UL Solutions has announced a new testing and certification service specifically targeting immersion cooling fluids used in data center environments. Immersion cooling fluids help to efficiently dissipate heat generated by IT equipment, thereby improving operational reliability and power usage effectiveness (PUE).
Immersion cooling involves submerging servers and related equipment directly into engineered dielectric liquids, which remove heat through circulation or pumping. UL Solutions’ testing and certification program is based on UL 2417, the Outline of Investigation for Immersion Cooling Fluids for Use with Information and Communication Technology Equipment. To receive certification, fluids must meet technical criteria including autoignition temperature, flash point, and dielectric breakdown voltage.
“As data centers face greater demands and power consumption increases, operators urgently need safe and energy-efficient cooling solutions to maximize power-usage effectiveness, performance and reliability,” said Sherry He, Vice President and General Manager of Consumer, Medical and Information Technologies at UL Solutions. “UL Solutions’ new engineering evaluation, testing and certification for immersion cooling fluids, combined with our programs for immersion tanks and immersion systems, support safer innovation in data centers, which are essential for applications such as AI and cryptocurrency.”
According to the US Department of Energy’s 2024 Report on U.S. Data Center Energy Use produced by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, data centers consumed approximately 4.4% of total US electricity in 2023, with projected growth to consume between 6.7% and 12% by 2028. Immersion cooling represents one of the key innovations addressing these significant energy challenges.
UL Solutions has previously introduced a range of certification services relevant to data center safety and operation standards, including participation with the Open Compute Project since May 2021 to advance adoption of immersion cooling systems. Additionally, its Data Center Integrator Qualification program supports improved operational practices including streamlined installation, commissioning, and enhanced safety procedures.
Source: UL Solutions
