Overview
- Nvidia announced on Monday, June 22 that its Rubin/DSX reference design and Rubin‑generation servers use fully closed‑loop liquid cooling with coolant operable up to 45°C, eliminating fans and routing liquid directly to every chip and networking component.
- Nvidia and its executives claim the warmer closed loop can remove mechanical chillers in favorable climates and reduce facility cooling water use by up to 100 percent, with the company estimating more than $4 million in annual cooling savings for a 50 MW hyperscale site.
- The system uses a coolant mix of roughly 75% water and 25% propylene glycol that enters racks at about 45°C and can exit near 55°C while keeping device temperatures within validated limits.
- Independent reporters and experts caution these on‑site savings do not erase the broader water footprint tied to electricity generation and chip manufacturing, and they note the technology’s effectiveness depends on local climate, grid fuel mix and availability of free‑cooling windows.
- Widespread adoption will take years because of retrofit costs, capital planning and deployment timelines, even as ecosystem partners such as Motivair/Schneider Electric position themselves to support new builds and regulators press for basin‑level water planning and clearer industry disclosures.