Data centers are putting increasing pressure on power grids as demand for computing continues to grow. Some companies are exploring alternatives such as solar-powered facilities while tech giants like Google and SpaceX are even planning to move data centers away from Earth. Recently, Google launched its homegrown AI chips into orbit aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket as part of Project Suncatcher, its effort to develop solar-powered AI computing infrastructure in space. The launch marked the project’s first in-orbit test, which aims to use continuously available solar power and the “infinite real estate” of orbit for AI computing.As this approach explores moving computing infrastructure off-planet, researchers in Japan and Germany are working on a way to tackle the data center cooling problem without leaving Earth. Their solution uses shape memory alloy films in a system called “elastocaloric cooling.” The technology, known as “elastocaloric cooling,” uses a titanium-nickel alloy film that changes shape in response to heat and drives a refrigeration cycle. The study, published in Nature Energy, presents a prototype that could eventually find applications in data centers and other computing devices, although the current system remains at the proof-of-concept stage.
How elastocaloric cooling works
The prototype consists of a thermal actuator and a cooling unit. Its thermal actuator uses a shape memory alloy film made from titanium-nickel. When the film reaches a sufficiently high temperature, it stretches and generates force that elongates a separate refrigerant film.The refrigerant film eventually contacts a heat sink, which removes heat from the film. As the actuator and refrigerant films cool, they return to their original shapes. The refrigerant film then contacts the heat source and absorbs heat, restarting the cycle.According to the researchers, the cooling process takes place through four steps involving the heating, deformation, cooling and recovery of the films. The system is designed to repeat the process continuously without requiring a conventional motor to drive the cooling operation.
How elastocaloric cooling can help data centers
The research paper does not specifically propose the technology for data center cooling. However, the approach could potentially address one of the challenges associated with large computing facilities: the energy and water required to keep hardware within operating temperatures.Data centers use substantial amounts of electricity, while conventional cooling systems can add to their energy requirements. Some cooling systems also use water. A cooling technology based on shape memory alloy films could potentially reduce the need for some conventional cooling infrastructure if it can be scaled.The same principle could also have applications beyond large data centers, including personal computers and other electronic devices.
Technology is still at the proof-of-concept stage
The prototype currently has significant limitations. The researchers reported that the films generated only **2.09 milliwatts of cooling power**. The system was also limited by relatively slow actuation and the size of its heat exchanger.These limitations mean the technology is not yet ready to replace the cooling systems used in large computing facilities. Scaling cooling output while improving the system’s speed and efficiency would be necessary before practical applications become possible.Still, the research demonstrates that elastocaloric cooling can work using shape-changing films rather than conventional motor-driven refrigeration. If researchers can overcome the current limitations, the approach could eventually offer another way to manage heat in computing hardware, including the increasingly power-hungry systems used in AI data centers.