LG Uplus debuts liquid-cooled AI data center prototype

LG Uplus is pioneering liquid cooling technology for AI data centers with a new demonstration facility in South Korea, marking a significant shift in how telecom companies approach thermal management for high-density computing. This initiative represents a growing recognition that traditional air cooling methods cannot efficiently handle the intense heat generated by modern AI workloads, requiring innovative cooling technologies to enable sustainable expansion of AI infrastructure.

The big picture: LG Uplus has launched a liquid cooling demonstration room at its Pyeongchon 2 Internet Data Center in Anyang to validate sustainable cooling technologies for AI-focused facilities.

• The testing environment is designed to evaluate cooling solutions for high-density, heat-intensive AI server environments that traditional air cooling systems struggle to manage.
• This initiative forms part of the company’s broader strategy to develop what it calls a “Green AI Data Center” that balances computational power with environmental responsibility.

Key technologies under evaluation: The demonstration facility is testing two primary liquid cooling approaches that dramatically outperform conventional air cooling methods.

• Direct-to-chip cooling systems circulate coolant through plates attached directly to heat-generating server components.
• Immersion cooling technology submerges entire servers in thermally conductive, non-conductive oil baths.
• A central coolant distribution unit (CDU) manages the efficient flow of coolant throughout these systems.

Why this matters: Advanced cooling infrastructure is becoming essential as data centers reconfigure to handle the thermal demands of AI processing.

• Liquid cooling solutions can significantly reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions compared to traditional air cooling systems.
• Testing these technologies in real-world environments helps mitigate risks associated with GPU upgrades and large-scale infrastructure deployments.

What they’re saying: “With growing demand for AI and HPC increasing heat loads, advanced cooling is essential. This project marks a milestone in our effort to build sustainable and high-performance AI infrastructure,” said Jung Sook-kyung, head of LG Uplus’ AIDC business unit.

Industry partnerships: LG Uplus is collaborating with several technology providers to implement and evaluate these cooling solutions.

• Partners include established cooling specialists like Vertiv and CoolIT Systems.
• LG Electronics is also participating in the initiative, leveraging its expertise in thermal management.

Looking ahead: LG Uplus plans to scale successful liquid cooling technologies across its full data center facilities.

• The company aims to simultaneously reduce emissions, decrease energy consumption, and improve reliability in its next-generation AI data centers.
• These advancements position LG Uplus to compete more effectively in the rapidly growing market for AI infrastructure services.