IndustryAtlas

SUPPLY CHAIN HANDBOOK

Cooling: materials, air, liquid and facility systems

Prepared by IndustryAtlasEditorial principles & corrections

Identify where heat is generated and how it leaves before comparing air, cold-plate and immersion cooling. Components, equipment loops and facilities must work together; materials and interfaces are not interchangeable across architectures.

Most recent source review:

Reading guide revised:

Does installing a cold plate remove heat from the data center?

A cold plate starts the heat-removal path: it transfers chip heat into moving coolant. Pipes, pumps and heat exchangers must carry that heat onward to facility systems and outdoors. Air cooling follows the same principle: a heatsink transfers heat to air, which still needs a complete airflow and facility cooling path. Follow heat outward to distinguish interface materials, equipment loops and facility infrastructure, and to locate the actual bottleneck.

  1. Chip package and thermal interface → Heatsink or cold plate

    Interface material fills contact gaps so heat reaches the cooling structure. Fins and airflow receive it in air cooling; internal coolant receives it in a cold plate.

  2. Cold plates, piping and pumps → CDUs and heat exchange

    Coolant carries heat, manifolds distribute flow, connectors support assembly, and pumps sustain circulation. CDUs combine monitoring and heat exchange to facility liquid or air, depending on architecture.

  3. Equipment heat → Facility and outdoor rejection

    Heat exchangers and facility equipment complete heat rejection under specified water and ambient conditions. Immersion systems use dielectric fluid in direct equipment contact and their own onward heat-transfer path.

What changes the choice?

Cold plates versus immersion concerns direct coolant contact with electronics. Liquid-to-liquid versus liquid-to-air CDUs concerns the next heat-transfer destination. These are different architectural choices, not competing labels at one level.

Sources for this overview

Cooling and thermal management

Cooling supply chain

Air, cold plates and immersion

Follow interface materials, components and cooling modules into liquid loops, rack integration and facility heat rejection for electronics and AI data centers.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-30

Role and technical challenges

The three routes may share materials, pumps and heat exchangers or be combined. Distinguish component supply, system integration and technology classification. Heat must ultimately be rejected or reused.

Technical barriers and industry roles

Cold plates balance thermal resistance and pressure drop, connectors require sealing and mating durability, and CDUs need controls, redundancy and serviceability. Volume production also requires consistent yield and delivery.

  • Air and liquid cooling can coexist; liquid cooling is not synonymous with immersion.
  • Compare cooling capacity with temperature, flow and auxiliary power conditions.
  • Compatibility, pressure, vibration and thermal-cycle qualification go beyond a single cooling test.

Thermal interface materialsHeat pipes and vapor chambersHeat sinks and finsCooling fans and fan wallsAir cooling modulesDirect-to-chip cold platesCold-plate loop coolantsDielectric immersion fluidsLiquid cooling quick disconnectsCooling tubing and manifoldsCooling pumps and drivesCoolant distribution unitsImmersion cooling systemsHeat exchangersFacility cooling and heat rejectionServer and rack cooling integration

Distinction: Links describe product roles, not contracts between every company or proof that a showcased product is in volume production.

Company roles

  • AVC · Taiwan · Example role · Cooling solutions

    Fans, cooling modules and system cooling solutions.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-09-27

  • JENTECH · Taiwan · Example role · Cooling components and liquid-cooling modules

    Vapor chambers, heat spreaders and liquid-cooling cold-plate modules.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-09-27

  • Delta Electronics · Taiwan · Example role · Data-center cooling

    Data-center cooling and liquid-cooling solutions.

    Product / role source
  • Vertiv · United States · Example role · Data-center liquid cooling

    Infrastructure including direct-to-chip liquid cooling and coolant distribution.

    Product / role source

Sources

Explore this role on the mapSuggest a correctionBack to contents

Air cooling materials and modules

Thermal interface materials

Grease, pads and phase-change TIMs

Interface materials fill small gaps between a heat source and its cooler, reducing contact resistance in both air-cooled and cold-plate systems.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-08

Role and technical challenges

Shin-Etsu and Henkel offer different material forms. Bond-line thickness, contact, pressure, insulation and long-term stability matter alongside conductivity.

