Key Points
- Liquid cooling is now essential for data centers due to the extreme heat generated by AI chips, which could impact future performance of Microsoft’s Azure and Windows Server-based infrastructure.
- Equinix partners with Accelsius to deploy a high-efficiency two-phase, direct-to-chip cooling system in Virginia by 2025, supporting tech innovation in cloud and enterprise spaces.
- AWS creates a custom modular cooling system (IRHX) for Nvidia’s Blackwell GPUs, using a flexible design to manage AI-driven heat while aligning with broader cloud energy efforts.
Data Centers Race to Cool AI Chips as Demand Soars
Liquid cooling is shifting from a niche solution to a critical requirement in data centers worldwide. This trend, driven by the massive heat output of advanced AI chips, is reshaping how tech giants like Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Equinix manage their infrastructure. For businesses relying on cloud platforms such as Microsoft’s Azure, these developments signal a growing need for energy-efficient, high-performance cooling systems to sustain AI workloads.
Equinix Aims to Showcase Cutting-Edge Cooling Tech
Equinix, the world’s largest colocation and interconnection provider, announced plans to test a two-phase, direct-to-chip cooling system at its Co-Innovation Facility (CIF) in Ashburn, Virginia. The system, called NeuCool IR80, is produced by Accelsius, a leader in liquid cooling technology. Scheduled for deployment by Q3 2025, the system will be used in the DC15 International Business Exchange (IBX) data center, part of Equinix’s Ashburn campus. This facility serves as a testing ground for emerging technologies, allowing partners to visualize and adapt solutions like liquid cooling for their needs.
“Making cooling technologies tangible helps businesses see their real-world benefits,” said Josh Claman, CEO of Accelsius. The NeuCool IR80 differs slightly from traditional methods by allowing for slightly warmer water (6–8°C above baseline). This reduces energy costs linked to compressors, a major expense in cooling systems. The partnership originated from shared goals in the federal COOLERCHIPS program, launched in 2023 to cut cooling energy use to under 5% of a data center’s total IT load. Such efficiency is crucial for providers like Equinix and indirectly affects platforms like Azure, which rely on cutting-edge infrastructure to maintain reliability.
AWS Builds Modular Cooling Solutions for AI Powerhouses
AWS, meanwhile, is deploying custom In-Row Heat Exchangers (IRHX) to tackle the heat from Nvidia’s Blackwell GPUs—the company’s most powerful chips for AI training and inference. Unlike conventional air cooling, the IRHX system uses direct-to-chip liquid cooling. Cold plates attached to the chips absorb heat, transferring it to liquid coolant. The warmed coolant then circulates through heat exchanger coils, where high-speed fans (like those in a car radiator) cool it before reuse.
The IRHX has three parts: a water-distribution cabinet, a pumping unit, and fan-coil modules. Its standout feature? A modular design that separates the pumping unit from the fan-coil system. This allows AWS to use one pump for multiple fan units, enabling easy scaling and adjustments as cooling needs fluctuate per data center row. The approach could inspire others in the industry, though analysts note AWS typically develops solutions exclusively for its own use and avoids competing directly with infrastructure providers like Vertiv, CoolIT, or Delta. These companies already offer their own direct-to-chip systems, but AWS’s method introduces a new layer of flexibility.
Broader Implications for Microsoft and Cloud Tech
As AI workloads become a cornerstone of modern computing, fluid cooling systems are essential to prevent overheating and ensure optimal performance. While the article focuses on AWS and Equinix, the trend extends to cloud platforms like Azure, which must support similar demand for AI and high-performance services. Microsoft has yet to disclose specific adoption plans, but the shift underscores the growing interdependence between cloud providers, hardware innovators, and environmental goals.
With the COOLERCHIPS initiative pushing energy efficiency, partnerships like these could set new industry standards. Companies leveraging Windows Server and Azure for AI-driven applications will likely need advanced cooling to avoid bottlenecks and reduce costs in the long term. As cooling tech evolves, it becomes clearer that AI’s future hinges as much on managing heat as on accelerating AI models themselves.
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