Graphene Promises to Bring New Life into Data Centers

In 2012, Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov won the Nobel Prize in physics for their research on Graphene.

The possibilities that Graphene and its applications can bring into the new generation are tremendous. Graphene is a graphite based material that is the new alliterative to replace silicon in electronics. It is highly conductive and handles heat and electronic movement much better than silicon. It is the strongest and thinnest material known to science, and is reported to be 100 times more strong than steel. It is nearly transparent, flexible, a good thermal and electrical conductor and is also known to have unique quantum properties.
Applications of Graphene can completely revolutionize the modern enterprise data center. Imagine a cool processor the size of a pencil tip, with 3 billion transistors in it! That is the tremendous power that Graphene can bring to the table. The added advantage is that Graphene has better cooling properties than silicon, leading to a transformation in the cooling infrastructure as well.

Scientists at the Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden have proposed a new energy-saving application that can reduce the heat inside processors by a significant 25 percent. This can increase the life of electronic devices and is a breakthrough in miniaturized electronics. As much as 50 percent of all electricity consumed by data centres goes in cooling systems. An application like this that can internally bring about cooling of the hot-spots at the chip level and will lead to significant energy savings.

Like any new innovation, what remains to be seen though is if Graphene can hit the home run in marketability by making the production of its applications as cost-effective as possible. Already, an enormous number of 7000 patents have been registered for graphene applications alone. Yes, Graphene still needs to pass the test and find its niche in today’s market, but it sure holds promise that any data center expert will be waiting eagerly for. For more inputs on data centers, and the best applications for your data center needs, do contact www.lifelinedatacenters.com for a free tour.

Alex Carroll

Managing Member at Lifeline Data Centers

Alex, co-owner, is responsible for all real estate, construction and mission critical facilities: hardened buildings, power systems, cooling systems, fire suppression, and environmentals. Alex also manages relationships with the telecommunications providers and has an extensive background in IT infrastructure support, database administration and software design and development. Alex architected Lifeline’s proprietary GRCA system and is hands-on every day in the data center.