The growth of artificial intelligence and high-performance computing is increasing the power density of IT infrastructure and, with it, the importance of cooling systems capable of handling increasing amounts of heat.
In this scenario, Liquid Cooling takes on an increasingly important role. And when a liquid is brought near servers and high-value electronic components, reliability and circuit accuracy become essential requirements.
Seemingly simple fittings, valves, grafts, connections and small parts thus become critical elements of the system.
When a loss is not contemplated
In liquid cooling systems for data centers the secondary circuit may include manifolds, piping, valves, sensors, controllers, and quick disconnect systems. The latter, in particular, must allow servers or racks to be disconnected and reconnected, avoiding refrigerant leaks during operations.
The tightness of the system therefore also arises from the quality of the individual components.
Coupling geometries, threads, sealing surfaces and roughness must be checked extremely carefully. The quality of connection processing is also significant: ASHRAE highlights, for example, that improperly machined edges on fittings can internally damage hoses and promote fatigue phenomena over time.
In other words, in Liquid Cooling, mechanical precision becomes an integral part of the reliability of the IT infrastructure.
Stainless steel and aluminum: materials to choose carefully
Among the materials that can be used in cooling circuits, stainless steel has particularly interesting characteristics due to its corrosion resistance.
The selection cannot stop at the name of the material, however. Steel grade, workings and surface conditions shall be evaluated with respect to the fluid and operating environment. ASHRAE, for example, contemplates the use of suitably treated and passivated stainless steel in cooling circuits.
Aluminium can also find application, but requires a particularly careful assessment of the compatibility of the system. The simultaneous presence of different metals in the same circuit can in fact create conditions favorable to galvanic corrosion. ASHRAE indicates that aluminium can be used by adopting appropriate surface treatments or in configurations that avoid direct exposure to the same fluid together with other incompatible metals.
The choice of material, therefore, must be reasoned at the system level.
From micron to data center
This is precisely where skills born in precision mechanics can meet the new needs of digital infrastructure.
MABO has mobile jockey and fixed head CNC lathes for the production of small parts and a grinding department dedicated to processes that require high levels of precision. These are complemented by threading, rolling, pressing, running and finishing processes, as well as quality control integrated into the production process.
Applying this know-how to components intended for Liquid Cooling means thinking about each particular according to the system in which it will be inserted: material, tolerances, surfaces, tightness and production repeatability.
Because behind the infrastructure that powers AI are enormous computing capabilities. But components as small as a few millimetres can ensure that they continue to function.
