Approximately 40% of the electricity consumed in data centers goes toward cooling servers. Researchers from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and University of Tsukuba have developed a device powered by two nickel-titanium strips and copper plates that aims to meet this need using the waste heat from servers.
The prototype, powered by a 130 °C heat source, can create a 2.2-Kelvin difference between the hot and cold sides. Given that processors operate at 60 to 85 °C and that temperatures need to be lowered by 10 to 20 degrees, the system needs further development for commercial use. The researchers are working on models that will place more metal strips in parallel to improve performance.
Why it matters
The fact that approximately 40% of electricity in data centers is allocated to cooling makes the work more than just a trial of a new device, turning it into a search for a solution aimed at the structure of energy use. However, the temperature difference provided by the prototype does not yet show that the 10- to 20-degree reduction needed under processors’ operating conditions has been achieved. Therefore, the current result of the research points less to a cooling system ready for commercial use than to a stage demonstrating that waste heat could be utilized for this purpose. The remaining question is to what extent placing more metal strips in parallel will improve performance and whether the device will be able to meet the cooling requirements under data center conditions.
Background
Yapay is not a new name in the FikirPilot archive: we have published 67 reports mentioning this name in the last 90 days; the most recent was dated September 14, 2026.