Cooling Innovation: IIT Bombay and Vertiv Collaborate for AI-Driven Data Centers

IIT Bombay and Vertiv are collaborating to develop advanced cooling solutions for AI-driven data centers, addressing increased thermal demands due to rising GPU power consumption. The partnership aims to create industry-ready engineering talent and will involve developing a dry cooler for a 40 kW liquid cooling load.

In a strategic alliance announced on Wednesday, IIT Bombay has partnered with digital infrastructure firm Vertiv to pioneer advanced cooling technologies tailored for AI-driven data centers. This initiative is crucial as 54% of Indian businesses now deploy AI, pushing GPU power demands from 700W in 2022 to a projected 1,200W by 2025.

The collaboration targets evolving thermal needs to ensure robust and future-ready solutions. With Vertiv's industry experience and IIT Bombay's academic insights, the aim is to transform lab research into applicable industrial solutions, simultaneously enhancing the skills of the next generation of engineers.

Initial project phases will focus on designing a dry cooler for a 40 kW liquid cooling load. The RCD module's integration and testing will occur at IIT Bombay's Heat Pump Laboratory, with extensive evaluation planned at Vertiv's Pune facility, promising a blend of theory and practice.

(With inputs from agencies.)