Fundamental problem of the internet: the servers it needs to run get really really hot and need to be cooled down almost constantly. That means expending a lot of energy for air conditioning and THAT means coal or, in some cases, solar or wind power. Intel is trying something new: submerging banks of servers in oil to keep them cool.
Gizmodo reports that:
they’re using mineral oil, which doesn’t conduct electricity. It’s a pretty wacky idea, but it seems to be working. After a year of testing with Green Revolution Cooling, Intel has observed some of the best efficiency ratings it’s ever seen. Probably most impressive is that immersion in the oil doesn’t seem to affect hardware reliability.
All up, it’s extremely promising: completely immersing components in liquid means you can pack components in more tightly as the cooling is so much more efficient.
Facebook has already tried locating server farms in the Arctic and just leaving all the windows open. Someone should call Fonzie. I bet he could snap his fingers and say “Cool it!” and the servers totally would. Get Winkler on the phone!
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