Thermal load is the amount of thermal energy generated by equipment per unit of time that must be removed by the cooling system. For mining facilities, thermal load is one of the main parameters used when designing ventilation, liquid cooling, and heat rejection infrastructure.

Almost all electrical power consumed by an ASIC miner ultimately becomes heat. Therefore, equipment power consumption is an important starting point for estimating the thermal load of a mining installation.

How Thermal Load Is Estimated

A basic estimate can be made by adding the electrical power consumption of all operating devices. For example, if a group of miners consumes a combined 1 MW, the approximate thermal output of that equipment is also close to 1 MW.

In a real facility, pumps, fans, power supplies, networking equipment, and other infrastructure also consume power and contribute heat. Therefore, total room or building thermal load can be higher than the load generated directly by the ASIC miners.

Thermal Load and Cooling

The cooling system must provide sufficient cooling capacity. If cooling capacity is lower than the actual thermal load, temperatures will continue to rise until operating conditions change or equipment reduces its output.

In liquid systems, thermal load is related to coolant flow rate and temperature difference. In air systems, airflow and the temperature difference between inlet and outlet air are important parameters.

Why Capacity Margin Matters

Designing exactly for nominal load leaves little room for changing ambient temperatures, filter contamination, equipment upgrades, changes in operating power, and degradation of cooling components.