SELF-CONTAINED DIRECT-TO-CHIP LIQUID COOLING WHITEPAPER

Bridging the Gap Between

Air & Liquid Cooling
How self-contained liquid cooling for servers can overcome infrastructure and cost
barriers while promoting energy efficiency and high density compute in data centers.
 2

Table of Contents

03 Abstract

04 The State of Liquid Cooling Adoption

05 Barriers to Liquid Cooling Adoption

06 Self-Contained Liquid Cooling

07 Infrastructure and Cost Benefits

08 Dense Computing

09 SmartPlate System Design

10 Energy Efficiency Benefits

13 Use Cases & Deployment

14 Final Thoughts
 3

Abstract
This whitepaper explores how self-contained liquid cooling for servers can overcome infrastructure
and cost barriers, while bridging the gap between air and liquid-cooled data centers. By eliminating
the need for complex liquid cooling infrastructure and reducing deployment cooling costs by up to
50%, self-contained liquid cooling emerges as a game-changer for data centers. Moreover, it offers
significant energy savings over air cooling of up to 4kW per rack by reducing fan speed, resulting
in a more efficient cooling solution.

The paper also delves into the innovative and patented microconvective liquid cooling
technology, which enables the cooling of high-powered servers, including the latest CPUs and
GPUs like Intel Sapphire Rapids, AMD Genoa, and NVIDIA Hopper. By densifying compute
without the need for costly liquid cooling infrastructure or large CDUs, self-contained liquid
cooling paves the way for increased server density.

This paper concludes by emphasizing the importance of self-contained liquid cooling in the
modern data center landscape, highlighting its potential for enhancing energy efficiency,
accommodating high-performance chips, and driving compute densification in the now-term.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
Deploy liquid cooling and achieve the performance and sustainability benefits with no plumbing

Maximize data center floorspace by packing more compute-per-floor-tile in air-cooled form factors

Optimize resource utilization by unlocking full potential of existing servers to densify compute

Cool the latest chipsets including Intel Sapphire Rapids, AMD EPYC Genoa, and NVIDIA Hopper GPUs

Support up to 850W in a 1U form factor and 1200W in a 2U form factor

 4

The State of Liquid Cooling Adoption

As rack densities increase and power-hungry chips become prevalent, data center operators are confronted with
the task of effectively managing cooling performance, energy efficiency, and sustainability.Demanding thermal
requirements push traditional air-cooled servers to their limits, necessitating the implementation of liquid cooling
to maintain optimal operating temperatures and prevent thermal throttling. Presently, direct-to-chip liquid cooling
is positioned to supersede its predecessor as the primary cooling infrastructure for next-generation computing;
however, several obstacles must be addressed before liquid cooling adoption can take over.

By eliminating the
need for complex
liquid cooling
infrastructure and
reducing deployment
costs, self-contained
liquid cooling emerges
as a game-changer.
 5

Barriers to Liquid Cooling Adoption

According to the 2023 Uptime Institute Cooling Systems survey, the main barriers to DLC adoption
are namely standardization, limited selection of supplies, maintenance concerns and cost (See
Figure 1). Infrastructure and cost barriers often hinder the widespread adoption of liquid cooling
deployment in various applications. These barriers include:

INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIREMENTS SPACE AND RACK DENSITY

Implementing liquid cooling systems typically Traditional liquid cooling setups often occupy
necessitates significant infrastructure modifications. more space within data center racks due to the
It involves the installation of specialized piping, infrastructure requirements. This reduced rack density
plumbing, and coolant distribution units (CDUs) can limit the number of servers that can be housed
throughout the facility. The need for additional space, within a given space, reducing computational power
infrastructure modifications, and potential disruptions per square footage and potentially impacting the
to existing setups can pose challenges and increase overall efficiency of the facility.
deployment costs.
SCALABILITY AND FLEXIBILITY
CAPITAL INVESTMENT
Scaling up liquid cooling infrastructure to
Traditional liquid cooling setups require substantial accommodate future growth can be challenging.
upfront capital investment. The costs associated with Adding more cooling capacity or expanding the
purchasing and installing infrastructure components system often requires significant modifications and
such as chillers, pumps, heat exchangers, and investments, making it less flexible and adaptable to
coolant distribution systems can be significant. These evolving computing needs.
expenses may deter organizations from opting for
liquid cooling, particularly when considering the These infrastructure and cost barriers associated with
potential return on investment. liquid cooling deployment have led to the exploration
and development of alternative solutions, such as
MAINTENANCE AND COMPLEXITY self-contained liquid cooling systems, which aim to
overcome these limitations and make liquid cooling
Liquid cooling systems require ongoing maintenance more accessible and cost-effective for a broader
and monitoring to ensure optimal performance and range of applications.
reliability. Regular inspections, leak detection, coolant
replacement, and systemadjustments are essential
tasks that contribute to the overall complexity and
costs of liquid cooling deployment.

