Traditional data center cooling systems evaporate a portion of the water they use to absorb server heat. As a result, they have to be continuity refilled. OpenAI says that its campus will use less water thanks to “closed-loop, air-cooled cooling systems” that don’t require refills. The company didn’t detail how the systems will work.

The coolant in closed-loop cooling equipment is usually a mix of water and a food additive called propylene glycol. The latter material prevents the coolant from freezing when it’s not supposed to and thus reduces corrosion. The water, in turn, usually goes through a filtering process that removes any minerals it may contain. That makes it less conductive, which lowers the risk to data center electronics.

Pumps circulate the coolant through server racks to absorb the heat generated by the graphics cards inside. From there, the warm water is routed outside the data center, where fans cool by running air over the pipes through which it flows. The coolant subsequently returns to the server racks and the process repeats. 

OpenAI expects construction to run through 2032. According to the company, the project will create 35,000 construction jobs and 2,500 long-term data center maintenance roles. The first 800 megawatts of computing capacity is scheduled to come online in 2028.

Nvidia is buying a $1.5 billion stake in SB Energy to support the project. The chipmaker could realize a return on its investment well before construction is complete: The SoftBank unit reportedly plans to go public as early as next month. SB Energy is reportedly seeking a valuation of up to $50 billion.

Photo: OpenAI