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  4. Immersion Cooling for High Powered Electronics
Novec

One and two phase immersion cooling of power electronics

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The ability to precisely control electrical voltages on a large scale has enabled many efficient, powerful innovations... From high-speed electric trains to wind turbines, and electric vehicles for everything from heavy earthmoving equipment to personal electric vehicles (EVs). But the equipment that manages this process — including power inverters, thyristors, IGBT and variable-speed drives — requires high-performance power electronics cooling.

At 3M, we developed our 3M™ Novec™ Engineered Fluids to act as excellent immersion cooling fluids for voltage-changing power electronics applications. These dielectric fluids are safe for contact with electronics, and cool power devices efficiently and uniformly using single-phase or two phase immersion cooling. They offer wide operating temperature ranges, have excellent materials compatibility and are simple to maintain. These characteristics make Novec fluid-based immersion cooling an excellent alternative to air, water or oil-cooled systems. And they do all this without compromising worker safety or environmental sustainability. As you develop the electric-powered machines of the future, turn to 3M Novec fluids to help keep them cool.

Artistic photo of clear fluid splashing with bright blue background.
Moving forward with advanced cooling.
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The potential of immersion cooling of key power electronics applications

Power electronics move the world forward. 3M has decades of experience in power electronics cooling with 3M™ Fluorinert™ Electronic Liquids. Now our next-generation Novec fluids can help keep them cool through simple, efficient, high-performance one or two phase immersion cooling, with an enhanced sustainability profile. With significant advantages over existing cooling methods, consider the potential of Novec fluids to cool future power electronics applications, including:

  • High speed train in modern railway station with people on the platform.
    High-speed rail

    Electric-powered high-speed trains are transforming how people travel long distances safely, quickly and with significantly lower environmental impact than flying or other comparable modes of transport.

  • Earthmoving heavy machinery digging dirt at sunrise.
    Heavy machinery

    Earthmoving equipment can literally move mountains but requires enormous energy and power. This can be delivered efficiently via electric and hybrid drive systems controlled by power electronics.

  • Green field of tall wind turbines with blue sky and fluffy clouds.
    Wind turbines

    Harnessing wind energy requires a complex transformation of mechanical energy — which itself varies with wind speed — into electrical energy suitable for the grid.

  • Offshore platform for oil and gas (petroleum) extraction in the ocean.
    Undersea petroleum extraction

    The bottom of the sea is a challenging environment for power electronics, which are used in high-volume pumps that make petroleum extraction more efficient.

  • Two side-by-side high speed lift doors with red walls.
    High-speed lifts

    Designers of skyscrapers need to take people to new heights quickly. New high-speed lifts are designed to make living and working in tall buildings more convenient and comfortable.

  • Electric vehicle recharging its EV battery at a station.
    Automotive
    The mass adoption of electric vehicles depends on the production of efficient, reliable drivetrains that use power electronics to transfer energy from batteries to wheels, plus fast charging infrastructure and cables.

The power of next-generation cooling solutions

  • The next phase in our decades of power electronics cooling experience

    3M Fluorinert Electronic Liquids have been used for immersion cooling of power electronics for decades. 3M now applies that experience to the application of 3M Novec Engineered Fluids, which share the same characteristics but with an enhanced sustainability profile. Contact us for help choosing which product best meets your specifications and goals.

Novec: A smarter solution than other cooling alternatives

Cooling power electronics using Novec Engineered Fluids in an immersion cooling system offers many advantages over the alternative methods.

  • White fan icon on purple background representing air cooling.
    Novec vs. Air
    Immersion cooling offers more consistent and efficient cooling than air. This allows greater density of electronic components — critical to creating smaller power electronics.
  • White water faucet dripping icon on purple background representing water / aqeous cooling.
    Novec vs. Water

    Using water to cool power electronics requires significant complexity to ensure that the water doesn’t contact the electronics and create a short. Novec Engineered Fluids are dielectric and safe for contact with electronics, simplifying the system.

  • 3 white liquid droplets on purple background representing immersion cooling with oil.
    Novec vs. Oil
    The various oils sometimes used for heat transfer in immersion cooling for power electronics are all flammable at some temperature. They also leave residue. Novec Engineered Fluids are non-flammable, resulting in greater safety, and leave no residue for easier maintenance.
  • Large green tree in a green field with a clear blue sky.

    All the performance without compromise

    The Novec promise is performance without compromise. Our engineers purposefully developed Novec Engineered Fluids with worker safety and environmental sustainability in mind. These fluids feature:
     

    • A wide margin of worker safety and non-flammability
    • Low environmental impact, with zero ozone depletion potential (ODP) and low global warming potential (GWP), compared with conventional hydrocarbon coolants
    • Strong regulatory compliance — not scheduled for restriction or phasedown

Power electronics cooling tools and resources

Novec resource library

Contact us with any questions about immersion cooling for power electronics

3M Novec is more than a line of products — we’re people who share your passion for solving problems and improving lives, and our experience in immersion cooling and power electronics means we are uniquely able to help you solve your challenges. Contact us to answer any questions you may have or to get:
 

  • Help connecting with manufacturers of immersion cooling systems
  • Assistance ordering Novec Engineered Fluids or choosing between Novec fluids and Fluorinert Electronic Liquids
  • Information on purchasing test samples
  • Product data
  • Application advice and best practices

Novec

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