(Press-News.org) Artificial intelligence (AI) is hot right now. Also hot: the data centers that power the technology. And keeping those centers cool requires a tremendous amount of energy.
The problem is only going to grow as high-powered AI-based computers and devices become commonplace. That’s why University of Missouri researcher Chanwoo Park is devising a new type of cooling system that promises to dramatically reduce energy demands.
“Cooling and chip manufacturing go hand-in-hand,” said Park, a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering in the Mizzou College of Engineering. “Without proper cooling, components overheat and fail. Energy-efficient data centers will be key to the future of AI computing.”
Solving tomorrow’s problem
Data centers are large facilities full of servers that contain computer chips that store and process data. They’re basically giant computer hubs that house the servers that run websites, mobile applications and data from the cloud.
They’re also power-hungry. In 2022, data centers used more than 4% of all electricity in the U.S., with 40% of that energy being spent to keep equipment cool. As demand on data centers increases, even more energy will be required.
To mitigate that, the U.S. Department of Energy has awarded more than $40 million to researchers to find new ways to cool data centers. Park recently received nearly $1.65 million from that initiative, known as COOLERCHIPS.
Currently, data centers are cooled with either air-moving fans or liquid that moves heat away from computer racks.
Park and his team are developing a two-phase cooling system designed to efficiently dissipate heat from server chips through phase change, such as boiling a liquid into vapor in a thin, porous layer. The system can operate passively without consuming any energy when less cooling is needed. Even in active mode, where a pump is used, it consumes only a negligible amount of energy.
“The liquid goes in different directions and evaporates on a thin metal surface,” Park said. “Using this boiling surface, we’re able to achieve very efficient heat transfer with low thermal resistance.”
The system also includes a mechanical pump that is activated to absorb more heat only when needed.
Early tests show that two-phase cooling techniques drastically reduce the amount of energy needed to keep equipment cool.
The team is now fabricating the cooling system — designed to easily connect and disconnect within server racks. Park hopes they’ll be in use within the coming decade just as AI-powered computers become mainstream.
“Eventually there will be limitations under current cooling systems, and that’s a problem,” Park said. “We’re trying to get ahead of the curve and have something ready and available for the future of AI computing. This is a futuristic cooling system.”
Park’s work aligns with the goals of the Center for Energy Innovation, a building being constructed on campus to allow interdisciplinary researchers to solve challenges presented by rising energy concerns and rapid growth in AI. The idea is to leverage advanced technology to optimize energy production, storage and efficiency.
“The center will allow us to explore additional ideas and innovations around energy-efficient processes,” Park said. “These are complex problems that require different areas of expertise. I look forward to future collaborations.”
END
A cool solution
Mizzou researcher Chanwoo Park is designing a next-generation cooling system to help data centers become more energy efficient
2024-07-25
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Electrical currents may make body’s cancer-killing cells even better killers
2024-07-25
Scientists have discovered that electrical currents may make Natural Killer (NK) cells – our very own cancer-killing immune cells – even better killers, which could have significant implications for treating some cancers.
The scientists found that Tumour Treating Fields (TTF) in the laboratory (which mimic exposure of brain tumours to electric currents via a simple hat worn by patients) evoked an even more deadly response from NK cells. They hope their promising findings may open the door to new combined therapies for people living with certain brain tumours, such as glioblastoma.
Glioblastoma is an aggressive, common ...
In Illinois, ‘older adults are at increased risk for suicide’
2024-07-25
Most (83%) suicide deaths were among men
Firearms were the most frequently used weapon (59%)
Among those who died by suicide, 20% had been diagnosed with depression; only 14.1% of them were receiving treatment
CHICAGO --- Nearly 20% of suicides in Illinois between 2020 and 2021 were among people 65 years and older, according to recently released data from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. The suicides disproportionately affected white men between the ages of 65 and 74 years, with ...
Raindrops grow with turbulence in clouds
2024-07-25
Scientists for decades have attempted to learn more about the complex and mysterious chain of events by which tiny droplets in clouds grow large enough to begin falling toward the ground. Better understanding this process, known as the “rain formation bottleneck,” is fundamental to improving computer model simulations of weather and climate and ultimately generating better forecasts.
Now a research team led by scientists at the U.S. National Science Foundation National Center for Atmospheric Research (NSF NCAR) ...
Penn researchers reveal how a bacterium supports healing of chronic diabetic wounds
2024-07-25
PHILADELPHIA – There are many important reasons for keeping cuts and sores clean, but new research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania shows that a certain bug, Alcaligenes faecalis (A. faecalis), can facilitate healing of hard-to-treat wounds among people with diabetes. While there are many studies done on potentially harmful bacteria in wounds, the researchers discovered that A. faecalis, a bacterium found in many types of chronic wounds, actually boosts healing of diabetic wounds. The researchers found that the beneficial bacterium can promote ...
A recipe for zero-emissions fuel: Soda cans, seawater, and caffeine
2024-07-25
A sustainable source for clean energy may lie in old soda cans and seawater.
MIT engineers have found that when the aluminum in soda cans is exposed in its pure form and mixed with seawater, the solution bubbles up and naturally produces hydrogen — a gas that can be subsequently used to power an engine or fuel cell without generating carbon emissions. What’s more, this simple reaction can be sped up by adding a common stimulant: caffeine.
