No AI without cooling

In order to meet the current challenges and developments in the data centre market, a comprehensive strategy is required that takes into account both the increasing energy costs and the innovative use of technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI). The global energy crisis and the resulting price increases for data centre capacities require a rethink towards more efficient and sustainable solutions. At the same time, the exponential increase in the use of large language models (LLM) is driving demand for more powerful data centres. For example, services like ChatGPT that use LLMs increased by 1,310% between the end of November 2022 and May 2023. To succeed in this dynamic environment, data centre operators must not only secure and optimise their energy supply, but also align their systems with rapidly advancing technological developments.

How does cooling technology affect energy efficiency and costs?

Cooling technology is a game-changer for data centres. This is because cooling ensures energy efficiency and longevity of the infrastructure at high power density. And it can significantly reduce costs. The benchmark for energy efficiency in data centres is the Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE), which indicates the ratio of total energy consumption to the energy expenditure used directly for IT operations. The aquatherm blue pipe system offers a way to improve the PUE value through more efficient cooling and heating systems, especially in environments with 50 kW racks.

For instance, a data centre with a cooling load of 1 MW using aquatherm piping systems can save up to 5,491 MWh of energy over a 10-year period if the racks are optimised for 50 kW. This equates to an estimated cost savings of $5,613,210.47 over 10 years, assuming a 2.5% annual cost increase for one MWh. The right pipe system can therefore lead to considerable energy savings.

aquatherm blue is a pipe system made of PP-RCT. It differs from conventional materials due to its innovative multilayer glass fibre composite technology. The aquatherm blue plastic pipes minimise linear thermal expansion and offer a leak-free connection through a hot melting process. Its many positive properties make the system the ideal choice for direct chip cooling. Compared to steel and copper, PP-RCT offers a reduced CO2 footprint, increased corrosion resistance, and excellent thermal efficiency, resulting in lower operating costs. In addition, aquatherm has specialists for data centres and offers added value in planning, design and, for example, highly efficient prefabrication, which significantly shortens project time and commissioning. Here are some references.

Novva Hyperscale Data Centre

The Novva hyperscale data centre in Salt Lake City, Utah (United States) has 1.5 million square metres of space and relies on a waterless cooling system to avoid the huge water consumption of traditional systems. The decision in favour of the aquatherm blue plastic pipe system is based on the negative experiences of Vice President Steven Boyce, who was confronted with significant corrosion problems with steel pipes at other locations. In contrast, he is highly satisfied with aquatherm, because the system works smoothly and leads to efficient and sustainable cooling. Thanks to BIM technology, the installation of roughly 1,350 metres of aquatherm blue in the underfloor construction has been optimised.

TierPoint Data Centre

Modern data centres like TierPoint in Jacksonville, Florida (United States) require reliable cooling systems that work around the clock. Since 2014, TierPoint has been using polypropylene pipes from aquatherm, which are characterised by an almost leak-free and corrosion-resistant connection. Due to the swift and straightforward installation and outstanding performance, TierPoint selected aquatherm once more for a recent expansion.

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Since 2012, the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (California, United States) has been using aquatherm tubes to cool its supercomputers. aquatherm blue also convinces here with numerous advantages such as easy installation, lightness, and chemical purity, without the risk of corrosion. aquatherm pipes meet the strict water quality requirements and therefore support reliable cooling in critical applications, making them the preferred choice for the most advanced supercomputing projects.