IBM Unveils Data Center Cooling Technology

IBM today unveiled a new data center cooling technology, a patented thermal storage solution that can reduce cooling costs by up to 50 percent, according to IBM. The new system works as a "cold battery" placed between the cold water chillers and the data center's HVAC system.

IBM said its new technology has been patented, and did not release details about the precise workings of the thermal storage unit and the cooling agent being used. IBM has implemented its new product at a company-operated data center in Brompton, Quebec, which has achieved 45 percent savings. IBM said the thermal storage prouct has been named the "best new energy product" by the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).

The liquid in the thermal storage unit freezes at a higher temperature than water, typically between 40 to 45