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GS Caltex has introduced a direct liquid cooling fluid for data centers to address the heat generation issues of artificial intelligence (AI) servers. As cooling technologies that use liquid instead of air to dissipate server heat are gaining attention, GS Caltex has expanded its presence from the existing immersion cooling oil market to the direct liquid cooling fluid market.
On October 14, GS Caltex announced the launch of "Kixx DLC Fluid PG25," a propylene glycol-based direct liquid cooling fluid. By utilizing propylene glycol, which is also used as a cosmetic ingredient, the company has reduced the impact on human health and the environment. Additionally, it explained that the addition of organic acid technology (OAT) corrosion inhibitors has enhanced both corrosion resistance and stability.
Yoon Jiwon, CEO of SDT (from left), Lee Sangjun, Head of Architecture Technology Research Center at GS Engineering & Construction, and Yong Yeongkyung, Head of Lubricants Division at GS Caltex, are taking a commemorative photo after signing a business agreement for the development of data center immersion cooling technology on the 15th of last month at GS Tower in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. GS Caltex
Direct liquid cooling involves attaching a cold plate to high-heat-generating components inside servers, such as the central processing unit (CPU) and graphics processing unit (GPU), and circulating cooling fluid directly through these plates to extract heat. Unlike immersion cooling, which submerges the entire device in cooling oil, direct liquid cooling targets only the necessary areas for heat dissipation. This method is characterized by relatively lower installation requirements and is particularly effective for components like GPUs used in AI computation, where heat is concentrated.
With the launch of its direct liquid cooling fluid, GS Caltex has now entered both segments of the liquid cooling market: immersion cooling and direct liquid cooling.
In 2023, GS Caltex became the first company in Korea to introduce immersion cooling oil, "Kixx Immersion Fluid S," and has since conducted pilot tests at Samsung SDS and LG Uplus data centers. This year, the company is collaborating with Super Micro Computer to build an immersion cooling system at its Daejeon Technology Research Center and is conducting performance tests on AI servers.
Last month, GS Caltex signed a business agreement with GS Engineering & Construction and SDT for the "Development of Data Center Immersion Cooling Technology." Under the agreement, GS Caltex is responsible for supplying cooling oil and providing full-cycle technical support, GS Engineering & Construction handles data center design and modular construction technology, and SDT is in charge of supplying and demonstrating the "AquaRack" system. The three companies plan to verify energy-saving effects based on demonstration data.
A GS Caltex representative stated, "Going forward, we will collaborate with customers from various industries, including data centers, by utilizing our liquid cooling products such as direct liquid cooling fluids and immersion cooling oils."
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