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Gigabyte works with Incooling for phase change cooled systems

by Mark Tyson on 20 January 2020, 13:11

Tags: Gigabyte (TPE:2376)

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Gigabyte has announced that it is collaborating with Incooling to ramp up the cooling capabilities for its overclockable R161 Series server platform. The first target for developing and prototyping the tech will be in the server market where faster speeds can pay big dividends - running applications for the high frequency trading market, for example.

With the above in mind, Gigabyte and Incooling are adapting R161 Series servers, which previously relied on Asetek ServerLSL sealed loop liquid cooling systems to support overclocking and to push performance to the max. By the sounds of things the new cooling technology does appear to have made quite a big difference in temperatures and OC speeds.

Up to "20°C lower core temperatures"

"Incooling's technology is capable of pushing temperatures far below the traditional data centre air temperatures, unlocking a new class of turbocharged servers," asserts the Gigabyte press release.

In-house tests of the cutting edge two-phase cooling technology on the R161 servers is claimed to deliver the following benefits; "up to 20°C lower core temperatures contributing up to 10 per cent increase in boost clock-speed whilst lowering total power draw by 200W". The diagram below shows the basic science behind the phase-change cooling tech which is being leveraged here.

In the diagram you can see an overview of the flow of the specialised refrigerant that fills the system. It provides cooling as it changes from liquid to gas, then the coolant is condensed back to liquid in a condenser area, aided by a radiator/fan(s). According to theory, the phase change cooler system doesn't need a pump as its cooling / condensing cycle is driven by the heat from the processor. However, you can see that the Gigabyte diagram does include a pump of one kind or another, probably to ensure consistent performance.

Gigabyte and Incooling will continue to refine this cooling system with the overall goal of greater performance with reduced energy consumption - an important balancing act for servers. Going forward, Gigabyte server systems such as its H-Series multi-node servers for high performance computing and G-Series GPU servers for artificial intelligence will be tested with this phase-change cooling technology.

At Computex 2018 CaseKing / der8auer showed off a pump-less phase shift cooler that was "actually going to be a product" but which doesn't appear to have been finalised or shipped as yet. At Computex 2016 Raijintek demonstrated a 'passive liquid cooler' using phase change liquid with sub 40°C boiling point - again this is a product that isn't available.



HEXUS Forums :: 5 Comments

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would not mind that, but also keep in mind for the consumer those systems can go lethal if not handled well… like a pressure boiler out of control scenario, however I could see some good possible consumer ideas that would not cost and arm and a leg and with possible lesser violent fluids, and maybe with it dropping lets say CPU temp to constant 20C and GPU to below 40C on max workload? could see the benefits from it likewise heavier OC's as well, even stable.
QuorTek
however I could see some good possible consumer ideas that would not cost and arm and a leg

More likely cost an arm and two legs, aimed squarely at dedicated and well-off overclockers.
Surprised that Asetek aren't providing the new solution in the first place. I remember their Vapochill XE PC cases from the 2000's providing phase changing based cooling for the consumer market, with drool worthy and highly dodgy sub-ambient temperatures that could even tame a NetBurst P4.
That pump's in the wrong place for a traditional pumped chase change cooling system (i.e. like the one in your fridge) - either this is a normal heat pump with a bad diagram (which wouldn't be a bad choice for the server applications they're targeting), or a roided AIO.

It looks like a good approach, the pump will give you flexibility in mounting while only needing similar power levels as a traditional AIO pump (since it's just moving fluid, not making the fluid change phase). It also means no worries about sub-ambient cooling
QuorTek
would not mind that, but also keep in mind for the consumer those systems can go lethal if not handled well… like a pressure boiler out of control scenario, however I could see some good possible consumer ideas that would not cost and arm and a leg and with possible lesser violent fluids, and maybe with it dropping lets say CPU temp to constant 20C and GPU to below 40C on max workload? could see the benefits from it likewise heavier OC's as well, even stable.

I'd be more worried about the toxic refrigerant leaking than an explosion.