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Using Jet Engines to Cool Servers

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the yay-for-engineers dept.

rpmsci writes "The computer servers that fill huge data centers are producing more heat with every new generation of processors. It's a problem that's sending engineers on a search for cooling fans that are both small enough to fit inside ever-smaller server chassis and powerful enough to dispel increasing amounts of heat. At Hewlett-Packard, they've found one answer in an unexpected place: model jet airplanes."

7 of 109 comments (clear)

  1. Too Late by AKAImBatman · · Score: 4, Funny

    ASUS beat them to it

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    1. Re:Too Late by Walt+Dismal · · Score: 2, Funny

      This of course leads to the obligatory lines, "Thank you for flying with HP Airlines. I'm Miss Goodbint, and I'll be your data server on this flight. Please ignore the vast sucking noises coming from the rack, they're normal. In the event of a loss of cabin pressure, strange little yellow masks will pop out of the equipment so your data center technicians don't asphyxiate."

  2. Christ, is "active" a hip marketing term again? by xxxJonBoyxxx · · Score: 4, Funny
    "The end product is HP's Active Cool Fan..."

    Christ, is "active" a hip marketing term again? I thought "ActiveX" put a bullet in that fad...

    1. Re:Christ, is "active" a hip marketing term again? by gEvil+(beta) · · Score: 2, Funny

      Well, it certainly isn't a passive cooling solution...

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      This guy's the limit!
  3. I like this better... by AgentAce · · Score: 4, Funny

    http://www.asciimation.co.nz/beer/

    Yeah, real innovative HP. *yawn*

  4. Re:Not a jet. by arivanov · · Score: 1, Funny
    There are actually tiny gas turbine engines available for model aircraft.

    You mean "used to be available". Have you tried to order these after 9/11?

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  5. A way to use a real jet engine by necro81 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Since these ducted fan's aren't really jet engines, and certainly aren't what I had in mind when I saw the term "jet engine" in the headline (think very large and noisy!), here's a proposal for using a real, full-sized, jet engine for cooling your servers:

    Take one jet engine,
    Add stages to capture the thrust and transform it into more torque,
    Connect output shaft to massive freakin' compressor turbine,
    Use turbine to compress gaseous coolant back to a liquid,
    Attach big large radiator/heat exchanger/water cooling tower

    Viola! you now have many tonnes of refrigeration capacity, good for blowing cold air through your equipment room, or circulating liquid coolant directly to the chips.

    The best part is, you get to have a jet engine tacked on to your server farm.