Helical Turbulator for Robust Nucleate Boiling Cold Plate

Default ARPA-E Project Image

Program:
OPEN 2021
Award:
$773,990
Location:
Carlsbad, California
Status:
ACTIVE
Project Term:
04/25/2022 - 10/24/2023
Website:

Critical Need:

Current state-of-the-art, large-scale data centers use air-cooling technology, but with computer processor power requirements increasing above 500 watts and rack power increasing above 50 kW, liquid cooling will be required. The majority of liquid cooling systems today use positive pressure, forced water flow, and finned cold plates for heat transfer. This cools well, and leaks occasionally, but the thermal resistance can be improved with a nucleate boiling approach.

Project Innovation + Advantages:

Chilldyne proposes improving data center energy efficiency by developing a high-performance cold plate with a helical turbulator that increases the heat transfer rate by a factor of 3. The cold plate uses flowing water and nucleate boiling, where the surface temperature is higher than the saturated fluid temperature, under sub-atmospheric pressure for maximum heat transfer. This technology will improve data center efficiency, enable data centers to operate in hotter climates and supply hotter water for heat reuse, and enable processors to operate more efficiently at lower temperatures. Chilldyne’s approach could result in less power consumed by data centers for cooling and power consumed by liquid cooled servers, and continue to maintain efficiency as chip power grows to 2500 watts and above. The sub-atmospheric pressure system will also improve system reliability by eliminating water leaks.

Potential Impact:

Chilldyne will improve data center energy efficiency for future and existing servers.

Security:

The proposed technology enables data centers to operate without refrigeration anywhere in the world and/or with the highest temperature water for heat reuse.

Environment:

This technology would allow data centers with high power processors, which represent 2/3 of global data center electricity use, to operate without wasting energy on chillers.

Economy:

The cost savings for a data center using liquid cooling compared with air cooling consist of reduced air conditioning and building capital costs due to a smaller footprint.

Contact

ARPA-E Program Director:
Dr. Peter de Bock
Project Contact:
Dr. Steven Harrington
Press and General Inquiries Email:
ARPA-E-Comms@hq.doe.gov
Project Contact Email:
steve.harrington@chilldyne.com

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Release Date:
02/11/2021