Extreme Low Energy Server Cooling

Stage: Round 4

This project tackles the significant energy consumption in ICT infrastructures, amounting to 1560TWh, constituting 8% of global demand. Annual data centre energy usage has risen by 11%, with half allocated to cooling and electrical power. Dominated by convection fans, mechanical cooling plants consume 33% of energy. The study systematically evaluates a novel air-moving system using piezo actuators for DC-based server cooling, contrasting it with conventional fan technology. This innovative approach, integrating alternative air cooling and DC power, aims to notably decrease electricity demand and operating costs, slashing server cooling energy use by around three-quarters compared to conventional methods. Commercial analysis will gauge the disruptive innovation’s viability, facilitating its potential realization against business as usual.