Project description
Reusing waste heat from data centres
Today’s data centres (DC) consume vast amounts of energy and have one of the fastest-growing carbon footprints. It’s possible to reverse this trend by converting the energy consumed by a DC server into heat. The integration of two-phase cooling solutions designed around waste heat recovery can improve DC energy performance. Loop heat pipes (LHP), a highly efficient heat transportation device, is an attractive two-phase solution for cooling and waste heat recovery for DC. The EU-funded LEAP project will develop innovative waste heat transportation and conversion solutions for DC applications developing an original multi-scale porous structure, fabricating a high-performance LHP and characterising LHP and waste heat recovery technologies.
Objective
Data Centres (DC) consume 1.1–1.5% of the world's total energy and have one of the fastest-growing carbon footprints. The EU aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% and improve energy efficiency by 32.5% by 2030. Almost 100% of the energy consumed by a DC server is converted to heat, which is dumped into the environment surrounding a DC. Integration of two-phase cooling solutions designed around waste heat recovery is required to improve DC energy efficiency and performance.
An attractive two-phase solution for cooling and waste heat recovery for DCs is loop heat pipes (LHP). A LHP is a highly-efficient heat transportation device. It enables long-distance, low-thermal resistance transport of thermal energy by utilising the latent heat associated with phase change and requires no energy for operation.
The novel objectives for this Fellowship are:
(i) Development of an original multi-scale porous structure. This structure will create a high-performance fluid transport and evaporative surface at the core of the LHP. It will be fabricated by electrodeposition of copper into a close packing of different sized polymer spheres. The packing arrangement will be guided by numerical modelling and an optimisation algorithm.
(ii) Fabrication of a high-performance LHP that is beyond the current state-of-the-art to dissipate and transport the necessary power of next-generation integrated circuits for DC applications.
(iii) Characterisation of LHP and waste heat recovery technologies to increase DC performance while reducing carbon emissions. The developed LHP will be tested with Thermoelectric Generator technology to provide direct electrical generation at the server level.
The outcomes of this project are the development of innovative waste heat transportation and conversion solutions for DC applications to increase performance and efficiency while reducing their carbon footprint. The Persoons group and I have the combined tools and expertise to achieve this.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- engineering and technology mechanical engineering thermodynamic engineering heat engineering
- natural sciences chemical sciences polymer sciences
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2020
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
D02 CX56 Dublin
Ireland
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.