With rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and increasing reliance on high-powered central processing units (CPUs) and graphics processing units (GPUs), data centers are consuming more power than ever. Increased power directly correlates with the demand for better cooling solutions to manage increased heat loads.
Data center cooling testing and research at Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) provides a range of thermal performance testing, evaluation and research on critical data center cooling hardware with state-of-the art test facilities geared towards first of kind (FOK) early product validation testing.
For more information, please contact Ashok Thyagarajan, +1 210 522 2613, or Eugene Hoffman, +1 210 522 4816.
Data Center Heat Exchanger & CDU Test Facilities
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Large-scale heat exchanger test facility with capacity up to 5 MW.
SwRI’s facility offers data center heat exchanger research and test facilities with access to state-of-the art flow loops that are built to standards with options to perform custom thermal testing.
In addition to thermal performance testing of heat exchangers, coolant distribution units (CDUs) and other data center hardware, SwRI also offers thermal testing of heat transfer fluids, evaluation of durability and reliability of cooling systems, fouling, corrosion and fluid quality testing and evaluation.
The Large-Scale Heat Exchanger Test Facility (LS-HXTF) has been configured to provide 5 MW of heating and cooling and can simulate actual flow conditions typically seen in data centers. For heat loads up to 1 MW, SwRI offers the Medium-Scale Heat Exchanger Test Facility (MS-HXTF) that is also designed to standards.
As one of the few bespoke thermal performance testing providers, SwRI can create tailor-made test setups to recreate necessary flow conditions to challenge most technologies. A brief outline of CDU test, data center heat exchanger testing and other flow and thermal capabilities is listed below.
Component & Device
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SwRI’s 1 MW capacity Medium-scale heat exchanger facility.
- Heat Exchangers (Brazed plate, Plate and Frame, Shell and Tube, etc.)
- Coolant Distribution Units (CDUs)
- Pumps and Pump Skids
- Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs)
- In Row Heat Exchangers (IRHX)
- Rear Door Heat Exchangers (RDHx)
- Mechanical Equipment Skids (MES)
- Pressure Independent Control (PIC) Valves
CDU & Data Center Cooling Systems Testing
- Thermal Performance Testing of CDUs and Heat Exchangers
- P-Q Testing of CDUs and pumps
- VFD Harmonics
- System Level Transient Response (Loss of utility cooling, etc.)
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MW-scale heat exchange data center R&D
SwRI facility allows DC industry to test and develop new technologies for thermal management at DCs and industrial facilities.
Data Center Thermal Management Research & Development
In addition to data center cooling testing and evaluation cooling/IT hardware, SwRI conducts and provides research and development services in data center cooling at IT/server level, rack/row level and facility/data center level to minimize power usage effectiveness (PUE) and water usage effectiveness (WUE). Specialized research topics such as data center power systems, waste heat recovery, energy efficiency and water conservation pertaining to data centers and other information technology equipment (ITE) are some of the active topics explored by our researchers.
- Thermal Management (ITE/Rack Level)
- Single Phase and Two-Phase Pumped Direct Liquid Cooling (DLC)
- Immersion Cooling
- Spray Cooling and Jet Impingement
- Data Center Cooling Design
- Heat Pipes and Vapor Chambers
- Power Systems
- Water Conservation and Recovery
- Energy Efficiency
- System Operation