Views: 0 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2025-12-22 Origin: Site
Liquid cooling technology leverages the high specific heat capacity of liquids (water’s specific heat capacity is 4 times that of air) to efficiently dissipate heat. Its core advantages include high heat dissipation density (single-device heat dissipation power up to kW level) and low energy consumption (PUE values can drop below 1.1). However, it faces challenges such as leakage risks, high maintenance costs, and temperature control precision relying on contact probes.
The fusion logic with other technologies focuses on:
Compensating for shortcomings: Resolving leakage and maintenance issues through non-contact sensing and intelligent algorithms.
Amplifying advantages: Expanding applications to small devices (e.g., chips, smartphones) via microchannels and phase-change materials.
Creating value: Achieving synergistic efficiency of "precision temperature control + high-efficiency heat dissipation" to break through the limitations of traditional air cooling.
Technical Principle: External conduction technologies (e.g., graphene flexible sensing films) capture heat source temperatures non-contact, while liquid cooling systems dynamically adjust heat dissipation power based on temperature data. The core is to replace traditional contact probes with non-contact sensing to eliminate leakage risks.
Feasibility for Industrial Implementation:
Hardware Adaptation: Adopt magnetic universal interfaces—sensing films are directly attached to heat sources, and liquid cooling modules connect via magnetic interfaces without modifying equipment (e.g., data center server retrofitting time reduced from 7 days to 2 hours).
Cost Control: Sensing films are mass-produced (annual capacity of 1 million pieces), reducing unit cost from RMB 500 (laboratory) to RMB 50 (90% reduction).
User Experience: Develop the "one-click calibration" function—sensing films automatically identify heat source materials (metal/glass) without manual adjustment.
Typical Applications: Data center servers, ornamental fish tanks, PCR instruments (temperature control precision ±0.1°C).
Technical Principle: PCMs (e.g., paraffin, hydrated salts) absorb/release latent heat during phase transitions, acting as "heat buffers" to temporarily store instantaneous heat, which is then gradually dissipated by liquid cooling systems. The core is to solve the insufficient instantaneous heat dissipation capacity of liquid cooling systems (e.g., sudden heat from chips under high load).
Feasibility for Industrial Implementation:
Hardware Adaptation: PCM modules are designed as patch-type structures, directly attachable to chips/batteries, and connected to liquid cooling pipes via buckles (e.g., smartphone PCM patches are only 0.5mm thick, not increasing device volume).
Cost Control: PCMs are mass-produced by chemical enterprises (annual capacity of 1,000 tons), reducing cost from RMB 500,000/ton (laboratory) to RMB 50,000/ton (90% reduction).
User Experience: Develop "scenario-based modes"—e.g., smartphones’ "gaming mode" automatically activates PCM + liquid cooling to maintain CPU temperatures below 40°C.
Typical Applications: Smartphones, new energy vehicle batteries, satellite electronic devices (instant heat dissipation capacity increased by 3–5 times).
Technical Principle: AI algorithms analyze temperature, flow, and energy consumption data of liquid cooling systems to predict heat source changes (e.g., server load fluctuations) and adjust liquid cooling parameters in advance. The core is to upgrade from "passive heat dissipation" to "active predictive heat dissipation".
Feasibility for Industrial Implementation:
Hardware Adaptation: AI control modules use standard PCIe interfaces, directly pluggable into server motherboards, and communicate with liquid cooling systems via IoT protocols (no need to replace existing liquid cooling equipment).
Cost Control: AI chips are customized by domestic manufacturers (30% cost reduction), and algorithms are optimized via open-source frameworks (50% R&D cost reduction).
User Experience: Develop a "digital twin monitoring system"—users can visually view temperature and energy consumption curves of each device, with abnormal states marked by colors (e.g., red for overheating).
Typical Applications: Data centers, industrial laser cutters, smart homes (20–30% energy consumption reduction).
Technical Principle: Microchannel technology uses micron-scale channels (10–100μm wide) to increase liquid-heat source contact area, while liquid cooling systems efficiently dissipate heat via microchannels. The core is to solve heat dissipation challenges for small devices (e.g., chips, smartphones).
Feasibility for Industrial Implementation:
Hardware Adaptation: Microchannel liquid cooling plates are designed as flexible, cuttable structures, adaptable to heat sources from 1cm² (smartphone chips) to 1m² (server cabinets) (no need for resealing after cutting).
Cost Control: Microchannel plates are mass-produced via 3D printing, reducing unit cost from RMB 2,000 (laboratory) to RMB 200 (90% reduction).
User Experience: Develop a "silent mode"—microchannel liquid cooling system pump speeds are automatically adjusted, with noise controlled below 30dB (library-level quietness).
Typical Applications: CPU/GPU chips, VR/AR devices, miniature medical instruments (heat dissipation density increased by 10–20 times).
Technical Principle: 5G/edge computing requires high-density edge nodes (e.g., base stations, edge servers). Liquid cooling systems provide efficient heat dissipation via compact cabinets, with the core goal of increasing edge node density and stability.
Feasibility for Industrial Implementation:
Hardware Adaptation: Liquid cooling cabinets use modular stacking structures, accommodating 20 servers per cabinet (vs. 5 for traditional air cooling cabinets) and supporting "plug-and-play" (edge data center deployment time reduced from 1 month to 1 week).
Cost Control: Liquid cooling cabinets are integrated via domestic supply chains, reducing cost from RMB 1,000,000/cabinet to RMB 300,000/cabinet (70% reduction).
User Experience: Develop a "remote monitoring platform"—users can check edge node temperature and energy consumption data via mobile apps, with automatic alerts for abnormal states.
Typical Applications: 5G base stations, edge data centers, V2X RSU devices (edge node density increased by 3–5 times).
| Fusion Direction | Core Pain Points Solved | Key Feasibility Indicators | Typical Applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| External Conduction | Leakage risks, low temperature control precision | Magnetic interfaces, ±0.1°C precision, 90% cost reduction | Data centers, PCR instruments |
| Phase-Change Materials | Insufficient instantaneous heat dissipation | Patch structures, 90% cost reduction, scenario-based modes | Smartphones, EV batteries |
| AI Technology | High energy consumption, high maintenance costs | PCIe interfaces, 30% energy reduction, digital twin monitoring | Data centers, laser cutters |
| Microchannel Technology | Heat dissipation for small devices | Flexible cuttable design, 90% cost reduction, silent mode | CPU chips, VR/AR devices |
| 5G/Edge Computing | High-density edge node heat dissipation | Modular stacking, 70% cost reduction, remote monitoring | 5G base stations, edge data centers |
Future liquid cooling technology will move toward multi-technology synergy, such as:
Liquid Cooling + External Conduction + AI: Data center servers use non-contact sensing for temperature data, AI predicts heat changes, and liquid cooling systems dynamically adjust flow—achieving "precision sensing + intelligent decision-making + high-efficiency heat dissipation".
Liquid Cooling + Phase-Change Materials + Microchannels: Smartphone chips use microchannel liquid cooling, PCMs buffer instantaneous heat, and AI adjusts heat dissipation power—solving overheating in high-load scenarios.
This synergistic fusion will break through application boundaries, expanding from industrial to consumer and scientific research fields, and become a core technology supporting the future digital economy.
