Immersively cooled server rack maker Iceotope finds a first customer-- the University of Leeds, England, uses an Iceotope server to run computational fluid dynamics models while warming laboratory radiators.
"Wet" computing is a fairly simple concept. A single Iceotope Platform rack holds up to 48 hot-swappable server modules, each being a self-contained aluminium unit holding server components submerged in Novec, an inert liquid coolant from 3M.
A pump pushes a second coolant (water) from the bottom to the top of the rack, where it cascades down through all modules. Eventually it terminates at heat exchangers and transfers heat to a third and final coolant (water from "grey" sources such as rain or river water) on an external loop.
The output liquid reaches temperatures of 50-55 degrees Centigrade, and finds use in heating or other purposes.
According to Iceotope, the system is completely silent, uses just 80W of power cool up to 20kW of ICT usage and does not require computer room air conditioning (CRAC) units, humidity control systems and air purification.
The only downside? Upgrades are limited to swapping server modules, since one cannot open a module in order to add more RAM.
Go "Wet" Server Could Cut Internet Waste
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