Distinction: Phase-change TIM softening is different from boiling-based two-phase immersion.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • Shin-Etsu Chemical · Japan · Example role · Thermal interfaces

    Thermal greases, pads and related interface materials.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

  • Henkel · Germany · Example role · Data center thermal materials

    TIM products for data center electronics.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

Sources

Explore this role on the mapSuggest a correctionBack to contents

Heat pipes and vapor chambers

Heat transport and spreading

A working fluid evaporates and condenses inside a sealed structure to transport heat or spread a concentrated hot spot over a larger cooling area.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

Role and technical challenges

Heat pipes and vapor chambers can be integrated into mobile devices, computers and other thermal modules. Wick structures, fluid return, thickness, orientation and joining affect performance.

Distinction: Spreading heat does not remove it from the device; an enclosure, fins or another rejection path is still required.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • TaiSol · Taiwan · Example role · Heat pipes and vapor chambers

    Published design and manufacturing for thermal modules.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

  • Auras · Taiwan · Example role · Heat pipes and vapor chambers

    Annual report describes heat pipe and vapor chamber development and modules.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

Sources

Explore this role on the mapSuggest a correctionBack to contents

Heat sinks and fins

Conduction and surface area

A metal base conducts heat into fins, increasing the area exposed to air for natural convection or fan-assisted cooling modules.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-08

Role and technical challenges

Geometry, materials, joints and airflow must work together; densely packed fins can increase resistance to flow. TaiSol publishes industrial PC heat sink and module products.

Distinction: More area or higher conductivity alone does not guarantee the best result for a given fan, space and noise limit.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • TaiSol · Taiwan · Example role · Heat sinks and metal bases

    Heat sinks for industrial PCs and other equipment.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

Sources

Explore this role on the mapSuggest a correctionBack to contents

Cooling fans and fan walls

Airflow, pressure and motor control

Fans move air through fins or heat exchangers and can also serve liquid-to-air systems and facility heat rejection equipment.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-08

Role and technical challenges

Sunon offers fans and air-assisted liquid cooling; Delta has demonstrated HVDC fans. Airflow, static pressure, power, vibration and noise must be balanced.

Distinction: Removing fans from some servers does not eliminate fans from every part of the facility.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • SUNON · Taiwan · Example role · Fans and air-assisted liquid cooling

    Fans, fan walls and AALC solutions.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

  • Delta Electronics · Taiwan · Example role · Fans and system integration

    2026 showcase of HVDC fans and thermal solutions.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

Sources

Explore this role on the mapSuggest a correctionBack to contents

Air cooling modules

Interfaces, fins, heat pipes and airflow

Air cooling modules combine interfaces, heat sinks, heat pipes or vapor chambers and airflow design to transfer heat from electronics to air.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

Role and technical challenges

Modules must match hot spots, mechanical constraints, fans and ambient conditions, with validated thermal performance and manufacturing consistency. Passive and forced-air designs serve different needs.

Distinction: Air and liquid cooling can coexist; the AI label alone does not determine the cooling architecture.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • TaiSol · Taiwan · Example role · Air cooling modules

    Thermal modules integrating heat pipes and vapor chambers.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

  • AVC · Taiwan · Example role · Thermal products and system solutions

    Published thermal products and system cooling business; no specific orders inferred.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

Sources

Explore this role on the mapSuggest a correctionBack to contents

Cold-plate components and CDUs

Direct-to-chip cold plates

Thermal contact, channels and pressure drop

A cold plate couples to a chip package and transfers heat into fluid flowing through internal passages in a direct liquid cooling system.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-05

Role and technical challenges

Auras, Delta and CoolIT publish cold plate offerings. Channels must balance hot spots, thermal resistance, pressure drop, cleanliness, corrosion, joining and leak qualification.

