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Fujitsu Launches Liquid Immersion Cooling System That Lowers Total Cost of Ownership
Fujitsu Limited
Fujitsu today announced that it will begin sales of its Fujitsu Server PRIMERGY Liquid Immersion Cooling System in Japan today, with a global rollout to follow.
This product is a cooling system designed to efficiently cool the entire IT devices equally by immersing it in cooling fluid. Large-scale cooling equipment is not required, so the system reduces the total power consumption for the server system as a whole by about 40%(1) compared to existing air cooling systems. This dramatic reduction of power consumption allows customers to approximately double the server density in the same installation space(2).
Fujitsu will continue to support the transformation of customer businesses going forward by delivering high-performance server systems using its innovative liquid cooling technologies.
Background
New technologies that process huge volumes of data, including IoT-enabled solutions and artificial intelligence (AI), have become increasingly common in recent years, leading users to demand further improvements in performance from the servers that form the system platforms for these new technologies. At the same time, high-speed processing results in an enormous rise in the heat generated by servers, and consequently, ever greater amounts of energy and space are required for cooling. Such challenges create an urgent need for a system that delivers improved cooling capabilities.
Product Features
1. Highly efficient cooling technology significantly cuts power needs and space requirements
By immersing a server in a liquid that has high heat conducting properties and electrical insulating properties, this system efficiently cools the entire server equally. In addition, because the heat generated by the server is not emitted into the server room, air conditioning equipment for such areas or other facilities will be unnecessary. The cooling system also provides high energy efficiency because the server does not require internal cooling fans, boasting a power usage effectiveness (PUE, 3) ratio of 1.07. This not only reduces the server system's overall power consumption, by approximately 40% compared to air cooling systems (including its cooling equipment), it also enables approximately double the server density in the same installation space, contributing to reductions in the total cost of ownership (TCO).
2. Easy maintenance
By using Fujitsu's specially developed, well-sealed "immersion bath," this system minimizes vaporization of the cooling fluid. Maintenance of the system remains very easy because the fluid used as a cooling medium is also non-combustible, not harmful to humans, and does not need to be regularly replaced as the quality does not deteriorate.
3. Fujitsu provides a one-stop solution, from installation to after-sales support
Fujitsu provides a one-stop solution for everything from the installation of an immersion bath and coolant distribution units (CDUs, 4) to plumbing, server operations maintenance work, and post-installation support, including equipment maintenance. In addition, because this system is offered as an option for the Fujitsu Server PRIMERGY series(5) of x86 servers, the latest models can be incorporated into this immersion system going forward.
Immersion Bath for the Liquid Immersion Cooling System
A server being taken out of the cooling fluid
Previous Use Cases
This product has been adopted for a cluster configuration for a computation center for biology and bioinformatics at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, where it has been well-received for having reduced operating costs through its low power consumption. Its ability to operate at low noise levels also meant it could be installed near laboratories, while the system's highly efficient cooling provided users with sustained high computational performance.
Future Plans
Because a server immersed in cooling fluid is not exposed to outside air, it can be installed in a variety of environments that were not suited for installing existing servers, such as high temperature, high humidity regions, manufacturing sites that have oils or dust in the air, or in seaside areas where there are concerns about salt damage.
Fujitsu will support its customers in the further transformation of their businesses going forward by using liquid immersion cooling technology to build high performance server systems in places they could never be installed before.
Major Product Specifications for the Liquid Immersion Cooling System
| Immersion Bath | Exterior Dimensions | Length 850mm x Width 1,330 mm x Height 880 mm (including protrusions) |
| Mass | Up to 1,250 kg (including cooling fluid and ICT devices such as servers) | |
| Number of Immersed Servers / Storage | (Ex.) Up to 48 (using the PRIMERGY CX 2550 M4) | |
| CDU | Exterior Dimensions | Length 950 mm x Width 660 mm x Height 1,390 mm |
| Mass | Up to 410 kg (when operating) | |
| Installation environment | Environmental temperature 5-45°C, environmental humidity 8-85% relative humidity (without condensation) | |
Pricing and Availability
| Product Name | Suggested Retail Price (tax excl.) | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| Fujitsu Server PRIMERGY Liquid Immersion Cooling System | From JPY 20 million | End of November 2018 in Japan |
*Not including the price of ICT components, such as servers
Sales Target
100 systems by the end of fiscal 2020
Related Websites
Fujitsu Server PRIMERGY x86 servers
Fujitsu Deploys Liquid Immersion Cooling-based x86 Cluster for Japan Automobile Research Institute (press release, October 23, 2017)
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[1] Reduces the total power consumption for the server system as a whole by about 40%
Comparison evaluated with a server system consisting of 96 PRIMERGY CX 2560 M4 multi-node servers, comparing the power consumption of an air conditioning system and internal server fans against an immersion cooling version with the same configuration. Because the reduction effect depends on the installation environment, Fujitsu does not guarantee a power consumption reduction value in customer environments.
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[2] Double the server density in the same installation space
Evaluated with a server system consisting of 80 PRIMERGY CX 2560 M4 multi-node servers, with 4 rack units required with air cooling that can be reduced to 2 immersion baths with the liquid immersion cooling method. Because the improvement depends on the installation environment, Fujitsu does not guarantee a degree of server density in customer environments.
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[3] Power usage effectiveness (PUE)
A ratio showing the power usage effectiveness of ICT devices in data centers and server rooms, adding together the power consumption of ICT devices and the power consumption of associated equipment, such as cooling equipment, and then dividing by the power consumption of the ICT devices. A PUE of 1.0 indicates that all power is being used by ICT equipment, and none is being consumed by other equipment, such as cooling equipment. The PUE given here is the actual measured value from Fujitsu facilities, and because the value can vary depending on installation environment, Fujitsu does not guarantee a PUE value in customer environments.
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[4] Coolant distribution units (CDUs)
Equipment that circulates the cooling fluid the server is immersed in with built-in pumps, transferring heat to coolant water through a heat exchanger.
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[5] Offered as an option for the Fujitsu Server PRIMERGY series
Available for the existing PRIMERGY CX 2550 M4, PRIMERGY CX 2560 M4, PRIMERGY CX 2570 M4, PRIMERGY RX 2530 M4, as well as for future 2-socket multi-node servers and 1U rack servers offered by Fujitsu going forward.
About Fujitsu
Fujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company, offering a full range of technology products, solutions, and services. Approximately 140,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our customers. Fujitsu Limited (TSE: 6702) reported consolidated revenues of 4.1 trillion yen (US $39 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2018. For more information, please see www.fujitsu.com.
All company or product names mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Information provided in this press release is accurate at time of publication and is subject to change without advance notice.
Date: 06 September, 2018
City: Tokyo
Company:
Fujitsu Limited