UPTIME INSTITUTE COOLING SYSTEMS SURVEY

Figure 1
 6

Self-Contained Liquid Cooling

Self-contained liquid cooling is a closed-loop, fully sealed, direct-to-chip cooling solution that combines the best
of both air and liquid cooling to cool high-density servers. Self-contained, direct-to-chip liquid cooling integrates
into air-cooled server footprints circulating fluid through a microconvective cold plate directly on the chip while
reduced fan airflow cools the ancillary server components. As a closed loop, contained system, there are various
components that work inharmony to efficiently cool the entire system. The following components are the pillars of
JetCool’s self-contained liquid cooling systems:

MICROCONVECTIVE COLD PLATES RESERVOIRS

Cold plates are the primary interface between the Reservoirs are containers that hold the liquid
processor and the liquid cooling system. These coolant. They act as a storage tank and maintain
plates are typically made of copper or aluminum a constant supply of coolant for the system.
and are in direct contact with the heat-generating JetCool’s reservoirs are designed to last the
components. JetCool’s SmartPlate Module (cold lifetime of the server, supporting any evaporation
plates) have arrays of fluid jets that target the or expansion during the cooling process.
hot spots on the processors with liquid coolant,
facilitating efficient heat transfer. PUMPS

HOSES Pumps are responsible for circulating the liquid

coolant through the system. They generate the
Hoses are flexible tubes that connect the cold necessary pressure to push the coolant from the
plates to the rest of the liquid cooling system. They reservoir to the cold plates, ensuring a continuous
transport the liquid coolant, usually a water-based flow, while draining as little power as possible from
mixture, to and from the cold plates. Hoses need to the server.
be durable and have low permeability to ensure the
coolant remains contained within the system. In a self-contained liquid cooling system, these
components work together to create a closed-loop
RADIATOR cooling system. The liquid coolant absorbs heat
from the processor through the cold plates and
The radiator is responsible for transferring the heat is then circulated back to the reservoir, where it
from liquid to air. Specifically, in the closed loop can dissipate the heat through radiators or other
designed, the liquid cools the processors and then cooling mechanisms. The compact nature of self-
travels through the radiator where it expels that contained liquid cooling systems eliminates the
heat via the radiator to the hot aisle. Designed for need for extensive infrastructure, such as large
both 1U and 2U configurations, radiators are built coolant distribution units (CDUs) or complex piping
to take up as minimal space as possible to maintain systems, making it a more cost-effective and
optimal performance. accessible solution for liquid cooling deployment.

MICROCONVECTIVE LIQUID COOLING

Microconvective liquid cooling maximizes

heat transfer efficiency and provides
targeted cooling for high-powered electronic
components. With its ability to efficiently
dissipate heat and enhance thermal perfor-
mance, this cooling method holds promise
for addressing the challenges posed by
SmartPlate System for Dell PowerEdge R760 heat-intensive applications in data centers
and other computing environments.
 7

Infrastructure and Costs Benefits

Traditional open-loop direct liquid cooling deployments offer notable energy and water savings, but the cost of im-
plementation can be a deterrent for data center operators. These technologies require several costly infrastructure
changes to achieve optimal performance. Specifically, data centers need to install overhead plumbing and piping,
an extensive network of water lines, coolant distribution units, and other associated infrastructure throughout the
data center. Consequently, these ancillary components incur substantial upfront costs for equipment, materials,
and labor to migrate to a liquid-cooled infrastructure.

