Lenovo’s warm water cooling revolution reduces data centre energy use by up to 40%

Lenovo has unveiled a pioneering warm water cooling system that leverages high-temperature water to cut energy costs and enhance sustainability in data centres, employing AI and corrosion-resistant materials to optimise thermal management.

In the evolving era of AI and high-performance data processing, Lenovo has introduced a pioneering water cooling technology designed to enhance energy efficiency in data centres. This system utilises warm water, heated up to 45 degrees Celsius, to cool server components instead of relying on traditional chilled water systems. By allowing the water temperature to rise to around 55 to 60 degrees Celsius after heat exchange with components such as chips, it effectively dissipates heat with minimal additional energy required for cooling, thus significantly cutting operational costs.

This innovative concept leverages the naturally high surface temperatures of server chips, which can reach between 60 to 65 degrees Celsius. Consequently, even water at 45 degrees is sufficiently cool to absorb heat, avoiding the need for energy-intensive chillers. After passing through the server cabinets, the warmed water is cooled again via a secondary water loop or by transferring heat to the ambient indoor air before recirculation, allowing for continuous and efficient thermal management. Lenovo highlights that this looped system utilises industrial-grade corrosion-resistant materials and sophisticated sensors combined with artificial intelligence to detect minor changes in flow or pressure, enabling proactive maintenance and minimising downtime.

Currently, over 50 data centres worldwide employ Lenovo’s Neptune water cooling system. The company claims that in colder regions, this system can enable data centres to achieve exceptionally low power usage effectiveness (PUE) values around 1.07, a metric that benchmarks the energy efficiency of data centres by comparing total power usage to that consumed solely by IT equipment. For context, efficient water cooling systems typically achieve PUEs below 1.1, while more conventional cooling systems hover near 1.2. However, Lenovo acknowledges that the use of warm water cooling limits the potential for overclocking chips, which could affect peak processing power.

Lenovo’s Neptune platform, including its ThinkSystem SD650 V3 and SC777 V4 servers, is built around this direct water cooling technique. It eliminates the need for expensive chillers and reduces power consumption by up to 40% compared to air-cooled setups. By circulating warm water directly to critical heat sources, CPUs, GPUs, and memory modules, the system maintains temperature uniformity and prevents thermal jitter, ensuring stable performance even under demanding workloads. Industry data positions Lenovo at the forefront of green computing, with its Neptune-enabled supercomputers securing top ranks on both the Top500 and Green500 lists, spotlighting the blend of cutting-edge performance and sustainability.

The broader implications for modern data centres are significant. As demand for AI and high-density computing grows exponentially, cooling systems traditionally represent a substantial portion of total energy consumption. Lenovo’s approach addresses this challenge head-on by rethinking temperature requirements and leveraging warm water loops rather than conventional chilled water, reducing both capital expenditure and ongoing electricity usage. According to Lenovo, this model supports higher-density server arrangements and greater operational flexibility, aligning with the increasing need for scalable, energy-conscious solutions in data infrastructure.

In conclusion, Lenovo’s warm water cooling technology exemplifies how innovation in thermal management can contribute to substantial energy savings and environmental benefits in the data centre sector. While the trade-off includes some restrictions on chip overclocking, the overall reduction in cooling costs and improved sustainability make it a compelling choice for data centre operators seeking to balance performance with ecological responsibility.

📌 Reference Map:

• ^[1] Ming Pao – Paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 6
• ^[2] Lenovo ThinkSystem SD650 V3 – Paragraph 4
• ^[3] PR Newswire – Paragraph 5
• ^[4] Lenovo Official – Paragraph 5
• ^[6] Intel Document on Lenovo Neptune – Paragraph 5
• ^[7] Lenovo ThinkSystem SC777 V4 – Paragraph 4
• ^[5] Lenovo NeXtScale System M5 – Paragraph 4

Source: Fuse Wire