Henkel: Cooling the AI Heatwave in Data Centres
Having worked in Henkel’s Thermal Materials division for the past decade, with the past six years focused on the data and telecom market, I support the production of thermal applications from the initial stages of a customer’s challenge to launching the product and scaling up production.
As I read the first issue of Uniquely Wired, a few themes consistently stood out. Here are my thoughts on them.
AI — bigger, faster, better
AI is a hot topic, whether in Uniquely Wired or mainstream media, but let’s clarify: AI, in terms of material applications, is not that different from previous technologies. What’s changed is the scale and speed of applications. More applications require thermal materials, and they need them faster, with a shorter time-to-market response. As Google’s Andrés Lagar-Cavilla pointed out in Uniquely Wired, the biggest impact of AI is raising the stakes.
While AI involves higher power and heat loads that need dissipation, and more devices driving AI systems, it doesn’t necessarily change the technical performance requirements of thermal materials — those requirements are simply accelerating.
At Henkel, this means we need to be agile in our work and product development. For example, we might need a short-term solution to address immediate needs while we develop more robust, high-performance products for the long term. This requires deep collaboration, both internally and externally, to stay ahead of rapidly evolving requirements.
Liquid cooling — when’s it going to happen?
Liquid cooling, another area gaining attention due to AI, has seen previous interest but is now gaining more traction. AI could drive the first widely applied liquid cooling systems in the industry. Currently, liquid cooling implementation remains niche because data center infrastructure isn’t designed to accommodate it.
This situation mirrors the electric vehicle (EV) market: major urban areas have well-developed charging networks, but regions outside of these areas lack infrastructure. Similarly, liquid cooling faces challenges of scale and investment. It’s on the horizon, but it requires more time and technology development for everything to work seamlessly.
Sustainability — the potential of thermal materials
Sustainability is another key theme in Uniquely Wired. Sustainability targets are intensifying, and data and telecom companies are seeking ways to operate more sustainably.
At Henkel, the main discussion point with our customers is enhancing thermal interface materials (TIM), which directly saves energy for cooling. The more we innovate TIM products, the more effectively companies can manage heat dissipation without redesigning their systems, leading to less energy usage and lower costs.
One example is micro TIM, a coating applied to heat sinks in data centers, which improves thermal efficiency and reduces energy consumption by enhancing the interface between the heat sink and pluggable optical modules. It can lower the operating temperature of individual modules by 1-7°C, depending on the power level. (A 5-7°C reduction at 30W, compared to metal-to-metal interfaces.)
Scaling this across an entire server room or data center, the impact on reducing convective cooling is significant. Efficient thermal solutions improve performance, cut costs, and reduce emissions, making sustainability a core part of effective thermal management.
Collaboration — meeting customers where they are
The theme of collaboration is especially important to me, and it’s a key element in Uniquely Wired. At Henkel, we strive to be a total solutions provider. This means focusing on the customer’s needs rather than just offering specific products. Only by understanding the real issues can we develop the right solution.
In thermal management, the answer is often “it depends.” The best product or solution depends on the customer’s unique situation. Finding the optimal solution requires strong collaboration between Henkel and our data and telecom customers.
Blake Wageman is a Lead Application Engineer at Henkel, where he works closely with data and telecom customers to address their thermal challenges. With extensive experience, Blake develops both off-the-shelf and custom solutions that push the boundaries of performance in the thermal management industry.
Disclosure: This article is an advertorial, and monetary payment was received from Henkel. It has passed Editorial’s assessment for being informative.
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