Thermal Management

The data center cooling value chain is long, complicated, and chaotic, consisting of multiple stakeholders. Data center cooling happens on multiple levels including chip and server level, as well as the rack and facility level.

Air cooling dominated the battery cooling market a few years ago but was overtaken by active cooling (using indirect liquid cooling methods) due to its ability to keep the cells at a more optimal temperature range, enabling greater battery longevity and faster charging. According to IDTechEx, this method is expected to be just as popular over the next decade, with trends predicted to be similar except for a small increase in immersion for niche applications.

A power module in DC fast chargers is a critical component that converts AC grid power into high-voltage DC power to charge EV batteries efficiently. It integrates rectifiers, inverters, and control systems to ensure precise power delivery while optimizing energy efficiency and minimizing heat loss. Power modules are essential for achieving rapid charging speeds and supporting high-power applications, meeting the demands of growing EV adoption.

IDTechEx predicts that GPUs with a TDP of over 1500W could be expected over the next year in 2025, with the management of energy costs becoming slightly trickier. Thermal management and cooling systems will therefore need to become a main consideration in data center designs to enable efficient cooling, enhanced thermal efficiency, and reduced energy waste.

Utilizing alternatives to helium where possible could allow for a greater conservation of helium, which could prove to be necessary for the market going forward. IDTechEx reports that since 2005, there have been 4 supply shortages of helium, each resulting in high price volatility, with the price of helium having almost doubled since 2021.

In this article, IDTechEx will summarize the main trends of thermal management in the data center and EV power electronics industries, as well as the recent developments of thermal interface materials used.

As electric vehicles (EVs) continue to reshape the automotive landscape, the integration of Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology offers transformative potential for both the energy grid and vehicle owners.

Wednesday 13 November 2024 - Enabling Emerging Industries Through Thermal Management in 2024 and Beyond; Thermal management fluids and greater component integration in EVs; EV power electronics and its emerging thermal management needs; Adoption of new thermal management systems in data centers; How the above trends impact thermal interface materials and their application

As of 2024, single-phase direct-to-chip (D2C) cooling dominates the high-end GPU thermal management market. However, with the increasing thermal design power (TDP), two-phase D2C cooling will be required.

Given helium's critical role in semiconductor production, onshoring chip manufacturing will have a significant knock-on impact on the helium demand for semiconductor manufacturing.