Will Thermoelectric Servers Power Greener Data Centers?

Earth2Tech (Aug 17 2010) Servers

1. Here’s an interesting take on green data centers: servers that use thermoelectrics to turn their own waste heat into power. Applied Methodologies Inc. has been working on the concept since 2007, and recently told Data Center Knowledge that it’s seeking funding — and an eventual partnership with a major server manufacturer — to bring its prototype Thermoelectric Generation System design to commercial production. Right now, the Wantagh, N.Y.-based company says it will cost $10 to $20 per server to install its TGS systems, which can generate 10 volts and 5 amps at current efficiency levels. It will be interesting to see whether it can overcome the challenges in the century-old field of thermoelectrics, which consist of semiconductor materials that generate electricity when exposed to temperature differentials — that is, when one side is hot and the other side is cold. Traditional thermoelectric devices have used bismuth telluride, and have ... (Read Full Article)

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