Applying Next-Generation Cooling Technology to Research Lab Servers
MOU Signed with Seoul National University and Databean; Testing to Begin Early Next Year
"Foundation for Expansion into Smart Factories and Large Data Centers"
HD Hyundai Oilbank is partnering with Seoul National University to launch a demonstration project that applies immersion cooling technology to artificial intelligence (AI) research environments. As the spread of AI has led to a surge in server heat generation, revealing the limitations of conventional air cooling, the project aims to verify the stability and efficiency of next-generation cooling technology.
On November 26, HD Hyundai Oilbank announced that it had signed a memorandum of understanding for the "AI Infrastructure Immersion Cooling Demonstration Project" with the College of Engineering at Seoul National University and Databean, an immersion cooling system operator. This project was initiated to address disruptions in research activities at Seoul National University's AI research lab servers caused by fan noise and high internal temperatures. As demand for AI research at the university rapidly increased, there was a need for a more efficient and quieter cooling method, leading to the adoption of HD Hyundai Oilbank's immersion cooling technology. Beginning in early 2026, the existing air cooling system will be replaced with immersion cooling, and performance tests will be conducted.
Last year, HD Hyundai Oilbank employees tested the cooling oil and servers contained in the immersion cooling equipment. Photo by Yonhap News
Seoul National University will provide data center space and GPU servers for the immersion cooling performance evaluation, while HD Hyundai Oilbank will be responsible for supplying the immersion coolant, as well as offering technical consulting and maintenance. Databean will install the immersion cooling device "SmartBox" and analyze the operational data.
Immersion cooling is a method in which servers or energy storage systems (ESS) are directly submerged in a non-conductive liquid to dissipate heat. Compared to air cooling, it offers higher energy efficiency and lower noise. Through this collaboration, HD Hyundai Oilbank will be the first in Korea to thoroughly verify the stability of immersion cooling in an "AI research lab environment." A representative from HD Hyundai Oilbank stated, "This demonstration will serve as a catalyst for expanding the applicability of immersion cooling technology to research labs and small-to-medium-sized server environments," adding, "We plan to broaden the scope of these demonstrations in the future to lay the foundation for entering the large data center market."
Meanwhile, HD Hyundai Oilbank filed for the "Xteer E-Cooling Fluid" brand in 2024 and, in 2025, began supplying immersion coolant to Naver Cloud, accelerating its expansion into the next-generation cooling market.
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