Towards Climate-Resilient Data Center Cooling: Experimental Study of Water Conservation Technologies

The rapid expansion of data centers, driven by the proliferation of 5G and cloud technologies, has intensified environmental concerns, particularly related to water consumption and energy use. Data centers consume billions of liters of water daily for cooling, with wet cooling towers accounting for the majority of this usage. Despite various efforts, effective strategies to reduce water consumption in these systems remain limited. This study proposes the use of hygroscopic solutions as alternative cooling media in wet cooling towers to address this challenge. An experimental system was developed to evaluate this technology's performance. The results demonstrate a significant reduction in water consumption of up to 84.72% while maintaining comparable thermal performance to traditional systems. For data center operators, especially those in water-stressed regions, this technology offers a viable path to drastically lower operational water costs and reduce environmental impact, supporting compliance with increasingly stringent sustainability regulations. The water-saving mechanisms are further explored through an analysis of the interactions between the hygroscopic solution and moist air, utilizing physical properties and enthalpy-humidity charts. This research contributes to sustainable cooling strategies essential for adapting to water stress and environmental demands in an era of accelerating technological growth.