Intel experiments with oil immersion to keep servers cool

Intel is taking a note from hardcore PC gamers by experimenting with oil immersion to keep its servers cool. As GigaOM reports, the company recently completed a year-long trial in which server components were immersed in oil, and found that there were no negative effects on the hardware. The technology — provided by Green Revolution Cooling — has the potential to make running data centers more efficient, especially in the area of high-performance computing where servers tend to run very hot. Though in spite of the positive first test, for now Intel says that it’s still just looking into the possibility of using oil immersion for its servers. “We’re doing our math to understand if we developed an oil optimized platform,” Intel’s Mike Patterson told GigaOM, “what that would mean.”