Immersion cooling is a heat-removal technology in which mining equipment or selected components are submerged in a specially designed electrically non-conductive fluid. The fluid directly contacts heated surfaces and transfers their thermal energy toward a heat exchanger or another part of the cooling system.

The main difference between immersion cooling and air cooling is the medium that directly receives heat from the equipment. Instead of moving large volumes of air, the system uses a specialized dielectric fluid that can contact electrical components without creating a conventional conductive path.

How Immersion Cooling Works

  1. ASIC equipment is installed inside a dedicated tank.
  2. The equipment is submerged in compatible dielectric fluid.
  3. Heat from computing components is transferred to the fluid.
  4. Heated fluid moves through the cooling system.
  5. A heat exchanger transfers the thermal energy to another circuit or the environment.
  6. Cooled fluid returns to the equipment.

Single-Phase and Two-Phase Systems

In single-phase immersion systems, the working fluid remains liquid throughout the cooling cycle. It absorbs heat from the equipment, moves to the heat exchanger, releases that heat, and returns to the tank.

In two-phase systems, the working fluid evaporates when heated. The vapor rises to a condensing area, releases heat, and returns to liquid form. This approach uses a phase change as part of the heat-transfer process.

Advantages

  • high heat-transfer capability;
  • high equipment density can be supported;
  • reduced dependence on large air volumes;
  • reduced reliance on conventional high-speed fans;
  • more uniform heat transfer across immersed components.

Infrastructure Requirements

An immersion system requires dedicated tanks, compatible fluid, heat exchangers, and an organized cooling loop. Material compatibility must also be considered for circuit boards, cables, seals, plastics, adhesives, and metals.

Immersion cooling is particularly relevant where the equipment produces a high thermal load. It does not eliminate the need to reject heat from the facility; instead, it changes how heat is transferred from the mining equipment to the external heat-rejection system.