Data centers use a lot of energy to stay cool, but a new material can help. It can also make our electronics at home and work use less energy. Right now, we use big and energy-hungry cooling systems to cool down the hardware in data centers. These systems use about 40% of the energy in data centers every year. The new material, called a thermal interface material (TIM), can help save around 13% of that energy. The TIM helps move heat away from electronic parts so they stay cool. This means we won’t need to use as many fans or liquid cooling systems. The TIM is made from a mix of liquid metal and particles. In tests, it was able to transfer heat away from electronic parts better than other materials. The researchers hope to use this material in more places, like data centers and even in aerospace. It’s an important step towards making our technology more efficient and eco-friendly.
Vocabulary List:
- Energy /ˈɛnərdʒi/ (noun): The capacity to do work often associated with moving or heating.
- Cooling /ˈkuːlɪŋ/ (noun): The process of lowering the temperature of something.
- Material /məˈtɪəriəl/ (noun): The substance or substances out of which a thing is made.
- Transfer /trænsˈfɜːr/ (verb): To move from one place to another.
- Efficient /ɪˈfɪʃənt/ (adjective): Performing or functioning in the best possible manner with the least waste of time and effort.
- Aerospace /ˈɛəroʊspeɪs/ (noun): The branch of technology and industry concerned with aviation and space flight.
How much do you know?
What is the primary purpose of the new material, thermal interface material (TIM)?
What percentage of energy in data centers can the TIM help save?
What is the TIM made from?
What advantage does the TIM offer over other materials in transferring heat?
What is the potential application of the TIM according to the researchers?
How does the TIM contribute to making technology more eco-friendly?
Data centers use minimal energy to stay cool.
The TIM primarily assists in heat removal from electronic parts.
Liquid metal is not a component of the TIM material.
The TIM could be relevant for use in aerospace applications.
The TIM contributes to reducing the need for fans in cooling systems.
The TIM is anticipated to increase heat generation in electronic components.
Data centers typically use about of the energy for cooling purposes every year.
The TIM can help save approximately of the energy used by cooling systems in data centers.
Researchers aim to apply the TIM in various areas including data centers and .
The TIM is composed of liquid metal and .
The TIM is designed to move heat away from electronic parts to help them stay .
Using the TIM could potentially reduce the need for multiple or liquid cooling systems.