AI Data Center Cooling Competition Intensifies... LG Electronics Moves to Commercialize Immersion Cooling

LG Electronics has joined forces with GS E&C and Green Revolution Cooling (GRC), a U.S.-based immersion cooling specialist, to broaden its response to AI data center cooling needs. According to LG Electronics on the 14th, the three companies signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the development and cooperation of data center immersion cooling technology and related facility technologies at GS E&C's headquarters in Cheongjin-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 13th.

The agreement aims to advance AI data center cooling technologies. LG Electronics plans to expand its cooling portfolio through immersion cooling, in addition to its existing air cooling and liquid cooling offerings, while also pursuing technology verification and the development of standard designs.

Through this, LG Electronics aims to strengthen its push into the AI data center (AIDC) cooling market. Vice President Oh Se-gi, head of LG Electronics' ES Research Center, Vice President Cho Seong-han, head of GS E&C's Future Technology Institute, and Choi Dong-hoon, head of GRC's Korea branch, attended the signing ceremony.

Through this agreement, the three companies will pursue verification of the practical applicability of immersion cooling technology for high-performance AI data centers. They will also pursue the development of an integrated solution for building data centers equipped with immersion cooling. In addition, the companies will work together on standardization efforts related to constructing data centers that use immersion cooling.

Immersion cooling is a technology that cools electronic devices such as GPUs and CPUs by directly immersing them in a special non-conductive cooling fluid. As server heat output rises with improvements in AI computing performance, the importance of securing power efficiency and cooling performance in data centers has grown. As a result, immersion cooling is drawing attention as one of the next-generation cooling methods.

However, applying immersion cooling to actual data centers requires consideration of the entire facility, including building structure, equipment layout, piping, power connections, and maintenance space, in addition to cooling equipment performance. Accordingly, the three companies plan to link cooling equipment with architectural and facility technologies. They also plan to verify applicability and reliability in real construction environments.

This cooperation combines LG Electronics' cooling technologies, GS E&C's design capabilities, and GRC's immersion tanks. LG Electronics will provide AI data center air cooling, liquid cooling, and immersion cooling technologies, as well as operating data. GS E&C will establish a standard architectural design for AI data centers and operate a proof-of-concept (PoC) test bed. GRC will provide immersion tanks and control technologies.

LG Electronics will be responsible for building cooling solutions based on standard designs. GS E&C will draw up a standard architectural design for AI data centers and operate a proof-of-concept (PoC) test bed. GRC will participate in improving system performance based on equipment installation, operation, and maintenance data.

In the proof-of-concept (PoC) test bed operated by GS E&C, the placement of immersion cooling equipment, structural loads, piping connections, and power connections will be verified. The test bed is intended to verify the elements required for actual facility construction.

The three companies plan to combine their technology and facility operation experience. Through this, they aim to secure the integrated technologies needed to design and build data centers that use immersion cooling.

With this cooperation, the AIDC cooling portfolio will expand from air and liquid cooling to include immersion cooling.

Through this cooperation, LG Electronics is pursuing a strategy to expand the range of AI data center cooling solutions it can provide. By adding immersion cooling to its existing air cooling and liquid cooling technologies, the company seeks to lay the groundwork for offering cooling solutions tailored to data center computing performance and design conditions. LG Electronics already has high-efficiency chillers and fan wall units (FWU) in air cooling, and coolant distribution units (CDU) and cold plates in liquid cooling.

High-efficiency chillers produce large volumes of cold water, while fan wall units (FWU) supply cold air and remove heat. Coolant distribution units (CDU) distribute coolant to servers, and cold plates directly absorb heat from semiconductor chips. By adding verification of the performance and reliability of immersion cooling technology, the company aims to expand its capabilities for responding to different data center computing performance and design conditions.

Based on this, LG Electronics plans to strengthen the competitiveness of its cooling solutions, from managing heat in high-performance AI servers to overall data center facilities. Its business direction is also not limited to equipment supply; it will pursue integrated solution development linked to architectural and facility design, as well as standardization. Integrated solution development and standardization are expected to become a foundation for expanding related businesses.

Vice President Oh Se-gi, head of LG Electronics' ES Research Center, said that as the AI data center cooling solution market grows rapidly, the company plans to continue researching and developing high-performance, high-efficiency cooling solutions with the goal of capturing the market.

Source: TECHWORLD · Park Gyu-chan
Original: https://www.epnc.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=408151

References

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