Intel Embraces Oil Immersion Cooling For Servers 230
1sockchuck writes "Intel has just concluded a year-long test in which it immersed servers in an oil bath, and has affirmed that the technology is highly efficient and safe for servers. The chipmaker is now working on reference designs, heat sinks and boards that are optimized for immersion cooling. 'We're evaluating how (immersion cooling) can change the way data centers are designed and operated,' said Mike Patterson, senior power and thermal architect at Intel. 'I think it will catch on. It's going to be a slow progression, but it will start in high-performance computing.' Intel's test used technology from Green Revolution Cooling, which says its design eliminates the need for raised flooring, CRAC units or chillers. Other players in immersion cooling include Iceotope and Hardcore (now LiquiCool)."
What about the weight? (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:It's great until... (Score:5, Insightful)
Oil works great until you have to remove something... You realize, of course, that datacenters don't "remove" anything smaller than an entire blade (or depending on the scale involved, they pull an entire rack). Then they rotate a spare into place, ship the bad one out the door, and let the vendor screw around with figuring out "why" it failed.
I doubt most datacenters swap out racks. Unless they've built a crane into the datacenter, you'd need to get a forklift to move the entire rack and there isn't clearance for that. Swapping blades is entirely reasonable, swapping 1U servers less so unless you have some really smart automation and failover to reimage the server and get it back to the previous state.
Re:Wait, isn't oil flammable? (Score:4, Insightful)
Yes. I remember on of the main threats to submarines being fires....
Re:that;s why I use carbohydrates (Score:3, Insightful)
Don't worry. It's Coors... Not really suitable for human consumption.
Re:Liquid Metal CPU cooler (Score:5, Insightful)
I wouldn't trust them or want that stuff near my expensive hardware.
Wow, you care WAAAAY too much about your hardware.
I wouldn't tust them or want that stuff near ME.
Screw the computer.
Re:Wait, isn't oil flammable? (Score:5, Insightful)
Plenty of motorcycle engines are also air/oil cooled. The concorde even used JET FUEL for cooling.
Without exposure to air (to enable combustion to happen), and a temp approaching the flashpoint of the fuel, there's no fire risk.
Re:that;s why I use carbohydrates (Score:5, Insightful)
Don't worry. It's Budweiser ... Not really suitable for human consumption.
FTFY