In a study appearing today in the journal Cell Reports Physical Science, the researchers show they can produce hydrogen gas by dropping pretreated, pebble-sized aluminum pellets into a beaker ...
Study suggests preoperative iron infusions work better than blood transfusions for some anemic patients
2024-07-25
In a rigorous medical records study covering tens of thousands of patients, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers conclude that some patients with preoperative anemia have better outcomes if they get iron infusions before surgery rather than standard red blood cell transfusions.
The findings, published July 22 in Anesthesia & Analgesia, contribute to mounting evidence that such iron infusions, which boost the production of a person’s own red blood cells, are better than relying on someone else’s blood.
“Anemia ...
UH engineer develops technique that enhances thermal imaging and infrared thermography for police, medical, military use
2024-07-25
A new method to measure the continuous spectrum of light, developed in the lab of University of Houston professor of electrical and computer engineering Jiming Bao, is set to improve thermal imaging and infrared thermography, techniques used to measure and visualize temperature distributions without direct contact with the subject being photographed.
Because they are highly sensitive, thermal cameras and infrared thermometers measure temperature accurately from a distance, making them versatile and valuable tools in many fields from the military to medical diagnostics. They detect infrared radiation, ...
Cancer drug could ease cognitive function for some with autism
2024-07-25
An experimental cancer drug could make thinking easier for individuals with Rett syndrome, a rare disorder linked to autism, according to new research from the University of California San Diego — a discovery that could lead to therapies for patients with other neurological conditions.
The findings, published July 25 in Stem Cell Reports, highlight the role of microglia — a type of white blood cell found in the central nervous system — in the formation of the human brain.
While such cells have been better studied in neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s disease, amyotrophic ...
Oregon State University research uncovers better way to produce green hydrogen
2024-07-25
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Researchers at Oregon State University have developed a material that shows a remarkable ability to convert sunlight and water into clean energy.
A collaboration led by Kyriakos Stylianou of the OSU College of Science created a photocatalyst that enables the high-speed, high-efficiency production of hydrogen, used in fuel cells for cars as well as in the manufacture of many chemicals including ammonia, in the refining of metals and in making plastics.
The findings represent a potential new tool to use against greenhouse gas emissions and climate change, said Stylianou, whose research focuses ...
Transforming environmental testing one shake at a time
2024-07-25
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Testing weapons and components in a lab-controlled environment has always been at the center of Sandia National Laboratories’ mission. Since the U.S. stopped underground explosives tests on weapons in the early 1990s, Sandia has developed other methods to conduct experiments that mimic the range of environments a weapons unit might experience. A newly developed method is getting better results, with fewer tests, in less time.
“Our job in the laboratory is to simulate the environment and lifetime of stress ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Insulin resistance is linked to over 30 diseases – and to early death in women, study of people in the UK finds
Innovative semaglutide hydrogel could reduce diabetes shots to once a month
Weight loss could reduce the risk of severe infections in people with diabetes, UK research suggests
Long-term exposure to air pollution and a lack of green space increases the risk of hospitalization for respiratory conditions
Better cardiovascular health in early pregnancy may offset high genetic risk
Artificial intelligence method transforms gene mutation prediction in lung cancer: DeepGEM data releases at IASLC 2024 World Conference on Lung Cancer
Antibody–drug conjugate I-DXd shows clinically meaningful response in patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer
IASLC Global Survey on biomarker testing reveals progress and persistent barriers in lung cancer biomarker testing
Research shows pathway to developing predictive biomarkers for immune checkpoint inhibitors
Just how dangerous is Great Salt Lake dust? New research looks for clues
Maroulas appointed Associate Vice Chancellor, Director of AI Tennessee
New chickadee research finds cognitive skills impact lifespan
Cognitive behavioral therapy enhances brain circuits to relieve depression
Terasaki Institute awarded $2.3 Million grant from NIH for organ transplantation research using organs-on-a-chip technology
Atoms on the edge
Postdoc takes multipronged approach to muon detection
Mathematical proof: Five satellites needed for precise navigation
Scalable, multi-functional device lays groundwork for advanced quantum applications
Falling for financial scams? It may signal early Alzheimer’s disease
Integrating MRI and OCT for new insights into brain microstructure
Designing a normative neuroimaging library to support diagnosis of traumatic brain injury
Department of Energy announces $68 million in funding for artificial intelligence for scientific research
DOE, ORNL announce opportunity to define future of high-performance computing
Molecular simulations, supercomputing lead to energy-saving biomaterials breakthrough
Low-impact yoga and exercise found to help older women manage urinary incontinence
Genetic studies reveal new insights into cognitive impairment in schizophrenia
Researcher develops technology to provide cleaner energy and cleaner water
Expect the unexpected: nanoscale silver unveils intrinsic self-healing abilities
nTIDE September 2024 Jobs Report: Gains in employment for people with disabilities appear to level off after reducing gaps with non-disabled workers
Wiley enhances NMR Spectral Library Collection with extensive new databases
[Press-News.org] A cool solutionMizzou researcher Chanwoo Park is designing a next-generation cooling system to help data centers become more energy efficient