On the other hand, self-contained liquid cooling JetCool conducted an upfront cost analysis
systems are designed to work seamlessly with (See Table 1) for a 2-rack, 100kW deployment.
pre-existing air-cooled server infrastructure, offering Comparatively, immersion and D2C liquid cooling
several operational benefits compared to other require nearly double or more upfront costs than
liquid cooling technologies. self-contained liquid cooling. So, while cooling
costs can vary, self-contained liquid cooling
With a self-contained unit, the need for extensive generally slashes those costs while still delivering
infrastructure upgrades is eliminated. This means optimal cooling performance.
lower upfront costs for equipment, reduced labor
requirements during installation, and simplified
maintenance procedures.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
The absence of complex plumbing and piping No plumbing or piping required
systems also minimizes the risk of leaks or
system failures, potentially reducing repair and Low to no maintenance required
replacement costs, and containing potential leaks
at the server-level, not rack- or facility-level. Increase lifetime of the server

Up to 50% lower upfront costs

LIQUID COOLING UPFRONT COST ANALYSIS

Table 1

D2C Liquid Single Phase SmartPlate

Components Cooling Immersion System

CDU $50K $0
Manifolds $8K $0
$96K
Cold Plates $9.6K $72K
Fluid $4K $0
Total Racks Cost (2 $71.6K $96K $72K
Racks)
Raise Floor $4.7K $5.2K $0
Plumbing $30K $33K $0
Sensors $15K $15K $0K
Infrastructure Cost $49.7K $53.2K $0

Note: For D2C and SmartPlate System, we are comparing costs based on a rack filled with 20 2U servers. All
pricing does not include service and warranties.
 8

Dense Computing
Self-contained liquid cooling plays a pivotal role in facilitating compute densification in data centers. By
providing a more efficient and compact cooling solution, it allows for increased server density within a given
space. Traditional air cooling methods often struggle to handle the heat generated by densely packed servers,
limiting compute density. However, self-contained liquid cooling removes this barrier by efficiently dissipating heat
from high-powered components, enabling the deployment of more servers in a rack. This densification improves
resource utilization, maximizes computational power, and enhances the overall efficiency and scalability of
modern data centers.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Support latest chipsets from Intel Xeon (Sapphire Rapids) and AMD EPYC (Genoa)

Maximize data center floorspace by packing more compute-per-floor-tile in stackable form factors

Optimize resource utilization by unlocking full potential of next-generation servers to densify compute

Support up to 850W in a 1U form factor and 1200W in a 2U form factor

UPTIME INSTITUTE COOLING SYSTEMS SURVEY 2023

Figure 2

Greater densification of the generic infrastructure will

play an important role in phasing out air cooling as the
dominant cooling system in favor of DLC UPTIME INSTITUTE
 9

SmartPlate System Design

SmartPlate System is a self-contained, direct-to-chip cooling solution engineered to seamlessly integrate into
server infrastructure, enhancing server performance.

Radiator Pump

FLEXIBLE
The SmartPlate System
replaces the heat sink and is
designed to fit into most 2U
server configurations without
compromizing storage, PCIE
cards, or other components.
Hoses Reservoir Pump Cold Plates

PHYSICAL SPECIFICATIONS

4TH GEN INTEL XEON (SAPPHIRE RAPIDS)

CHIP COMPATIBILITY
4TH GEN AMD EPYC (GENOA)
CUSTOMIZABLE
110MM (L) X 82MM (W) X 23MM (H)
SMARTPLATE DIMENSION Every SmartPlate System
*length & width determined by socket size
solution is crafted to meet the
unique requirements of each
1300g (1U SYSTEMS - 850W)
SYSTEM WEIGHT server. With the flexibility to
2000g (2U SYSTEMS - 1,200W)
accommodate different CPU or
70in3 (1U SYSTEMS - 850W)
GPU configurations and server
SYSTEM VOLUME types, this system seamlessly
350in3 (2U SYSTEMS - 1,200W)
fits into 1U and 2U servers
7W @ 12V (1U SYSTEMS - 850W) while delivering exceptional
POWER SUPPLY performance.
18W @ 12V (2U SYSTEMS - 1,200W)

PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATIONS

UP TO 850W (1U SYSTEMS)

TDP RATING
UP TO 1,200W (2U SYSTEMS)

136 CFM (1U SYSTEMS - 850W)

AIR FLOW
192 CFM (2U SYSTEMS - 1,200W) RELIABLE
Built to last the server’s lifetime,
INLET AIR TEMPERATURE 55O TO 95OF (EXCEEDS ASHRAE STANDARDS) the closed-loop design requires
minimal maintenance.

COOLANT FLUID WATER-BASED COOLANTS; PG25

SURVIVAL TEMPERATURE 35O TO 140OF

 10

Unleash Efficiency & Sustainability

Data centers are known for their substantial energy consumption due to the continuous operation of
servers, networking equipment, cooling systems, and other infrastructure.

ASHRAE-COMPLIANT EFFICIENCY: THE RELIABILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY OF

SELF-CONTAINED LIQUID COOLING

In the pursuit of sustainability, data centers are ASHRAE compliance is a critical consideration for
increasingly recognizing the need for better cooling data center operators seeking efficient and reliable
solutions. Cooling constitutes a significant portion cooling solutions. Self-contained liquid cooling
of the energy consumption in data centers, making systems are designed to meet the rigorous standards
it a prime target for efficiency improvements. And, set by ASHRAE (American Society of Heating,
as seen below, from the Uptime Institute Cooling Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers).
Systems Survey, 80% of respondents answered that These systems adhere to guidelines that promote
energy efficiency is the most important factor control over thermal conditions, allowing data centers
determining whether a cooling system is sustainable. to operate within recommended temperature and
Traditional air cooling methods often struggle to meet humidity ranges. By following ASHRAE standards,
the escalating demands of high-density server self-contained liquid cooling solutions not only deliver
environments, resulting in inefficiencies and optimal performance and efficiency but also align
increased energy usage. Liquid cooling technology with industry best practices for energy savings and
emerges as a promising solution, offering enhanced environmental sustainability. The commitment to
efficiency. By efficiently dissipating heat from server ASHRAE compliance in self-contained liquid cooling
components, liquid cooling can significantly reduce systems underscores their suitability as a reliable
energy consumption and contribute to a more and environmentally conscious choice for data center
sustainable data center ecosystem. cooling needs.

UPTIME INSTITUTE COOLING SYSTEMS SURVEY 2023

Figure 3
 11

Energy Efficiency in
Self-Contained Liquid Cooling
COMPETITIVE ENERGY ADVANTAGES

REDUCED FAN SPEED

Self-contained liquid cooling systems offer

significant energy efficiency benefits by reducing
the reliance on high-speed fans for heat dissipation. Save up to 4kW per
In self-contained liquid cooling systems, the liquid
rack by reducing
coolant efficiently absorbs heat from the electronic
components through cold plates, eliminating the fan speed
need for intense airflow. As a result, the fan speed
can be reduced by approximately 50%, significantly
lowering the power consumption by up to 4kW per
rack.

HIGHER AIR INTAKE TEMPERATURES

Another efficiency benefit of self-contained liquid

cooling that utilizes microconvective technology is
the ability to tolerate higher air intake temperatures, IMPROVED POWER USAGE
up to 35°C. Higher air intake temperatures leads EFFECTIVENESS (PUE)
to reduced cooling energy, improved Power Usage
Effectiveness (PUE), and enhanced energy savings. PUE is a metric used to measure data
center efficiency, representing the
WARMER COOLANTS ratio of total energy consumed by the
facility to the energy consumed by the
Warmer coolants increase temperature IT equipment. By enabling higher air
difference (ΔT), to the ultimate heat rejection intake temperatures, self-contained
enhancing heat transfer efficiency. They enable more liquid cooling servers can achieve a
favorable thermodynamics by utilizing higher coolant lower PUE by reducing the energy
temperatures to reject heat to air. Energy savings are consumed for cooling purposes.
achieved as the increased temperature differential
between the coolant and the ambient air lowers the
power consumption of cooling systems.
 13

Use Cases & JetCool Deployments

Self-contained liquid cooling offers various benefits for several compute-intensive markets that are looking to
support dense workloads with sustainable computing practices. Popular for HPC, energy, federal, and finance
markets, self-contained liquid cooling solutions provide efficient thermal management, enabling these markets to
achieve enhanced performance, reduced energy consumption, and cost savings.

