple clip-on device
- Easy replacement process
- Acknowledgments and Collaborations
- Intel's support in the collaboration
- Shell's assistance with low viscosity fluids
- Significance for the Industry and Future Cooling
- Accommodating emerging silicon usages
- Importance of Headroom for single-phase immersion
- Demonstration of close to 900 watts cooling
- Future potential for cooling up to 1,000 Watts
- Conclusion
🔎 Introduction
In this article, we will delve into the exciting world of Submer, a company known for innovative and forward-looking solutions in the field of data center cooling. Specifically, we will focus on the remarkable breakthrough achieved by Submer's R&D department – the development of a forced convection heat sink that has the potential to revolutionize single-phase immersion cooling. Join us as we explore the details of this groundbreaking innovation and its implications for the future of data center cooling.
🔍 Overview of Submer and its Team
Submer, led by CEO and co-founder Daniel Pope, is a prominent player in the data center industry. With a strong reputation for pushing technological boundaries, Submer continues to deliver cutting-edge solutions that address the evolving needs of the market. Mark Mioshi, the director of R&D at Submer, plays a pivotal role in driving the company's mission to explore new frontiers in data center cooling.
🔍 Focus of the R&D Department
The R&D department at Submer is at the forefront of innovation, consistently working on projects that push the boundaries of what is considered possible in the realm of data center cooling. The team's primary focus centers around CPU and IC level thermodynamics, constantly seeking ways to optimize and enhance cooling efficiency. A significant challenge placed before the team was the task of surpassing the perceived limitation of 400 watts for single-phase immersion cooling. In the following sections, we will delve into the journey undertaken by the R&D team to shatter this limitation and achieve new levels of performance.
🔍 Forced Convection Heat Sink
The first stepping stone in Submer's ambitious Quest was the development of the forced convection heat sink. Starting with a standard 1u air heat sink, the team applied meticulous modifications to optimize its performance for immersion cooling. The thin pitch and fin thickness underwent rigorous optimization to ensure maximum heat dissipation. To augment the cooling process, an exterior force convection system was added to the heat sink.
The team faced a critical decision in choosing between a Pump or a propeller-type fan for the force convection mechanism. After thorough evaluation, the team opted for fans and propellers due to their added benefit of redundancy. In the event of fan failure, natural convection would still be able to provide adequate performance by pulling enough fluid through the system. This design, although seemingly simple, offers a significant performance boost compared to a natural convection environment without fluid acceleration.
🔍 Cost-effectiveness and Scalability
One of the key advantages of Submer's forced convection heat sink design is its cost-effectiveness and scalability. The team has managed to create a component with a low production cost, making it accessible to a wide range of manufacturers in the fan and heat sink industry. The design is open, enabling accelerated production and fostering collaboration within the industry. This open-source approach allows for the widespread adoption of the technology, further driving advancements in single-phase immersion cooling.
🔍 Operation and Replacement of Fans
The simplicity of the forced convection heat sink design extends to its operation and maintenance. In the event of fan failure, replacing the component is a straightforward process. One can effortlessly clip off the housing containing the integrated fans and attach a new one, ensuring minimal downtime and swift resolution. This clip-on device approach simplifies maintenance procedures, making it user-friendly and operationally efficient.
🔍 Acknowledgments and Collaborations
Submer's remarkable achievements in data center cooling would not have been possible without the invaluable support and collaboration of industry leaders. Intel, one of the key collaborators, has played an instrumental role in facilitating this demonstration and showcasing it at the Intel Booth. Additionally, Submer extends its gratitude to Shell for their assistance with low viscosity fluids, which have further optimized the performance and efficiency of the forced convection heat sink.
🔍 Significance for the Industry and Future Cooling
The breakthrough showcased by Submer has significant implications for the data center industry and the future of cooling silicon. As emerging silicon usages continue to push the boundaries of traditional cooling methods, the adoption of single-phase immersion cooling becomes crucial. This innovative solution provides the necessary headroom to accommodate the evolving demands of the industry.
The demonstration of close to 900 watts of cooling capacity through the forced convection heat sink highlights the potential of this technology. Submer has successfully achieved the challenge set by Intel, cooling silicon up to 1,000 watts using single-phase immersion. This accomplishment opens up new possibilities and sets the stage for future advancements in data center cooling.
🔍 Conclusion
In conclusion, Submer's forced convection heat sink represents a significant milestone in the field of single-phase immersion cooling. Through meticulous optimization and innovative design, Submer has shattered the limitations that were previously believed to exist in single-phase immersion cooling. This breakthrough has far-reaching implications for the data center industry, enabling the cooling of higher-wattage silicon components and catering to the evolving needs of modern-day technologies.
With a relentless commitment to innovation and a dedication to pushing the boundaries, Submer continues to pave the way for the future of data center cooling. As the industry embraces the potential of single-phase immersion and forced convection, this milestone achievement by Submer marks a remarkable step forward in achieving efficient and sustainable data center operations.
Highlights:
- Submer's R&D department achieves a breakthrough in single-phase immersion cooling.
- Development of a cost-effective forced convection heat sink that surpasses the 400-watt limitation.
- Forced convection heat sink enables cooling of up to 1,000 watts, showcasing tremendous potential.
- Collaboration with Intel and Shell further enhances the performance of the technology.
- Submer's innovation opens new possibilities for the future of data center cooling.
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