www. refrigerationandaircon. co. za RACA Journal I September 2025 25
Feature
EVOLVING COOLING TECHNOLOGIES AND THE RISE OF LIQUID COOLING The relentless increase in compute power, especially with platforms designed for high-performance AI workloads, has profound implications for data centre cooling. Traditional aircooling methods are increasingly insufficient to manage the immense heat generated by such dense compute environments, driving innovation in advanced cooling solutions.
One notable example is Nvidia ' s NVL-576 600 kW platform. This system leverages direct-to-chip liquid cooling and closedloop systems, demonstrating a remarkable 300x improvement in cooling efficiency. This level of advancement is crucial for managing the heat produced by next-generation AI processing.
Another significant innovation comes from Google ' s fifthgeneration cooling distribution unit( CDU), known as Project Deschutes. This CDU sidecar power rack is designed to support up to 1 MW per rack, utilising high-voltage DC power distribution to enhance both efficiency and cooling capacity. These developments underscore the industry ' s shift towards more specialised and powerful cooling infrastructures.
Energy-efficient cooling technologies are paramount for the sustainable operation of data centres. Some of the most promising technologies include:
• Direct-to-chip liquid cooling involves applying liquid coolants directly to the processors. This provides superior heat dissipation, enabling servers to operate at optimal performance levels and significantly reducing the energy required for cooling.
• Hybrid rear-door heat exchangers combine the benefits of both air and liquid cooling. They are particularly effective in high-density rack environments, managing heat more efficiently by integrating heat exchangers directly into the rear doors of server racks.
PANEL DISCUSSION AT THE 2025 PAN-AFRICAN DATA CENTRES EXHIBITION AND CONFERENCE A recent panel discussion at the 2025 Pan-African Data Centres exhibition and conference, featured:
“ Energy-efficient cooling technologies are paramount for the sustainable operation of data centres.”
www. refrigerationandaircon. co. za RACA Journal I September 2025 25