Major data center operators are overhauling facility designs to accommodate direct-to-chip liquid cooling as rack densities surpass 40 kilowatts. Air-based cooling infrastructure is proving insufficient for the thermal profiles of latest-generation AI accelerators.
Power Usage Effectiveness and Retrofit Costs
Direct liquid cooling systems have lowered facility Power Usage Effectiveness metrics from 1.4 to below 1.15 in newly constructed facilities. Retrofitting legacy facilities, however, requires significant structural reinforcement and plumbing overhauls, accelerating greenfield data center development.