The digital transformation is challenging the data center industry. Applications based on artificial intelligence (AI) or machine learning are increasing the demands on processor performance, density in the data center and cooling per rack. Speed is of essence in the construction and modernization of data centers. The cooling system must deliver maximum performance in order to avoid hotspots and dissipate the high heat in an energy-efficient manner. At the same time, data centers must use as little energy as possible without compromising performance. At the 2021 OCP Global Summit, partners Rittal and ZutaCore will show how the combination of standardized racks according to OCP specifications and two-phase Direct Chip Cooling helps to meet these challenges.
Standardized technology promotes cost-efficient operation and highly scalable IT infrastructure. OCP technology with particularly energy-efficient, central DC distribution in the IT rack is therefore becoming relevant for more and more CIOs. At the 2021 OCP Global Summit on November 9 and 10, 2021 in San Jose, California, partners Rittal and ZutaCore will show how the advantages of OCP standards for racks can be combined with advanced liquid cooling: "Rittal High Density Cooled-by-ZutaCore".
Flexible cooling with the new OpenRack ORV3
At the summit, Rittal will present the new OpenRack ORV3. It supports 48V DC power supply and allows flexible configuration up to 44 OU/48 RU. With tool-free installation and 100% pre-configured delivery, it adds speed. It bears up to 1,600 kg dynamic load. When it comes to cooling, it offers flexibility for a wide range of variants including "Rittal High Density Cooled-by-ZutaCore".
Rittal, global system provider for industrial and IT infrastructure solutions, and ZutaCore, expert in sustainable, high density, liquid cooling, formed a strategic partnership in 2020 to bring innovative solutions for High Performance Cooling and other compute-intensive scenarios to customers. The “Rittal High Density Cooled-by-ZutaCore” system works on the principle of evaporative liquid cooling and uses the latent energy in the evaporation of liquid refrigerant to cool the microchips. Users can eliminate local overheating in processors because the system cools exactly where hotspots occur. Eliminating water and using a dielectric fluid also reduces the risk of IT failures. In addition, the scalability of the system allows customers to grow along with dynamic market requirements in a future-proof manner.
Two HPC designs, fit for OCP
Rittal and ZutaCore offer two designs: Firstly, space-saving, compact rear-door cooling solutions. The principle is as follows: The liquid refrigerant flows into specially developed cold plates ("Enhanced Nucleation Evaporator") which are placed directly on the microchips (CPU, GPU). By absorbing the processor heat, the refrigerant evaporates and becomes vapor. In the heat exchanger, the 3M™ Novec™ 7000 Engineered Fluid, which had previously become vapor, becomes liquid again. The temperature of the air flowing through is sufficient for this.
One or more pumps maintain the supply pressure and fill all heat sinks with refrigerant. Since almost all components of the cooling solution are integrated in the rear door, this ensures significant space savings. At the OCP Global Summit, this technology will be available for an in-person demonstration at the Rittal booth B4 with an OpenRack V2, fit for OCP environments.
The second solution from Rittal and ZutaCore is an in-rack solution that is available as an air-cooled and water-cooled variant. The air-cooled solution supports up to 15 kW of heat dissipation per rack using an in-rack air-cooled condenser. It can be easily installed in any rack in virtually any environment. The water-cooled in-rack version provides energy-efficient cooling of up to 70 kW of heat removal per rack using a water-cooled condenser. It is designed primarily for fast-growing processor and server power.