IBM takes the plunge with water-cooled server system

IBM has released a cooling gadget for data-centres that's designed to extend the abilities of existing air conditioning systems while saving space and money.

The company's "Cool Blue" component (officially known as the IBM eServer Rear Door Heat eXchanger) draws on the supply of chilled water produced by a standard data-centre cooling set-up. Every minute, the system circulates eight to 10 gallons of the water through a four-inch thick backdoor on a server rack, carrying away heat.

The component, IBM says, lets companies cool additional servers without having to install more floor-space-hogging, and pricey, air conditioning systems.

The Heat eXchanger can remove up to 55 per cent of the heat generated in a fully populated rack and then take it out of the data-centre, IBM said. Big Blue boasts that the product can remove up to 50,000BTU (thermal units) of heat generated by a full server rack.

Cool Blue is designed to fit on to IBM eServer-class enterprise racks but the company said the technology can help cool off heat issues caused by other servers in the data-centre as well.

Prices start at $4,299 in the United States, as a stand-alone product. The Heat eXchanger can also be purchased as part of IBM's eServer Cluster 1350, with prices depending on the configuration.

Michael Singer writes for CNET News.com