A Review on the Cooling Techniques Implemented in Data Center Cooling

Author

Veerarapu Karteek, Vijaybabu

Abstract

 Data center cooling is the process of removing heat generated by the servers. Its primary purpose is to maintain a cool temperature so that the equipment functions efficiently without overheating. Servers consume electricity and generate a large amount of heat during operation; without proper cooling, excessive heat can affect the performance, hardware, and lifespan of the equipment. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is a computer-based simulation method used to study heat transfer inside a data center. CFD can predict how different cooling techniques perform under various conditions, analyze airflow distribution, improve energy efficiency, and reduce design time and cost. Recent data center cooling techniques include direct-to-chip liquid cooling, in which cold plates are attached directly to the chips and coolant circulates through the plates; immersion cooling, in which servers are immersed in a non-conducting dielectric liquid that absorbs heat directly from the components; rear door heat exchangers, in which a water-cooled unit mounted on the server rack removes heat before it enters the data center room; and AI-based smart cooling, in which artificial intelligence continuously measures temperature and airflow and automatically adjusts the cooling while maintaining safe temperatures. In this review, an exhaustive discussion of the various recent cooling techniques available in the literature is presented in detail.

Keywords

Data Center Cooling, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), Heat Transfer, Airflow Distribution, Direct-to-Chip Liquid Cooling, Immersion Cooling, Rear Door Heat Exchanger (RDHx), AI-Based Smart Cooling, Energy Efficiency, Thermal Management.

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References

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