Ongoing Controversy Over Heat Generation in New Semiconductor
Introduction of Liquid Cooling in Data Centers Inevitable in AI Era
The issue of semiconductor heat generation has emerged as the biggest topic in the IT industry. From smartphones to PCs and data center servers, heat management has become a critical task directly linked to the survival of companies. Especially with the advent of the AI era, the demand for high-performance computing has surged rapidly, making heat management more important than ever.
!['Blackwell' Shaken by Heat Generation, Solution Lies in 'Cooling Technology' [AK Radio]](https://cphoto.asiae.co.kr/listimglink/1/2024120217105233402_1733127051.png)
The heat issue was clearly revealed even in the latest smartphones. The iPhone 15 Pro, released last year, became the center of controversy due to unexpected heat problems. Apple's self-developed silicon chips had been well-known for low heat generation, but after the introduction of the new A17 Pro chip, heat issues surfaced. Consumers raised concerns after encountering heat problems through overseas YouTube videos, which also damaged Apple's image.
Apple eventually resolved the issue through software optimization. When setting up the new iPhone, the heat generated by the AP operating at maximum performance was controlled by OS optimization. This case demonstrated that heat management is important not only from a hardware perspective but also from a software standpoint.
Samsung Electronics also could not avoid heat issues. When Qualcomm's latest chip installed in the Galaxy S22 caused heat problems, Samsung introduced the 'Game Optimization Service (GOS)' that limits performance. This provoked strong backlash from consumers and ultimately became a decisive factor for Qualcomm to move its production base from Samsung Foundry to TSMC. This is a representative case showing that a company's competitiveness is directly linked to its heat management capability.
Heat issues are even more severe in data centers. NVIDIA's next-generation AI GPU, 'Blackwell,' features a structure integrating 72 GPUs and 36 CPUs in one rack. Compared to the previous configuration of 8 GPUs, this inevitably leads to a significant increase in heat generation. Especially since Blackwell servers densely arrange components to maximize space efficiency, heat management has become more challenging.
NVIDIA essentially requires liquid cooling to solve these heat problems. Similar to a car engine's cooling system, it circulates water to dissipate heat. Server manufacturers design liquid cooling pipes in their own ways, and this has become a new measure of competitiveness.
The prevailing view is that traditional air cooling has reached its limits. Accordingly, data centers are rushing to adopt liquid cooling systems. Companies like SK are going a step further by researching 'immersion cooling' technology, which involves directly submerging servers in liquid. However, NVIDIA has not yet provided warranties for immersion cooling, so commercialization is expected to take more time.
South Korea is also considering adopting liquid cooling systems in the process of building a national supercomputer. Although the supercomputer initially scheduled to operate in 2023 has been postponed to January 2026, the plan is to equip it with a liquid cooling system from the start to prepare for the future.
Heat management in data centers is also directly linked to power consumption. Reducing power consumption for cooling is key to lowering operating costs. Although liquid cooling systems have high initial investment costs, they offer the advantage of reducing power consumption in the long term. Experts explain, "Reducing electricity usage directly correlates with reducing heat generation."
Heat issues also affect the site selection of data centers. Due to problems such as noise and electromagnetic waves, it is becoming difficult to establish data centers near residential areas, and liquid cooling systems are expected to help reduce noise. In fact, Naver withdrew plans to build a data center near an apartment complex due to opposition from residents.
Recently, changes are also occurring in the PC market. The Mac Mini released by Apple has attracted attention by demonstrating excellent performance and heat management despite its small size. Fanless, silent PCs are also gradually increasing. The advancement of heat management technology is even changing the form of products.
The development of new cooling technologies is emerging as a key variable that will determine the future of the IT industry. Experts point out, "Without solving heat issues, the performance improvement of IT devices will inevitably face limits." Especially with the surge in demand for high-performance computing in the AI era, securing efficient heat management technology is expected to become a core competitiveness that determines the survival of companies.
Some have proposed innovative cooling methods such as building data centers under the sea. As various forms of heat management technologies are being researched, new opportunities are expected to open for startups in this field. The war against heat generation is expected to continue across the IT industry and will likely become a driving force for new technological innovation.
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