Engineers at the University of California San Diego have recently unveiled a groundbreaking cooling technology that has the potential to revolutionize the energy efficiency of data centers and high-powered electronics. This innovative technology utilizes a specially engineered fiber membrane that passively extracts heat through evaporation, offering a viable alternative to conventional cooling systems such as fans and liquid pumps. Moreover, it has the added benefit of reducing water consumption, a significant advantage in the current environmental landscape.
The development of this new cooling technology comes at a critical juncture as the demand for data processing, driven by artificial intelligence and cloud computing, continues to surge. Existing data centers already allocate up to 40% of their energy consumption to cooling processes, a figure that could double by 2030 if current trends persist.
The evaporative cooling system functions by employing a cost-effective fiber membrane with a network of interconnected pores that attract cooling liquid through capillary action. As the liquid evaporates, it efficiently draws heat away from the electronics beneath it without requiring additional energy input. Positioned above microchannels, the membrane draws in liquid that flows through the channels, effectively dissipating heat.
Professor Renkun Chen, from the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at UC San Diego, emphasized the advantages of this new technology over traditional cooling methods. By leveraging evaporation, the system can handle higher heat fluxes while operating with reduced energy consumption. This approach marks a departure from prior attempts to employ porous membranes for cooling, which were hindered by pore size limitations.
The research team’s innovative design has yielded remarkable results, with the membrane achieving record-breaking heat flux performance exceeding 800 watts per square centimeter. Notably, the system demonstrated stability over extended periods of operation, showcasing its potential for practical application.
While the current outcomes are promising, Professor Chen underscored that the technology has not yet reached its full capability and that ongoing efforts are focused on refining the membrane and enhancing performance. Future steps include integrating the technology into prototypes of cold plates, essential components for dissipating heat from chips such as CPUs and GPUs. Additionally, plans are underway to establish a startup company to commercialize this groundbreaking cooling technology.
The study, published in the journal Joule, was supported by the National Science Foundation and conducted with the assistance of the San Diego Nanotechnology Infrastructure at UC San Diego. A patent related to this work has been filed by the University of California, signaling potential commercial applications on the horizon.
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