1 2

COLOCATION FINANCE
In Washington state, we deployed our At a high-frequency trading firm in Chicago, we
cutting-edge self-contained liquid cooling solution successfully deployed our advanced self-contained
for a colocation facility. Our solution was specifically liquid cooling solution to optimize the performance of
designed to cool a Dell PowerEdge R740XD server, their Dell R760 server, equipped with the latest Intel
which plays a crucial role in controlling the facility’s Sapphire Rapids processors. Our innovative liquid
HVAC system. cooling system enabled the trading firm to harness
the full potential of their chips by running them at full
With our liquid cooling system’s superior thermal turbo throughout the trading day, resulting in a signifi-
management capabilities, we revolutionized heat cant performance boost.
dissipation compared to traditional air cooling
methods. This groundbreaking efficiency resulted in One of the key differentiators of our solution was its
energy savings for our customer, with our solution ability to efficiently cool both the XCC (Extreme Core
significantly reducing power consumption. Count) and MCC (Main Core Count) Intel processors.
By maintaining optimal operating temperatures, our
liquid cooling solution ensured that the processors
IMPROVE UTILIZATION could deliver exceptional performance without com-
promising on stability or reliability.
Colocations can accommodate a wide range of
customers with high density computing needs by
Moreover, our liquid cooling system stood out from
allowing tenants to use self-contained liquid-cooled
the competition by excelling in extreme heat envi-
servers. Liquid cooling can lead to energy efficiency
ronments. Even in ambient temperatures as high as
gains by reducing the overall power consumption
30°C, our solution efficiently dissipated heat, enabling
required for cooling. Colocations can then contribute
to energy savings and potentially pass on cost 3
the high-frequency trading firm to operate seamlessly
and reliably.
benefits to their customers.
With our self-contained liquid cooling technology,
KEY INDUSTRIES high-frequency traders can now unleash the full po-
tential of their cutting-edge hardware, optimize their
Data Centers and Colocation Facilities trading strategies, and gain a competitive edge in the
fast-paced financial markets.
Federal and Energy Sectors

Finance and High-Frequency Trading

 14

Final Thoughts
Self-contained liquid cooling is creating a bridge between air and liquid cooled infrastructure by removing
infrastructure and cost barriers.

Designed to integrate into pre-existing server infrastructure, this

solution delivers near-term ROI while supporting the densest
chipsets on the market today. SmartPlate System, JetCool’s
self-contained liquid cooling system, delivers unprecedented
thermal management at nearly half the cost of competing
SIMPLE liquid cooling technologies by leveraging JetCool’s patented
SmartPlate System simplifies microconvective cooling technology into a fully sealed,
liquid cooling adoption by self-contained system.
implementing a plug-and-play
system that intergrates into SmartPlate Systems not only offer better performance, but also
current data center ecosystems energy efficiency advantages by reducing fan speeds, providing
seamlessly. enhanced cooling capacity, enabling targeted cooling, and
using warmer coolants. These benefits result in reduced energy
consumption, lower operating costs, and a more sustainable data
center environment.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
Liquid cooling migration with no infrastructure changes

SUSTAINABLE Slashes upfront costs by 50% compared to competing

Designed for sustainable technologies
computing, SmartPlate System
Reduces fan speed and uses warmer coolants to reduce
reduces energy consumption over
energy consumption
air cooling to help enterprises hit
aggressive sustainabilty targets. Enable quick deployments and rapid time to market with
denser compute

SCALABLE
Designed for 1U and 2U
configurations, SmartPlate
System enables enterprises to
rapidly deploy liquid cooling,
scaling operations quickly
and efficiently without any
infrastructure changes.
15
[email protected] jetcool.com +1 (978) 449-4600