Ecolab describes closed-loop cooling for AI servers that requires no additional water

Ecolab CEO Christopher Beck said that as data centers adopt more powerful accelerators, traditional HVAC cooling is no longer sufficient: these systems require direct-to-chip cooling. Ecolab’s approach delivers coolant directly to GPUs, routes it through a coolant distribution unit (CDU), and remotely monitors the coolant’s quality and cooling capacity.

According to Beck, the closed loop requires no additional water and avoids affecting water supplies in surrounding communities; it can also reduce the power needed for cooling, leaving more power for computing. Beck said direct-to-chip cooling solutions are still at an early stage of adoption.