SK Enmove and IT giants boost liquid immersion cooling technology

SK Enmove, a subsidiary of the SK Group, has partnered with global IT giants to accelerate the commercialisation of liquid immersion cooling (LIC) technology, a cutting-edge solution for data centers. 

On August 23, SK Enmove announced a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Dell Technologies, a global leader in PC manufacturing and IT solutions, and GRC, a U.S.-based company specialising in LIC systems for data centers. This collaboration aims to bolster the growth of LIC-equipped data centers. The MOU was signed at the DELL Tech Forum in COEX, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea, with SK Enmove CEO Park Sang-kyu, Dell Technologies’ Asia Pacific and Japan President Peter Marrs, and GRC CEO Peter Poulin in attendance.

The tripartite agreement will focus on meeting the rising demand for LIC system data centers and establishing a post-sale service market. The partners aim to ensure reliability in the emerging LIC technology sector and collaboratively create a supply chain in key demand areas, strengthening their foothold in the LIC market.

Under this collaboration, SK Enmove will develop specialised cooling fluids for LIC systems, leveraging its high-quality lube base oil. Meanwhile, DELL and GRC will oversee LIC dedicated servers and cooling systems, respectively. The trio will work together on technology and component development for LIC system standardisation and will jointly promote and sell to secure global clientele.

LIC technology, which immerses data servers directly into cooling fluids, offers enhanced cooling efficiency. This method, superior to traditional air-cooling techniques, is gaining traction for its ability to boost data center efficiency. Market research firm Future Market Insights predicts the global LIC market to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.5%, surging from around USD330 million in 2022 to an estimated USD2.1 billion by 2032.

Last year, SK Enmove invested USD25 million in GRC and has been actively collaborating on LIC system development for data centers. The company’s vision extends to energy storage systems and thermal management solutions for electric vehicle batteries.

Marrs emphasised the significance of sustainable environments in data centers and expressed gratitude for the partnership with LIC market specialists. GRC’s Peter Poulin highlighted the potential of LIC systems in enhancing energy efficiency in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning-driven data centers, noting both economic and environmental benefits.

SK Enmove’s CEO, Park Sang-kyu, recognised the growing demand for thermal management solutions in sectors like data centers. He expressed confidence that this partnership would invigorate the LIC market and enhance energy efficiency.