How Liquid Cooling Boosts Efficiency in AI Data Centres

The accelerating demands of AI and high-performance computing are pushing data centre operators to rethink their cooling infrastructure.

As AI workloads proliferate and chip densities increase, traditional air-cooling methods are reaching their limits, forcing the industry towards liquid cooling solutions that can handle the thermal challenges of next-generation technology.

Flex, a global manufacturing and data centre infrastructure provider, has deployed rack-level liquid cooling technology at Equinix's Co-Innovation Facility in Ashburn, Virginia.

The installation demonstrates how direct liquid cooling systems could address the power and thermal constraints facing AI-driven data centres while advancing sustainability objectives across the sector.

The deployment integrates single-phase direct liquid coolingtechnologies developed by JetCool, a Flex company specialising in thermal management.

The solution is housed within a single OCP Open Rack Version 3, combining rack, power and cooling infrastructure manufactured by Flex to tackle the heat dissipation challenges generated by high-density compute environments.

Technology reduces power consumption by 15%

Central to the deployment is JetCool's SmartPlate System for Dell PowerEdge R760 servers, which provides closed-loop cooling without requiring external coolant distribution units or additional facility plumbing.

This design enables data centre operators to transition from air cooling to liquid cooling without significant operational disruption.

According to Flex, the system has achieved a 15% reduction in IT power consumption, allowing operators to maximise compute capabilities in power-constrained environments.

This efficiency gain could prove critical as AI workloads continue to expand and data centres face increasing pressure to optimise their energy usage.

Flex has also introduced direct liquid cooling capabilities for Dell PowerEdge R660 platforms, incorporating JetCool cold plates engineered to operate with coolant inlet temperatures up to 70°C.

This technological advancement reduces water usage by as much as 90% and cuts cooling power demand by up to 50% compared to alternative liquid cooling methods.

The SmartSense 6U Liquid-to-Liquid cooling distribution unit supports cooling loads of up to 300kW and interfaces directly with Equinix's secondary cooling loop, enabling full direct liquid cooling operation.

Within the rack, additional manifold, busbar and quick disconnect solutions allow all liquid cooling functions to be managed within a single integrated unit.

Scalable infrastructure supports AI deployment

Rob Campbell, President of Communications, Enterprise and Cloud Business at Flex, says: "We are proud to bring Flex's high-performance, energy-efficient liquid cooling solutions into data centre facilities such as the Equinix CIF.

"This milestone builds on our longstanding collaboration with Equinix across power and cooling infrastructure.

"As the demand for AI and HPC workloads continues to accelerate, Flex's end-to-end portfolio will enable data centre operators to bring infrastructure to market faster."

Building on its presence at the Co-Innovation Facility and a track record of deploying products across global facilities, Flex's project highlights its ability to deliver scalable, consolidated liquid cooling infrastructure to support high-density compute environments.

As one of the world's largest manufacturers, Flex produces millions of servers each year, positioning it to deliver extensive integration and supply chain expertise to the industry.

Flex also offers comprehensive lifecycle support for its cooling solutions, including service, maintenance and warranties covering everything from cold plates to manifolds and cooling distribution unit systems.

This end-to-end coverage could differentiate the company in a sector increasingly focused on reliability and operational continuity.

Part of the project's objective is to demonstrate how JetCool's single-phase approach, capable of cooling up to 4kW per processor socket with considerable headroom for greater loads, can drive energy and resource savings as the industry migrates to higher-performance, more sustainable computing architectures.

Pawel Wlodarczak, Innovation Director at Equinix, says: "The Equinix Co-Innovation Facility provides a collaborative environment where emerging infrastructure technologies can be tested and refined for real-world, high-density compute environments.

"Demonstrations like this help our partners explore new approaches to meeting our customers' performance and sustainability needs."

The deployment represents a convergence of thermal management technology, AI infrastructure requirements and sustainability imperatives.

As compute densities continue to rise and AI adoption accelerates across industries, liquid cooling systems could become essential infrastructure for data centres seeking to balance performance demands with environmental commitments.