• AirTrunk and Emergence Quantum will study how cryogenic computing could be integrated into data-centre infrastructure
  • The commercial case will depend on whether computing gains outweigh the electricity, equipment and operating costs of keeping hardware extremely cold

The fact

AirTrunk and Australian technology company Emergence Quantum have signed a memorandum of understanding to research cryogenic computing for data centres. Announced on 15 September, the programme will examine how computing hardware operating at extremely low temperatures could be integrated into data-centre infrastructure.

Cryogenic systems operate below minus 150°C. Emergence Quantum is a University of Sydney spin-out working in quantum computing and thermal engineering. The university said the collaboration will examine data-centre architecture and the economics of operating computing hardware at these temperatures. It also holds a stake in Emergence Quantum.

The companies said the research will consider computing performance, energy consumption and water use. Emergence Quantum co-founder David Reilly said lower operating temperatures can improve chip efficiency, while refrigeration requirements have limited wider adoption. AirTrunk and Emergence Quantum have not announced a trial site, customer workload, investment amount or deployment timetable. No commercial cryogenic data-centre installation has been announced.

The wssessment

Cryogenic computing could make processors more efficient, but the data centre still has to pay the energy cost of keeping them extremely cold. If refrigeration consumes most of the electricity saved at the chip, the benefit quickly narrows. That is where AirTrunk can add useful evidence. The partnership can test the technology as part of a complete data-centre system, looking at total power use, water consumption, maintenance and the amount of computing delivered under normal operating conditions.

For BTW readers, this is still an experiment rather than a new cooling model ready for deployment. The case becomes more convincing only if cryogenic systems can deliver more useful computing without pushing total facility energy use and operating costs back up elsewhere.

What to watch

Watch for a named trial site and results that measure the complete system rather than the processor alone. Total electricity use, workload performance, water consumption, refrigeration equipment, maintenance requirements and reliability should be compared with an equivalent conventional setup before the technology can be judged for wider data-centre use.