Distinction: A new design or an individual test result does not establish volume adoption on every platform.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • Auras · Taiwan · Example role · Custom cold plate modules

    Annual report lists direct liquid cooling plates and series/parallel loops.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

  • Delta Electronics · Taiwan · Example role · Chip cold plates

    2026 Rubin cold plate design showcase; not proof of volume production for every product.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

  • CoolIT Systems · Canada · Example role · Cold plates and loops

    Design and manufacture of custom cold plates and loops.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

Sources

Explore this role on the mapSuggest a correctionBack to contents

Cold-plate loop coolants

Water-based fluids and compatibility

Loop coolant transports heat from cold plates to heat exchangers. Designs may use treated water or compatible formulations; Dow and Shell offer glycol-based products.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

Role and technical challenges

Fluid chemistry, viscosity, additives, metals and seals must be compatible, with appropriate filtration and maintenance. The fluid is part of the engineered system.

Distinction: A cold-plate coolant is not automatically electrically suitable for immersing electronics.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • Dow · United States · Example role · Direct liquid cooling coolant

    DOWFROST LC propylene-glycol coolant.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

  • Shell · United Kingdom · Example role · Cold-plate coolant

    Shell DLC Fluid S3 propylene-glycol product.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

Sources

Explore this role on the mapSuggest a correctionBack to contents

Liquid cooling quick disconnects

Sealing, connection and servicing

Quick disconnects connect server loops, manifolds and CDUs, enabling service while controlling fluid loss and resistance to flow.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-05

Role and technical challenges

CPC and Staubli offer liquid cooling couplings. Matching dimensions, seal materials, mating durability, pressure drop and residual fluid must be considered.

Distinction: CPC here means Colder Products Company, a different company from CPC Corporation, Taiwan.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • CPC Colder Products Company · United States · Example role · Liquid cooling quick disconnects

    Everis couplings; this CPC is not CPC Corporation, Taiwan.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

  • Stäubli · Switzerland · Example role · Fluid connectors

    Data center quick couplings and liquid cooling connections.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

Sources

Explore this role on the mapSuggest a correctionBack to contents

Cooling tubing and manifolds

Distribution, return and balancing

Tubing and manifolds distribute coolant to servers or cold plates and collect the return flow, forming a connected cooling loop.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-05

Role and technical challenges

nVent and Auras publish manifold products. Flow resistance, access, materials and couplings matter; some systems add flow and temperature monitoring.

Distinction: The links describe system composition; the coolant normally circulates rather than being used only once.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • Auras · Taiwan · Example role · Manifolds and flow management

    Annual report describes distribution, temperature monitoring and leak management.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

  • nVent · United Kingdom (incorporation) · Example role · Rack manifolds and tubing

    RackChiller manifolds and hose whips.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

Sources

Explore this role on the mapSuggest a correctionBack to contents

Cooling pumps and drives

Flow, pressure and redundancy

Pumps and drives provide the flow and pressure required by liquid loops and are integrated into CDUs or other circulation equipment with controls and redundancy.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

Role and technical challenges

Nidec publishes in-house pump integration with CDUs; Delta has demonstrated redundant, hot-swappable designs. Selection must match loop resistance and operating conditions.

Distinction: A larger pump does not guarantee lower system energy use; flow, head, efficiency and control strategy matter.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • Nidec · Japan · Example role · Pumps, motors and drives

    In-house pump technology and CDU integration.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

Sources

Explore this role on the mapSuggest a correctionBack to contents

Coolant distribution units

Circulation, heat exchange and controls

A CDU integrates pumps, heat exchangers, piping and controls to manage equipment-side liquid loops, with liquid-to-liquid or liquid-to-air configurations.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-05

Role and technical challenges

Delta, Auras, Vertiv, Kenmec and CoolIT publish solutions. Flow, temperature, redundancy, leak detection and maintainability determine system suitability.

Distinction: A CDU is neither a cold plate nor necessarily a compressor-based chiller. Rated capacity must be read with its operating conditions.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • Delta Electronics · Taiwan · Example role · CDUs and data center cooling

    Published liquid-to-liquid and liquid-to-air product ranges.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

  • Auras · Taiwan · Example role · In-rack and in-row CDUs

    Annual report lists CDU/RPU and sidecar configurations.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

  • Vertiv · United States · Example role · CDUs

    CoolChip CDU for cold-plate liquid cooling.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

  • Kenmec · Taiwan · Example role · Rack CDUs

    Liquid cooling monitoring and rack distribution equipment.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

  • CoolIT Systems · Canada · Example role · Liquid cooling systems

    CDU, manifold and cold-plate integration portfolio.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

Sources

Explore this role on the mapSuggest a correctionBack to contents

Immersion systems and fluids

Dielectric immersion fluids

Electrical insulation and compatibility

Immersion fluids contact electronics directly and absorb heat, requiring suitable electrical insulation and material compatibility. Shell offers single-phase fluids.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

Role and technical challenges

Single-phase fluids remain liquid; two-phase designs use boiling and condensation with matched fluids and equipment. Seals, adhesives and electronic materials require compatibility checks.

