Few digital chores short of training large language models ever generate as much heat as Bitcoin mining. Countless mine operators are on the lookout for better ways to deal with this heat, which is why so many are turning to immersion cooling technology for Bitcoins. Unlike traditional cooling technologies, immersion tanks don’t require users to cover their graphics processing unit cards full of fans. Instead, this system gives them the freedom to dunk the entire installation in a big tank of oil or other coolant that absorbs heat far more efficiently than air ever would.
Large-scale Bitcoin mines use a substantial amount of energy simply to keep the fans on. As the existing cryptographic ledger continues to grow in size, it’s likely that these mines will produce an exponential amount of additional heat. Switching over to immersion cooling technology is the more effective way for these companies to avoid having to put up even more cooling motors. Some estimates suggest that immersion cooling is around 95% more efficient than traditional methods. These tanks would save a ton of electricity even if real-world efficiency numbers were only 20-30% more effective than fans.
Some people have been concerned about the difficulty of working with them, but technicians have already solved most of the problems anyone is likely to run into. Immersion technology has been used in some industries for over 50 years, so it predates Bitcoin mining by several decades. Those who want to be certain they don’t run into any issues can invest in a professional Bitcoin mining operation that takes care of all the cooling on their behalf. Nevertheless, the technology is mature enough that almost any mine could theoretically use it.
Replacing components that are bathed in an immersion tank is only slightly more difficult than doing it with a conventional system, for instance. Say a single integrated circuit failed on one board. System administrators would deploy a gantry system that moves right above the container to lift out a server rack. Once it’s suspended in the air, technicians simply allow the equipment to drip dry until there’s no oil left. Many people have noticed that they have to replace parts much less often once they switch to this kind of cooling system, so this is often a non-issue anyway.
That’s because advanced cooling systems help to assuage the number one problem that causes failure in Bitcoin mining operations. It’s likely that most GPUs and other parts that fail at these companies do so because of the intense amount of heat that they’re exposed to. Any net reduction in the amount of heat they’re subjected to should also be a net decrease in the level of damage they take.
Commercial-grade mines can join huge numbers of cards together in a single array as well, which helps to alleviate the concern that any specific obsolete component will make the equipment more expensive to operate over time. This is only possible because of the creative application of immersion cooling tanks that let them run this gear in such an innovative fashion.
