With the continuous growth of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and High-Performance Computing (HPC), data centers are expanding rapidly. According to the Uptime Institute 2024 Global Data Center Survey, nearly two-thirds of data centers have increased their rack power density over the past three years. As rack heat densities rise, operators are seeking more efficient, energy-saving, and environmentally friendly cooling solutions, with liquid cooling being a primary focus.

Maximize Market Research reports that in 2023, the global immersion cooling market reached $640.94 million, and it is projected to reach $3.34083 billion by 2030, with a CAGR of 26.6%, indicating rapid adoption in HPC and AI data centers.

What Is an Immersion Cooling System?

Immersion cooling is a high-efficiency liquid cooling technology. Its core principle is to fully submerge servers or compute nodes in dielectric coolant, allowing the liquid to absorb heat directly from electronic components. The heat is then transferred out via a heat exchange unit. Compared to air, liquids have much higher thermal conductivity, improving cooling efficiency by more than 1000×.

ATTOM OceanCool:Liquid cooling cabinet + CDU distribution unit integrated as one for plug and play

This approach not only reduces server temperature fluctuations but also reduces dependence on traditional CRAC/CRAH systems, resulting in a more stable, quieter, and energy-efficient data center environment.

Main Components of Immersion Cooling Systems

• Coolant Tanks & Sealed Enclosures – Hold servers and cooling liquid while providing a secure, sealed structure to prevent contamination.

• Dielectric Coolant – Highly thermally conductive and electrically insulating to ensure safe operation under high-power conditions. Common types include mineral oil, synthetic oil, and fluorinated liquids.

• Heat Exchange & Liquid Circulation System – Transfers absorbed heat to an external cooling loop via pumps and heat exchangers to maintain consistent temperatures.

 Why HPC Data Centers Need Immersion Cooling

• High Power Density Challenges – Individual servers often exceed 5 kW, sometimes reaching 10 kW+, making air cooling insufficient.

• Energy Consumption & PUE Optimization – Average global data center PUE ~1.6, whereas immersion cooling can reduce PUE below 1.1.

• New Requirements for HPC Cooling Efficiency – HPC nodes often run at full load for extended periods. Immersion cooling provides a stable and controlled thermal environment, ensuring sustained computing performance.

Benefits of Immersion Cooling

• Excellent Heat Dissipation & Energy Efficiency
  Superior thermal conductivity of liquids enables uniform temperature distribution and rapid heat transfer, keeping servers at optimal operating conditions.

• Reduced Energy Costs & Lower PUE
  By minimizing CRAC/CRAH and fan energy usage, overall cooling power can decrease by 40–50%, significantly improving energy efficiency metrics.

• Extended Equipment Lifespan & Reduced Maintenance
  Stable operating temperatures and dust-free environments reduce mechanical wear and heat accumulation, extending server lifespan by 20–30%.

• Lower Noise, Space Savings, & Simplified Cabling
  Without fans and complex airflow paths, noise levels drop below 50 dB, and space utilization improves by ~30%, ideal for high-density deployments.

• Enhanced System Stability & Sustainable Operations
  Liquid cooling provides consistent thermal management, supports higher workloads, and maintains reliable operation even in extreme climates or edge scenarios, promoting green data center development.

Key Considerations for Retrofitting to Immersion Cooling

• Data Center Floor Load & Structural Adaptation
  In retrofit projects, liquid tanks and circulation systems typically weigh several times more than standard racks. It is essential to evaluate the floor load capacity and supporting structures. Reinforcement or additional supports may be required to ensure safe deployment of the tanks and maintain long-term stability under sustained loads.

• Power & Electrical Distribution Upgrades
  High-density servers and liquid cooling pumps place higher demands on the power system. Assess PDU capacity, power circuits, and UPS redundancy to ensure continuous supply to critical equipment. Additionally, plan cable routing and load distribution carefully to avoid localized overloads or heat accumulation.

• Coolant Loop Interfaces & Heat Exchange Upgrades
  Liquid tanks and heat exchange systems must be compatible with existing chilled water or CDU systems. Pipe layouts should be optimized for balanced flow and minimal pressure loss, while maintaining interface sealing and long-term reliability to ensure efficient heat transfer.

• Equipment Compatibility & Standardization
  Not all servers, GPUs, or accelerator cards support immersion cooling. Prior to retrofitting, confirm hardware compatibility and use modular designs or custom cold plates to address interface or dimension mismatches, ensuring feasibility of high-density deployments.

• Coolant Management & Safety Measures
  Immersion cooling involves large volumes of dielectric liquid. Retrofit planning must address storage, circulation, leak prevention, and emergency drainage. Non-conductive coolant should be used to ensure safety and simplify maintenance.

• Construction Space & Layout Optimization
  Tank placement, piping routes, and inspection aisles must be planned to balance operational safety, maintenance accessibility, and space utilization. In edge or space-constrained facilities, stacked tanks or modular designs can optimize layout.

• Retrofit Schedule & Business Continuity
  Projects should be executed in phases. Non-critical racks or independent modules can be deployed first to validate system stability before expanding to core racks. Redundant cooling loops and temporary heat dissipation solutions should be implemented to ensure HPC or AI training nodes remain operational during the retrofit.

Attom Support for Immersion Cooling

Attom provides future-ready data center cooling solutions:

• Modular Tanks & High-Reliability Seals – Supports various rack sizes and high-density equipment for flexible deployment.

• Compatibility with HPC Clusters & Edge Nodes – Efficient cooling and energy optimization for GPU clusters and AI inference nodes.

• Integrated Intelligent Energy Monitoring – Real-time monitoring of energy consumption, temperature, and operating status with data visualization and alerts.

• Scalable Liquid Cooling Modules – Adaptable from small-scale to hyperscale deployments for rapid upgrades.

Contact Us for Custom Immersion Cooling Solutions

OceanCool:Modular high-density design, seamlessly compatible with traditional rack-mounted computer room layout.

In the era of digital transformation and intelligent computing, cooling technology is critical to HPC data center competitiveness.

Attom leverages deep expertise in modular infrastructure and liquid cooling systems to provide full lifecycle support from solution design, system integration, to long-term operations.

Whether for new builds or retrofits, we deliver high-efficiency, reliable, and sustainable immersion cooling solutions tailored to your data center.

Contact us to build a high-performance, low-carbon, and sustainable data center future with Attom.