Distinction: Water-based loop coolant, single-phase immersion fluid and two-phase working fluid are not interchangeable.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • Shell · United Kingdom · Example role · Single-phase immersion fluid

    Dielectric fluids, distinct from water-based cold-plate products.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

Sources

Explore this role on the mapSuggest a correctionBack to contents

Immersion cooling systems

Tanks, circulation and heat exchange

Compatible electronics are placed in dielectric fluid, with system heat exchange carrying the heat away. Immersion is a separate branch from cold-plate cooling.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

Role and technical challenges

Submer SmartPod EVO is a single-phase example. Integration includes server materials, fluid, service, monitoring and facility connections; two-phase systems also need condensation design.

Distinction: Immersion is not a mandatory upgrade for every AI rack, and single-phase products must not be described as two-phase systems.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • Submer · Spain · Example role · Single-phase immersion systems

    SmartPod EVO, not classified as a two-phase product.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

Sources

Explore this role on the mapSuggest a correctionBack to contents

Rack, facility and application links

Heat exchangers

Heat transfer between loops

Heat exchangers transfer heat between separate loops or to air and can be integrated into CDUs, immersion equipment and facility cooling systems.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

Role and technical challenges

Alfa Laval offers plate heat exchangers for data centers. Surface area, approach temperature, pressure drop, fouling and material compatibility affect selection.

Distinction: A heat exchanger transfers heat; it does not independently cool fluid below the available ambient sink temperature.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • Alfa Laval · Sweden · Example role · Plate heat exchangers

    Heat exchange and loop separation for data centers.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

Sources

Explore this role on the mapSuggest a correctionBack to contents

Facility cooling and heat rejection

Dry coolers, chillers and site conditions

Facility systems use dry coolers, chillers or other heat rejection methods according to climate, supply and return temperatures and equipment requirements.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-05

Role and technical challenges

Trane offers data center cooling equipment. New builds and retrofits must consider power, water, redundancy, space and part-load operation together.

Distinction: Warmer coolant can reduce mechanical refrigeration, but does not eliminate chillers in every climate or site.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • Trane · Ireland (group incorporation) · Example role · Facility cooling equipment

    Data center chillers and cooling systems.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

Sources

Explore this role on the mapSuggest a correctionBack to contents

Server and rack cooling integration

Compute, mechanics, power and service

System integration combines cooling modules, liquid loops, power and compute equipment so servers and racks operate reliably under specified conditions.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-05

Role and technical challenges

QCT and ASUS publish liquid-cooled server or rack solutions. Integrators coordinate thermal design, flow, mechanics, monitoring and service with facility conditions.

Distinction: System brands and ODMs, cold plate makers and CDU suppliers have different roles; these links do not establish specific purchasing contracts.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • Quanta · Taiwan · Example role · QCT rack solutions

    Quanta subsidiary QCT publishes liquid-cooled AI rack solutions.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

  • ASUS · Taiwan · Example role · Server and rack integration

    Integration of direct liquid cooling, CDUs and racks.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-01

Sources

Explore this role on the mapSuggest a correctionBack to contents

Long-form guides (Chinese)

散熱產業鏈：從導熱材料、冷板與 CDU，到 AI 資料中心

看懂氣冷、冷板液冷與浸沒式的分工，串起 TIM、熱管、均熱板、風扇、冷卻液、快速接頭、泵浦、CDU、整櫃及機房排熱。

AI 伺服器供應鏈：GPU、HBM、板材、散熱與網路的分工

從 AI 運算需求理解伺服器供應鏈，串起 GPU、HBM、先進封裝、PCB、散熱、供電與資料中心網路。