In today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape, data centers facing increasing demands for performance, efficiency, and sustainability. Traditional air-cooled data centers are struggling to keep up with the escalating heat dissipation requirements of modern computing hardware, and while single-phase immersion cooling offers a highly efficient and effective alternative for today’s data centers, what of the even more powerful (and hot) processors of the future? Immersion Direct Liquid Cooling (iDLC) from GRC emerges as a promising solution to address these challenges. This blog delves into the intricacies of GRC’s iDLC architecture, examining its key components, benefits, and challenges.

Our whitepaper, “Future-proof your data center cooling with GRC’s iDLC technology” explains how iDLC offers an open-loop version of traditional DLC technologies that utilize water/glycol or closed-loop two-phase fluids to deliver highly effective cooling directly to the hottest components of the server.

Understanding iDLC Architecture:

Like traditional single-phase immersion cooling, iDLC involves immersing computing components directly into a non-conductive dielectric liquid. This liquid provides superior heat transfer properties compared to air, efficiently cooling the equipment in its entirely and eliminating the need for supplemental air cooling. But unlike traditional immersion systems, iDLC integrates targeted flow into the overall solution, targeting the systems hottest components (typically the CPUs/GPUs) with additional high-velocity flow to dissipate even more heat.

The iDLC architecture typically consists of the following components:

• Immersion Tank: A sealed container filled with the dielectric liquid, housing the computing hardware.
• Targeted Flow Heat Sinks: Specially designed 1U replacmeents for traditional heat sinks that deliver a pressurized stream of coolant directly to the hottest portions of the immersed server. Once it reaches the processor the coolant cools it and then disperses into the surrounding dielectric fluid.
• Heat Exchanger: A device that transfers the heat absorbed by the liquid to a secondary coolant, such as a water loop or the surrounding air.
• Pump: A circulation pump that moves the liquid within the immersion tank to ensure efficient heat transfer.
• Control System: A system that monitors and regulates various parameters, including liquid temperature, flow rate, and system performance.

Download our whitepaper “Future-proof your data center cooling with GRC’s iDLC technology,” to learn about GRC’s patent -pending iDLC architecture.

The Best Part About iDLC:

• Enhanced Cooling Efficiency: iDLC offers significantly improved heat transfer compared to air cooling, allowing for higher server densities and reduced power consumption. And with the greatly enhanced cooling capabilities unlocked by targeted flow, iDLC delivers nearly unlimited cooling capabilities.
• Improved Reliability: The direct immersion of components eliminates the risk of hot spots and reduces the likelihood of hardware failures.
• Reduced Noise and Vibration: iDLC systems operate at much lower noise levels and generate minimal vibration compared to traditional air-cooled data centers.
• Increased Energy Efficiency: By reducing power consumption and improving overall system efficiency, iDLC can lead to substantial cost savings.
• Environmental Sustainability: iDLC can contribute to a more sustainable data center environment by reducing carbon emissions and water consumption.

iDLC can reduce data center energy consumption by up to 40%. Read our whitepaper “Future-proof your data center cooling with GRC’s iDLC technology” to know how iDLC can help you and your organization.

“The future of data centers lies in immersion cooling. It’s the only way to keep up with the increasing demands of modern computing.”

Conclusion

iDLC architecture represents a significant advancement in data center cooling technology. By offering superior cooling efficiency, reliability, and energy efficiency, iDLC can help data centers meet the growing demands of modern computing while minimizing environmental impact.

To learn more about how GRC’s iDLC technology can revolutionize your data center cooling, download our whitepaper, “Future-proof your data center cooling with GRC’s iDLC technology.”