Ionic Wind Technologies, a Swiss startup, has developed a new cooling technology called the Ionic Wind Amplifier which utilizes electrostatic fields to create airflow, promising up to 60% reduction in energy consumption compared to traditional cooling methods. The technology eliminates the need for energy-consuming motors, rotors, or fan blades, making it more efficient and quieter.
Data centers need a lot of energy, most of which is used to cool down the microprocessors. A Swiss startup called Ionic Wind Technologies has created a new technology to cool down machines that use a lot of power, and they say it’s more efficient than what we have now.
The start-up has developed the Ionic Wind Amplifier, a technology that could reduce cooling energy consumption by as much as 60 percent. “We accelerate air directly by charging it electrically. Since the electric current is converted directly into an airflow, the energy-consuming and noisy intermediate steps via a motor, rotor, or fan blade are eliminated,” explained Donato Rubinetti, start-up founder. The patented airflow amplifier of the Empa spin-off Ionic Wind Technologies accelerates ionic wind much more than before. Credit: EmpaEquipped with needle electrodesIonic wind technology uses electrostatic fields to create airflow. But until now, the low speed of the airflow has limited its widespread use. Ionic Wind Technologies has overcome this challenge with a patented amplifier.The amplifier’s core component is its specially designed “needle electrodes” to generate ionic wind much more efficiently than previous wire-based systems.The airflow amplifier’s ionic wind is accelerated due to novel electrodes and flow-optimized housing. The unique housing design, leveraging the Coandă effect, further amplifies the airflow.“In combination, these two innovations are a huge step forward and merge to form the so-called Ionic Wind Amplifier, which opens up completely new fields of application with significantly better performance,” said Rubinetti.Application also in food dryingThe custom-designed needle tips developed by the company achieve twice the airflow speed with less energy. Early designs for the air current amplifier used wires in simulations. However, the wires performed differently in real-world tests than predicted by the simulations, leading the team to switch to needle tips.The team worked on every aspect of the needle tips, even the microscopic curve at the end, to maximize performance.These electrodes create a strong, asymmetrical electric field that directs and amplifies airflow. Their pointed tips also allow for more compact housing than traditional wire electrodes. The new Ionic Wind Amplifier is more efficient than conventional devices, moving air up to 60 percent more efficiently. This technology could serve various industries, including cooling, drying, and air purification. Interestingly, Ionic wind drying could be used in large-scale food processing facilities. Since it doesn’t use heat, ionic wind drying may help preserve the nutrients in food better than traditional methods.“I see the potential wherever air needs to be moved with a small pressure difference. In the future, however, above all in the cooling of computers, servers or data centers,” said Rubinetti in the press release. Data centers use a lot of energy, 40 percent of which is used just to cool the processors. Data centers, with their massive computing power, and high-performance electronics, like advanced processors and graphics cards, are known for producing significant amounts of heat. Apart from cooling systems, data centers use energy to run the servers, and networking gear. The growing dependence on digital tech means data centers will use even more energy in the future.This technology is attractive for applications where cooling is critical and energy consumption is a major concern.
DATA CENTERS COOLING TECHNOLOGY IONIC WIND ENERGY EFFICIENCY INNOVATION
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