DCF Show: Liquid Cooling Technology Implications for AI-Era Data Center Designs
Recognizing how data center liquid cooling technology has taken the spotlight this year, in this episode of the Data Center Frontier Show podcast, DCF Editor in Chief Matt Vincent sits down with Mark Fenton, Sr. Product Marketing Manager for Cadence Design Systems; and Mark Seymour, Distinguished Engineer with Cadence and co-founder and CEO of Future Facilities, Ltd., a company specializing in digital twin technology for data centers, whom Cadence acquired in July of 2022.
The discussion unpacks some of the implications of the rise data center liquid cooling technology for data center designs in the era of AI, as proclaimed earlier this month in the pages of VentureBeat.
Listen to today's show:
Here's a timeline of points discussed on the podcast:
1:06 - Transitioning to the "AI Era" of Data Centers?
2:06 - The Cloud and AI Are Absolutely Symbiotic
3:40 - Liquid Cooling Customers: Traditional vs. Now
5:43 - The Beauty of Direct Liquid to Chip Technologies
7:07 - The Issue with Rack Retrofits
8:17 - Timing of Liquid Cooling Imperatives for Data Center Design
11:02 - Cost Considerations for Liquid Cooling: Is PUE a Bad Premise?
13:13 - How Data Center Design Tools are Accounting for Liquid Cooling Technologies
14:40 - Digital Twins for Air Cooled vs. Liquid Cooling Data Centers
16:30 - Liquid Cooling Doesn't Stop Inside the White Space
17:31 - How Liquid Cooling Improves Sustainability and ESG for Data Centers
18:46 - Liquid Cooling Can Potentially Produce Higher-Quality Waste Heat
20:18 - The Holistic Efficiencies of Data Center Liquid Cooling
22:29 - From Opportunities to Challenges
23:32 - Data Centers Love a Silver Bullet
25:34 - Evolution of Data Center Liquid Cooling Designs
26:21 - The Problem Is Power Densities are Rising
27:36 - Drawing Distinctions for Immersion Cooling
29:35 - Immersion Cooling Maintenance Questions
Here are links to some recent DCF articles on data center liquid cooling technology:
- Investors Are Warming Up to Liquid Cooling
- Liquid Cooling Is In Your Future. Are You Ready?
- How to Get Started on Your Immersion Cooling Journey
- Direct Liquid Cooling - The Ultimate Guide for Data Centers
- Liquid Cooling: Going Beyond Water
- Four Factors to Consider When Selecting the Right Glycol-Based Fluid for Liquid Cooling
- Why Liquid Cooling is Critical for Your Data Center's Future
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About the Author
Matt Vincent
Matt Vincent is Editor in Chief of Data Center Frontier, where he leads editorial strategy and coverage focused on the infrastructure powering cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and the digital economy. A veteran B2B technology journalist with more than two decades of experience, Vincent specializes in the intersection of data centers, power, cooling, and emerging AI-era infrastructure. Since assuming the EIC role in 2023, he has helped guide Data Center Frontier’s coverage of the industry’s transition into the gigawatt-scale AI era, with a focus on hyperscale development, behind-the-meter power strategies, liquid cooling architectures, and the evolving energy demands of high-density compute, while working closely with the Digital Infrastructure Group at Endeavor Business Media to expand the brand’s analytical and multimedia footprint. Vincent also hosts The Data Center Frontier Show podcast, where he interviews industry leaders across hyperscale, colocation, utilities, and the data center supply chain to examine the technologies and business models reshaping digital infrastructure. Since its inception he serves as Head of Content for the Data Center Frontier Trends Summit. Before becoming Editor in Chief, he served in multiple senior editorial roles across Endeavor Business Media’s digital infrastructure portfolio, with coverage spanning data centers and hyperscale infrastructure, structured cabling and networking, telecom and datacom, IP physical security, and wireless and Pro AV markets. He began his career in 2005 within PennWell’s Advanced Technology Division and later held senior editorial positions supporting brands such as Cabling Installation & Maintenance, Lightwave Online, Broadband Technology Report, and Smart Buildings Technology. Vincent is a frequent moderator, interviewer, and keynote speaker at industry events including the HPC Forum, where he delivers forward-looking analysis on how AI and high-performance computing are reshaping digital infrastructure. He graduated with honors from Indiana University Bloomington with a B.A. in English Literature and Creative Writing and lives in southern New Hampshire with his family, remaining an active musician in his spare time.
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