Liquid cooling in data centers is increasingly viewed as a necessity, particularly due to the high temperatures generated by chips used in AI applications. Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Equinix are the latest companies to adopt this cooling technology, highlighting its importance as AI continues to evolve.
Equinix, the largest independent cloud services provider, is set to implement a two-phase, direct-to-chip cooling system developed by Accelsius. This system, known as the NeuCool IR80, will be installed at Equinix’s Co-Innovation Facility in Ashburn, Virginia in Q3 2025. The facility aims to provide a hands-on space for clients to experience innovative technologies in action.
Josh Claman, CEO of Accelsius, emphasized the need to show clients how the technology works in real-world situations, noting that the system operates with slightly warmer water temperatures to increase energy efficiency. Current research indicates that chips can handle slight temperature increases without adverse effects, allowing for significant energy savings by omitting complex cooling equipment.
The partnership between Accelsius and Equinix was fostered through their involvement in the COOLERCHIPS program initiated by ARPA-E in 2023, which seeks to minimize cooling energy consumption in data centers.
AWS’s approach includes deploying In-Row Heat Exchangers (IRHX), a custom-built liquid cooling system tailored for its Nvidia Blackwell GPUs, known for their high performance and significant heat output during AI training and inference. The IRHX system consists of a water-distribution cabinet, a pumping unit, and in-row fan-coil modules that work together to draw heat away from the chips through liquid cooling.
While direct-to-chip cooling solutions are available from several manufacturers, AWS’s modular design allows for flexibility in configuring cooling capabilities for various data center rows and facilities.
Despite concerns about potential disruptions in the liquid cooling market, experts indicate that AWS’s developments are focused on internal needs rather than competition with other data center infrastructure providers.
