With the demand for efficient and reliable data centres increasing, rack densities increase alongside it. The higher the density, the more power they consume resulting in more heat being produced.
An effective cooling system is vital for the data centre operations to keep the equipment at the right temperature and ensure its performance is not compromised. Traditionally relying on air cooling, an alternative option of liquid cooling has become a popular choice more recently.
What’s the difference between air cooling vs liquid cooling and which is better for your data centre? Let’s take a look.
Air Cooling System vs Liquid Cooling System
What is Air Cooling?
For decades, air cooling has been the cornerstone of data centre cooling. This means the technology has a vast support network and numerous suppliers, ensuring readily available parts and services. It lowers the temperature of the air by dissipating the heat generated by servers and other equipment.
Advantages of Air Cooling in Data Centres
Easy to Install & Maintain
Air cooling systems are generally easier to install and maintain as the infrastructure includes fans, air conditioners and ductwork, which are all relatively straightforward to manage. As mentioned above, their popularity means there is more accessibility to qualified engineers to help with installation, maintenance and repairs.
Cost-Effectiveness
Many data centre cooling systems consume as much electricity as the actual data centre servers do, so cost plays an important part when considering cooling. The initial investment for air cooling is typically lower compared to liquid cooling systems.
Scalable
Air cooling systems can easily be scaled up to meet your increasing demands, like data centres are currently experiencing. Flexible and versatile, you can simply add more fans or upgrade your air conditioning units to enhance cooling capacity without major overhauls.
Disadvantages of Air Cooling
Energy Inefficiency
Sustainability and resource usage, as well as cost, are important considerations when choosing cooling technology. Air cooling can be less energy-efficient, especially in high-density data centres, using more electricity. This is because the process of cooling large volumes of air and distributing it uniformly requires substantial power, this can be significant when using refrigeration-based systems.
Failure to Address Hot Spots
Hot spots in data centres are where the environment around the air input to the equipment is higher in temperature. Air cooling can sometimes fail to address hot spots effectively, leading to uneven cooling and equipment potentially overheating.
Limits at High Server Densities
Most air cooling becomes less effective as server densities increase, so this does not match with the demand for data centres across the UK. The amount of heat in a high-density setup can overwhelm traditional air cooling systems, leading to inefficiencies and overheating.
What is Liquid Cooling?
Liquid cooling involves circulating a liquid coolant directly to the heat sources and has been gaining traction as data centres strive for higher efficiency and performance. Find out more about liquid cooling here.
Advantages of Liquid Cooling in Data Centres
Superior Heat Transfer
Liquid has a higher thermal conductivity than air which means they are highly efficient when it comes to heat transfer. This means liquid cooling systems are much more effective and quicker at removing heat from components. Therefore, this is more beneficial for high-performance computing environments where there is intense heat generation.
Increased Energy Efficiency
By focusing on direct cooling of components, liquid cooling significantly reduces the overall energy consumption of a data centre and actually uses less water than many cooling systems. This results in lower operational costs and a reduced carbon footprint.
Space Saving
Air cooling systems often have extensive air duct networks which take up a lot of space. Liquid cooling systems do not have these, meaning they require less physical space allowing data centres to employ better space utilisation.
Disadvantages of Liquid Cooling
Higher Initial Costs
Although the initial capital expenditure is higher for liquid cooling systems, alongside installation and setup, running costs can be lower.
Different Maintenance Procedures
These systems are also more complex to maintain which means the processes are significantly different and may be something staff will need to be trained on. Due to the risk of leaks of failure, vigilant monitoring and regular maintenance are paramount.
How to Choose the Right Cooling Method for Your Data Centre
The right cooling method for you depends on several different factors like your specific data centre needs, budget constraints, and your long-term operational goals. No matter what though, the primary goal for all data centres is to keep it cool, efficient and operationally resilient to keep up with demand.
If you have a smaller data centre or one with lower density, air cooling will be sufficient and cost-effective. But if you have a higher density and higher performing data centre, liquid cooling may offer better efficiency and reliability despite the higher upfront costs.
Effective cooling systems actually lean more towards hybrid solutions, applying the strengths of both air and liquid cooling to achieve optimal performance and efficiency. At EcoCooling, we offer a specific range of products and solutions that have been developed for hybrid cooling and HPC/AI.
Read more about how we’ve helped data centres across the UK in our case studies or get in touch with us directly to find out how we can help you.
- Published August 27, 2024
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Emma Beresford
Director at EcoCooling.
Driving the development of sustainable cooling solutions.
An experienced sales and marketing manager, working with SMEs to successfully develop and execute growth strategies. Key achievements have been in the identification and entry strategy for new markets via alignment and reapplication of existing IP/technology to new products and services.
