Data centers are widely seen as a leech on power grids. Even when data center owners pay for network access, electricity bills continue to rise, so engineers struggle to find alternative energy sources. Solar data centers that use countless panels are one option, but what if they used a new alloy that powers its own cooling? A team of German and Japanese researchers have demonstrated “elastocaloric cooling,” a cooling system that relies on shape memory films instead of motors to power its own temperature regulation.
The study, detailed in the journal Nature Energy, describes a prototype composed of a thermal actuator and a cooling unit. The actuator rests on a shape memory alloy film (titanium-nickel) which, when exposed to heat, produces an elastocaloric refrigeration effect: it deforms in such a way as to dissipate heat, thereby cooling the source of said heat. Heat sinks are also provided to help dissipate heat more efficiently. According to the document, the cooling operation is divided into four stages.
First, when the temperature of the shape memory alloy actuator film reaches a sufficient limit, it stretches, generating a force that also elongates a separate refrigerant film. Eventually, the refrigerant film touches the heat sink, which draws heat from it, thereby cooling the actuator and refrigerant films and returning them to their original dimensions. The refrigerant film then touches the heat source, absorbing its heat and repeating the process infinitely.
How this technology would benefit data centers
Data centers don’t just consume electricity by the truckload; they also gobble up RAM and cause problems for nearby residents, producing a constant cacophony of buzzing sounds while drinking water to stay cool. This is where the new shape memory alloy comes into play. Although the research paper doesn’t mention data centers, many experts think the same thing: these elasto-caloric cooling films would be perfect for maintaining data center temperatures.
This may not impact the electricity costs of operating them, but it could reduce or even eliminate the power needed to operate air conditioning units, as well as conserve water for the people who need it most. Since the technology is so new, however, the film and its cooling effects are little more than a proof of concept.
The researchers said in the paper that the films generated only 2.09 milliwatts of cooling power and that the system was hampered by issues such as slow actuation and the size of the heat exchanger. The study nevertheless demonstrates that such a cooling system can work not only for AI data centers, but also for personal computers. Why buy a liquid-cooled laptop when you can get one that’s elastocaloric-cooled?
