Liquid cooling (direct-to-chip and immersion)
Liquid cooling removes heat from IT equipment with a fluid rather than air alone, allowing much higher rack densities. Direct-to-chip cooling pumps coolant through cold plates attached to processors, while immersion cooling submerges servers in a dielectric fluid. Both change building design, floor loading and heat rejection, and they can lower water use when paired with closed-loop systems and dry coolers.
The full guide · Water, gas & fiberAir vs. Liquid Cooling: What Each Needs From a SiteHow air and liquid cooling change what a data center needs from its site: power per acre, water, mechanical yard space, structure, noise and climate exposure.Where Liquid cooling comes up
- Site strategy by data center typeHigh-Density GPU Racks: What 120 kW+ Racks Ask of a Data Center Site
- Water, gas & fiberClimate, Cooling and Data Center Site Selection
- Campus design & constructionData Center Rack Density Trends: Average kW per Rack From 2011 to AI Racks
- Site strategy by data center typeWhat Are the Site Requirements for an AI Data Center?
- Water, gas & fiberData Center Heat Reuse and District Heating: EU Rules, Nordic Examples and U.S. Site Implications
- Campus design & constructionData Center Cooling Plant and Equipment Yard Space: Chillers, Dry Coolers and Cooling Towers
- Water, gas & fiberClosed-Loop and Waterless Data Center Cooling: What It Means for a Site
- Campus design & constructionPUE Explained: Data Center Power Usage Effectiveness, Averages and Climate