3D-printed passive cooling system cuts data center energy use and enables reuse of waste heat.
Data centers are under growing pressure as demand for computing power rises and cooling systems struggle to keep up. Energy use for cooling servers and GPUs is climbing fast, forcing operators to look for alternatives that are both efficient and sustainable.
A European research project has now demonstrated a new cooling approach that could significantly cut energy consumption while extending the lifespan of computer chips. The solution also opens the door to reusing waste heat for district heating and industrial processes.The development comes from the recently completed AM2PC project, led by the Danish Technological Institute and Heatflow, along with partners from Belgium and Germany. The team designed and tested a 3D-printed cooling component aimed at data centers and high-performance computing systems.In tests, the cooling solution achieved a capacity of 600 watts, exceeding its original target of 400 watts by 50 percent. The results arrive as countries like Ireland introduce restrictions on data centers due to their growing share of national energy consumption.Cooling without energy useUnlike conventional air cooling, the new system uses passive two-phase cooling based on the thermosiphon principle. A coolant evaporates at the hot surface of the chip, rises naturally, condenses elsewhere while releasing heat, and then returns as liquid through gravity. No pumps or fans are required.This approach removes heat more efficiently than air or single-phase liquid cooling while consuming no additional energy for heat transport. Keeping chips cooler also helps extend their operational lifespan.“Besides the actual IT hardware, the corresponding cooling infrastructure is one of the major energy consumers in a data center – and therefore the greatest potential to improve overall system efficiency,” explains Simon Brudler, 3D-printing specialist and senior consultant at Danish Technological Institute.The need for better cooling is becoming more urgent as GPU power demands increase. A few years ago, GPUs typically consumed 100 to 200 watts. Today, power consumption has climbed to several hundred watts and, in some cases, even kilowatts.“We are seeing a development where the power density in servers is increasing faster than ever before, and traditional air cooling is simply no longer sufficient. With our two-phase solution, we can remove heat passively without pumps or fans, which significantly reduces the energy consumption for cooling,” says Paw Mortensen, CEO of Heatflow.Turning waste into heatThe core of the system is a 3D-printed aluminium evaporator developed by Heatflow and the Danish Technological Institute. By using additive manufacturing, the team integrated all necessary functions into a single component.“By 3D printing the component in aluminium, we can integrate all necessary functions into a single part. This eliminates assembly points, reduces the risk of leaks, and makes the component more reliable,” explains Simon Brudler.The system removes heat at temperatures between 60 and 80 degrees Celsius. At these levels, excess heat can be fed directly into district heating networks without additional energy input. It could also support industrial processes in sectors such as food production, textiles, paper, or greenhouse agriculture, provided facilities are located close to the data center.Traditional air cooling typically removes heat at much lower temperatures, limiting reuse options. While the project did not focus on district heating integration, researchers confirmed the technology enables it.Beyond operational savings, the project also shows environmental benefits in manufacturing. Using a single recyclable material reduces material use and simplifies end-of-life recycling.Early life cycle assessments suggest emissions could drop by 25 to 30 percent per unit. The AM2PC project demonstrates how passive cooling and 3D printing could reshape data center energy use.
Data Center Cooling District Heating Energy Efficiency Gpus Passive Cooling Thermosiphon Waste Heat Reuse
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