A newly proposed liquid-cooling technique could absorb heat almost instantly, offering a potential solution for the extreme thermal demands of AI data centers. Researchers in China report developing a method that can chill a liquid cooling medium to sub-zero temperatures in under 30 seconds. Rather than relying on a new refrigerant, the approach uses a pressure-driven chemical process based on how certain salts behave in water. According to The South China Morning Post, the system exploits the unusual solubility of ammonium thiocyanate when combined with water and pressure.

Figure 1. Data Centers.

Under high pressure, large amounts of the salt dissolve into water, forming a highly concentrated solution—similar to how a sponge absorbs liquid when squeezed. When the pressure is suddenly released, the salt reorganizes into a more stable state, a process that rapidly absorbs heat from its surroundings. The result is a sharp temperature drop of tens of degrees within seconds, driven by an enhanced form of endothermic dissolution. Figure 1 shows Data Centers.

This mechanism differs from conventional data-center cooling methods such as fans, air conditioning, chilled-water loops, or immersion cooling, all of which require continuous energy to move heat elsewhere. Instead, the new process stores chemical potential in the pressurized salt solution and releases cooling on demand, delivering very high cooling power for short periods.

Such rapid-response cooling could be particularly valuable for AI data centers, which rely on dense clusters of GPUs and other power-hungry hardware [1]. These systems generate intense, localized heat and are prone to sudden thermal spikes during computationally demanding tasks like model training, making heat management especially challenging and costly.

In some facilities, cooling accounts for 30% to 50% of total power consumption. The salt-based approach could help manage brief but extreme heat surges, reducing peak cooling loads and associated costs. Rather than replacing existing systems, it could function as a thermal buffer—similar to a cooling capacitor—smoothing out sudden temperature shocks.

However, significant hurdles remain. The salt solution must be re-pressurized after use, introducing additional energy costs. Long-term issues such as corrosion, chemical stability, and system durability have yet to be resolved, and it remains unclear whether the technology can be scaled economically for real-world data centers.

References:

1. https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/chinas-cooling-touch-sub-zero-in-seconds

Cite this article:

Keerthana S (2026), China’s “Salt and Pressure” Cooling Method Can Reach Sub-Zero Temperatures in Seconds for Data Centers, AnaTechMaz, pp.184