Microsoft says this new cooling method can enable more powerful chips and effective data centers

Microsoft offers progress with a new way to cool the fine chips that it may lead to more energy efficiency data centers. It is a method called microfluidics that include liquid flowing directly to silicon.

After laboratory tests, Microsoft found that this strategy can remove heat to three times better than the cold panels currently used in databases today. The company announced this week that it was able to develop a microfloidic cooling system for a server that operates the basic services for the microsoft simulation teams meeting.

If they can find the same success outside the laboratory, microfloidic can reduce the amount of energy needed to cool a data center. It can also lead to more powerful chips that current cooling systems will struggle to keep them from high temperature. But there are still many factors that can affect the impact of this new technology in the real world.

Compared to ONDER databases, the next generation that is built to train and operate new artificial intelligence models includes more powerful chips. These graphics processing units only use a lot of energy, but they are also very hot. Maintaining their calmness represents a challenge that does not only affect performance, but also makes data centers consume more energy.

Usually, the data center may be used to pass cold air via a slice. The most advanced technology that Microsoft uses for high -energy potatoes includes cold copper panels with fluid flow through them. Place this plate over a slice, and deviate from heat.

With microfloidic cooling, the liquid flows through the engraved channels on the back of the slide. The trick is to make sure that the channels, about width of human hair, are deep enough to prevent blockage but not so deep that the slide becomes more likely to break. Microsoft says it uses Amnesty International to know where the cooler is directed to a slide to cool it more efficiently. Also, the engraved designs are inspired by nature – simulating the patterns of the veins on the leaves, for example – which already showed the extent of my work in the distribution of water and resources. Using Microfluidics, Microsoft has documented a 65 percent decrease in the maximum temperature in silicone from the graphics processing unit.

The feature is in Microfluidics that it brings liquid directly to the slide, eliminating the need for protective layers of material between the chip and cooler when using cold dishes. Each layer, like the blanket, bears some heat, and thus the cooler needs to stay cooler to work well inside the cold panels. The cold liquid flows into the plate. The hot fluid flows and it must be cooled again. With microfluidics, the cooler does not need to be cooled to a low temperature, and energy conservation.

Microfluidics can also allow the data center to deal with the summits more efficiently in the demand. Difference calls usually begin every hour or half an hour, Microsoft is offered as an example. To deal with these nails in the order, they may have to install more servers to get enough capacity on hand even if they are not used all the time. The alternative will be to allow the current servers to work hard, it is called the operating frequency lifting – but this may lead to high temperature and destruction of the slide. Microfolic cooling, because it is more efficient, can allow more raising the operating frequency without the same risk of melting the chip.

In theory, if the servers can work harder than now without melting chips, the data center may not need the largest number of them. By reducing the risk of high temperature, microfluidics can also allow more tightly packed servers within one data center. It can reduce costs, craftsmanship and environmental, from the need to build additional facilities.

All of these benefits can be a key to fine chips of the next generation, which is expected to become so strong that cold panels may shorten. Microsoft says Microfluidics can also enable the structure of a 3D chip. The 3D chips will be stronger than the semi -hanging designs today, but the heat was a stumbling block to achieve this. With a microfloidic, however, there is the possibility of a cooling fluid through the slide.

Microsoft does not have a timetable for all this. After more laboratory tests, the challenge of knowing how to make changes in the hardware chain and supply chain needed to allow the microfloidic – for example, at what point in the manufacturing process, will the grooves be dug in the chips? Fortunately, they can use the same type of cooling, which is a mixture of water and a glycol, used today in cold panels.

Other researchers study microfloidic for years as well. For example, HP received $ 3.25 million in Financing From the Ministry of Energy last year to develop the Microfloidic cooling technology. “All these things are good to see, we are happy to see them, and where we can participate in transferring things faster, we are happy with that,” says Husam Alissa, Director of Systems Technology in Microsoft’s cloud operations.

Microsoft says she “hopes to help pave the way for the next generation chips more efficient and sustainable throughout the industry” in the back. Blog post It promotes its progress on microfloidic. Energy efficiency is very important if the company wants to work more. Like the other Technology companiesMicrosoft’s Planet Heating Carbon emissions grew Because it bent in artificial intelligence. But efficiency can also be a double -border sword. Since something becomes more efficient and affordable for use, people tend to use more of it, and this may eventually lead to a greater environmental imprint. It is a phenomenon called Jevons Paradox, which even the CEO of Microsoft Satia Nadella commented As a force, it leads to greater adoption of artificial intelligence.