Rise of Big Data, Need for Energy Efficiency Drives Transformative Innovation in Data Center Industry

3M experts say immersion cooling addresses data centers’ energy
efficiency challenges

SAN JOSE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#DataDriven–As data grows exponentially, so does its environmental footprint. This
rapid growth is creating an expanding energy efficiency gap. A new
documentary short, “Data
Driven. Advancing A Sustainable Future.,” launched by 3M, explores
how to close this gap to help create a more sustainable data center.
According to 3M experts, the industry has the power to reduce energy
consumption by up to 95 percent in data centers with immersion cooling
technology.

Data is critical and is used to help solve the world’s toughest issues,
however the amount of data created doubles every two years – and now
managing that computing capacity is a challenge. 3M recently joined
other industry leaders at the Open Compute Project (OCP) who are
committed to closing the data center energy efficiency gap.

“It’s exciting to be able to partner with multiple organizations,” said
Rocky Bullock, CEO of Open Compute Project. “The industry has a wide
variety of skills and experience, and it is wonderful to see those
skills come together to accelerate improvement.”

“Incremental measures will struggle to keep pace with the steep
trajectory of data growth. The industry needs transformative innovations
for sustainability to grow alongside the rise of big data. We’ve proven
that immersion cooling can both enable a data-driven future while
helping ensure that future is environmentally sustainable,” said Michael
E. Garceau, data center business manager at 3M. “Our society relies on
data and technology, but we also need it to be energy efficient. We are
proud to join the Open Compute Project to help reduce the energy
footprint of data centers.”

Roughly 38 percent of the electricity consumed by a data center
operation is used to cool electronics. Immersion cooling uses only a
fraction of the energy of an air-cooled system. The most efficient
immersion cooling methods can achieve a PUE of less than 1.02, down from
1.1 to 2.0 PUE with traditional data center cooling, by eliminating
chillers and air conditioning units.

Immersion cooling allows for a tighter configuration of components in
less floor space than typical air-cooled systems. It enables 100+
kilowatts of computing power per square meter and can be housed in 10
times less floor space. With immersion cooling, you can increase
processing power and reduce latency while running your electronics at
full capacity with less wear and tear.

“Instead of spreading out the electronics so you can air cool them, you
pack the electronics together with immersion cooling,” said Laura
Nereng, electronics and energy business group sustainability leader at
3M. “It’s a practical solution that can be used in any geography.”

For more information attend the viewing
of “Data Driven” at the 2018 OCP U.S. Summit on the Expo Hall Stage
on March 21 or take part in the dialogue by attending the panel
discussion engineering workshop moderated by 3M. Attendees of the
Summit can also stop by 3M booth #B44 to see a new immersion cooling
demonstration designed in collaboration with Vicor Corporation. Visit www.3M.com/DataDriven
to learn more.

About 3M
At 3M, we apply science in collaborative ways to
improve lives daily. With $32 billion in sales, our 91,000 employees
connect with customers all around the world. Learn more about 3M’s
creative solutions to the world’s problems at www.3M.com or
on Twitter @3M or @3MNews.

Contacts

Inprela Communications
Lacey Poppe, 612-677-2026
[email protected]
or
3M
Robert
Brittain, 651-733-7034
[email protected]