ENEOS accelerates AI-driven development of new lubricants and cooling fluids
ENEOS Corporation has announced its new collaboration with NVIDIA and Preferred Computational Chemistry Inc. (PFCC) to accelerate the AI-driven discovery and optimisation of new lubricants and immersion cooling fluids. The partnership leverages NVIDIA’s ALCHEMI software and PFCC’s Matlantis™ simulator to enhance the formulation of chemicals and materials. This initiative is part of ENEOS’s broader efforts to drive AI innovations in the research and development (R&D) of chemicals and materials, specifically targeting more sustainable and efficient solutions for industries such as data centres.
ENEOS has been using PFCC’s Matlantis™ to develop advanced catalysts, lubricants, and polymers. By incorporating NVIDIA ALCHEMI into its R&D processes, ENEOS aims to streamline chemical discovery and foster innovative materials for applications in data centres, where efficient thermal management is increasingly crucial. As data centres grow and workloads intensify, there is a rising demand for advanced immersion cooling fluids and high-wear resistant lubricants that are essential for effective cooling systems.
The collaboration promises to significantly enhance R&D capabilities by providing AI-enabled simulations of chemicals and materials. With computational workloads run on NVIDIA’s platform, the team is able to conduct faster and more accurate simulations, thus improving the efficiency of product development. A key advantage of using NVIDIA ALCHEMI is the ability to simulate chemistry-specific workloads, ensuring that formulations meet target properties more effectively than traditional methods.
Yuichiro Fujiyama, senior vice president of ENEOS, stated that this collaboration is a significant step toward the company’s mission to foster innovation in energy, resources, and materials. He expressed confidence that the integration of NVIDIA ALCHEMI with PFCC’s Matlantis™ will accelerate ENEOS’s R&D processes, contributing to a sustainable future through new product development.
ENEOS has also pioneered the development of immersion cooling fluids, such as those under the ENEOS IX series. Immersion cooling directly cools server components by immersing them in a non-conductive fluid, which enhances energy efficiency, reduces noise, and improves processor performance compared to traditional air cooling systems. These products, which comply with environmental regulations, are gaining traction as essential components of sustainable data centre operations.
ENEOS plans to expand its use of AI in R&D beyond cooling fluids and lubricants. With a successful initial phase, the company aims to explore additional high-impact areas such as catalysis and polymer discovery, striving to accelerate innovation across multiple industries.
