Liquid cooling solution suppliers are eyeing growing business opportunities from AI servers, which have been driving changes in component specs to support the dissipation of the huge amounts of heat generated by the machines and to meet the power usage effectiveness (PUE) requirements of the EU and China, according to industry sources.
At present servers mainly use air cooling for heat dissipation, which is cheaper than using 3D vapor chambers (VC) and heat pipes by up to 80%, according to Auras Technology, a thermal module manufacturer. Since AI servers have higher cooling requirements, Auras has worked with customers to develop 3D VCs.
Server supply chain players noted that Nvidia has two shipment models: shipment through ODMs to customers and direct shipment from Nvidia. Products shipped directly through Nvidia use 3D VC design. At present, only Cooler Master has obtained certification for 3D VC. Asia Vital Components (AVC) and Auras are also seeking certification and should have results in the third quarter.
With the move from air cooling to heat pipes to 3D VC, companies are actively investing in liquid cooling solutions.
AVC chairman Spencer Shen pointed out that wider demand for liquid cooling is not expected until 2024. AVC is already preparing for the demand.
Auras has already mass-produced and shipped cold plates to US-based and China-based server manufacturers in the second quarter. It expects shipments will double in the third quarter.
Before merging with Nidec, thermal module maker Chaun-Choung Technology (CCI) had previously developed a liquid cooling solution with a customer but it was not mass-produced or shipped. After the merger, Nidec used its vast R&D resources to continue investing in liquid cooling technology.
The liquid cooling technology developed by Nidec has reportedly been licensed to CCI in response to the clear demand for liquid cooling for servers—it will also simultaneously mass-produce cold plates at its Taipei factory.
Nidec has close ties with a US-based server maker and is its exclusive fan supplier, which will benefit CCI's follow-up AI server shipments. CCI has not commented on the rumors.
After its June shareholder meeting, CCI chairman Junichi Nagai stated that he is confident about performance in the second half of this year. Nagai believes the cooling market for AI servers is very big and CCI will provide customers with related solutions. Nagai added that CCI will expand its automotive business along with the Nidec group. It has been reported that CCI has already mass-produced and shipped cold plates for automobiles.
Article translated by Eifeh Strom
