Why Liquid Immersion?
In the world of crypto mining, heat dissipation and temperature control are a main concern for every miner. High operating temperatures can quickly shutdown a mining operation and shorten the lifespan of equipment. Air-cooling and liquid immersion are the two main methods used as a solution to cool hardware. Exploring each will give a better understanding of why liquid immersion is superior.
Traditionally, air-cooling has been the preferred method for most mining farms around the world. It is the more convenient option because it is readily available. Most ASICs are designed for air-cooling with multiple fans attached for intake and exhaust. Fans are used to move heat away from components with additional fans moving heated air elsewhere. In a typical air-cooled mining operation, ASIC and facility fans account for a portion of electricity costs. Additionally, depending on the outside environment, HVAC units can also come into play to regulate the humidity.
To give an idea of the additional cost, an Antminer s19 Pro 110TH/s at 3250 watts will need about 1 ton of air conditioning to cool which adds about 1000 watts itself to operate. These are estimations but it shows the added cost. To maximize profits aside from kw/h costs, most air-cooled mining farms operate in cooler climates. There are more dynamics when operating an air-cooled farm but that’s for another discussion.
Another factor to consider is the exposure of dust and other particles that fans circulate around the farm. Dust can significantly shorten the life of an ASIC. Even with air filtration, regular cleaning of ASICs from dust and broken fan repairs are needed to keep the farm operating. The last factor to consider is noise pollution. The sound level of a s19 pro is 75dB, which is equivalent to a typical vacuum cleaner. Imagine hearing 100 or 10,000 vacuum cleaners at the same time. Even 1 vacuum is annoying when on all the time.
A liquid immersion system includes immersion tanks, pumps, piping, dielectric fluid, dry coolers, and some type of management system. Although this method is initially more expensive, the benefits are worth the cost. Liquid immersion eliminates the need for fans. The dielectric fluid provides a medium to transfer heat away from components. Fans are removed from the ASICs and replaced with spoofers or firmware. Each ASIC fan uses about 16 to 33 watts. With 4 fans on each ASIC, that’s 64 to 132 watts eliminated. Facility fans are no longer needed to move heat and if present, HVAC is now used more for the comfort of the farm’s operators. With the fans out of equation, noise pollution becomes a non-factor.
Besides the benefit of reducing electricity costs, liquid immersion provides protection from dust and other particles that might infiltrate the ASICs. Regular cleaning is not needed. With this protection, the ASIC’s longevity is extended, and the need for repairs is reduced. Along with the provided protection, liquid immersion makes it easier to regulate temperature and humidity. ASICs run at higher speeds more consistently at lower temperature, thus increasing the farms overall hashrate. It also takes the worry out of overclocking as the heat is absorbed by the liquid and moved to the dry coolers. Farms can increase their hashrate by up to 30% or more. With this increase, older model ASIC are no longer obsolete.
In conclusion, air-cooling is an initially cheaper way to operate an ASICs mining farm. The added cost of fans and shortened lifespan of equipment can cut profits significantly. Liquid immersion while more costly at first adds the benefits of reducing electricity costs, extending lifespans of equipment, and increasing hashsrate. All those equating to better profit margins for any mining farm. For more info on liquid immersion, check out these sites: https://www.engineeredfluids.com/the-slic-guide, and https://dcx.eu/.
Christopher Davis and Company
Owner/Partner
Orion & Taurus LLC
