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Title: Energy Performance Testing of Asetek's RackCDU System at NREL's High Performance Computing Data Center

Abstract

In this study, we report on the first tests of Asetek's RackCDU direct-to-chip liquid cooling system for servers at NREL's ESIF data center. The system was simple to install on the existing servers and integrated directly into the data center's existing hydronics system. The focus of this study was to explore the total cooling energy savings and potential for waste-heat recovery of this warm-water liquid cooling system. RackCDU captured up to 64% of server heat into the liquid stream at an outlet temperature of 89 degrees F, and 48% at outlet temperatures approaching 100 degrees F. This system was designed to capture heat from the CPUs only, indicating a potential for increased heat capture if memory cooling was included. Reduced temperatures inside the servers caused all fans to reduce power to the lowest possible BIOS setting, indicating further energy savings potential if additional fan control is included. Preliminary studies manually reducing fan speed (and even removing fans) validated this potential savings but could not be optimized for these working servers. The Asetek direct-to-chip liquid cooling system has been in operation with users for 16 months with no necessary maintenance and no leaks.

Authors:
; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP)
OSTI Identifier:
1164105
Report Number(s):
NREL/TP-2C00-62905
DOE Contract Number:  
AC36-08GO28308
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING; CRADA; ASETEK; COOLING SYSTEM; ESIF; DATA CENTER; DIRECT-TO-CHIP LIQUID COOLING SYSTEM; Computational Sciences

Citation Formats

Sickinger, D., Van Geet, O., and Ravenscroft, C. Energy Performance Testing of Asetek's RackCDU System at NREL's High Performance Computing Data Center. United States: N. p., 2014. Web. doi:10.2172/1164105.
Sickinger, D., Van Geet, O., & Ravenscroft, C. Energy Performance Testing of Asetek's RackCDU System at NREL's High Performance Computing Data Center. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/1164105
Sickinger, D., Van Geet, O., and Ravenscroft, C. 2014. "Energy Performance Testing of Asetek's RackCDU System at NREL's High Performance Computing Data Center". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/1164105. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1164105.
@article{osti_1164105,
title = {Energy Performance Testing of Asetek's RackCDU System at NREL's High Performance Computing Data Center},
author = {Sickinger, D. and Van Geet, O. and Ravenscroft, C.},
abstractNote = {In this study, we report on the first tests of Asetek's RackCDU direct-to-chip liquid cooling system for servers at NREL's ESIF data center. The system was simple to install on the existing servers and integrated directly into the data center's existing hydronics system. The focus of this study was to explore the total cooling energy savings and potential for waste-heat recovery of this warm-water liquid cooling system. RackCDU captured up to 64% of server heat into the liquid stream at an outlet temperature of 89 degrees F, and 48% at outlet temperatures approaching 100 degrees F. This system was designed to capture heat from the CPUs only, indicating a potential for increased heat capture if memory cooling was included. Reduced temperatures inside the servers caused all fans to reduce power to the lowest possible BIOS setting, indicating further energy savings potential if additional fan control is included. Preliminary studies manually reducing fan speed (and even removing fans) validated this potential savings but could not be optimized for these working servers. The Asetek direct-to-chip liquid cooling system has been in operation with users for 16 months with no necessary maintenance and no leaks.},
doi = {10.2172/1164105},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1164105}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Nov 01 00:00:00 EDT 2014},
month = {Sat Nov 01 00:00:00 EDT 2014}
}