Cooling systems for AI servers are among the most power-hungry systems in an AI data center. According to SciTechDaily, Engineers from the University of California, San Diego, have created a brand new cooling technology using a specially engineered fiber membrane that could potentially reduce the amount of power consumption and water required for server racks full of AI GPUs.
The fiber membrane-based cooling system takes advantage of evaporative cooling to remove heat from the component(s) it is cooling. The membrane is made up of a number of interconnected microscopic pores that draw coolant across its surface through capillary action. There are three layers: a bottom layer with microchannels for liquid to pass through, an intermediate layer where the membrane resides, and a top layer where the evaporator sits. As coolant is passed through the microchannels, it is absorbed into the membrane, and the heat generated by the component being cooled turns the liquid into a vapor that escapes through the evaporator layer. Excess coolant that is not vaporized remains in the microchannels and is likely recirculated.
