Comparative energy performance evaluation of high-density data centers using air- and immersion-cooling systems with various economizers

초록

With increasing demand for high-density data centers, immersion-cooling systems and economizers have emerged as energy-efficient alternatives to conventional air-cooling systems. A comprehensive analysis of the combined adoption of immersion-cooling and economizer systems is essential for reducing energy consumption in data centers. This study analyzed the annual energy performance of a data center using immersion-cooling systems with economizers in various climatic regions. Specifically, the energy performance of the immersion-cooling system with economizers was compared with that of a conventional air-cooling system. Using economizers in the air-cooling system decreased annual power consumption by up to 40%, with the lowest monthly power usage effectiveness (PUE) values of 1.257, 1.195, and 1.146 with a non-economizer (NE), water-side economizer (WSE), and air-side economizer (ASE), respectively. The annual PUEs of the immersion-cooling systems with an NE and a WSE were 0.052 and 0.078, respectively, lower than that of the air-cooling system with an NE. Moreover, the influence of climatic conditions on the energy performance of air- and immersion-cooling systems with economizers was analyzed. The immersion-cooling system with a WSE exhibited a lower PUE than that with an ASE under most climatic conditions. In addition, a comparative life-cycle cost (LCC) analysis showed that the immersion-cooling system was economically superior to the air-cooling system specifically in climate zones at MATs above 14.4 °C. © 2026 Elsevier Ltd

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