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A question for engineers regarding the heat generated by AI centers...
Posted on 10/21/26 at 2:03 pm
Posted on 10/21/26 at 2:03 pm
Why can the heat being generated not be used to create at least a portion of the power they utitlize?
Posted on 10/21/26 at 2:05 pm to Cell of Awareness
You have no idea how much heat is required to power something. You’d have to catch the servers on fire for it to be meaningful.
Posted on 10/21/26 at 2:06 pm to Cell of Awareness
Because the heat isn’t enough to create steam which is required to turn a turbine.
Posted on 10/21/26 at 2:07 pm to Cell of Awareness
It is easier and much more efficient to just find usage for the waste heat like desalination plants or other industrial processes that need heat.
Posted on 10/21/26 at 2:08 pm to notsince98
How would you use the heat generated from a data center in any way at a desalination plant?
Posted on 10/21/26 at 2:10 pm to Oilfieldbiology
quote:
How would you use the heat generated from a data center in any way at a desalination plant?
It works great for the first stage heating to increase the water temperature and decrease the load on the process.
Posted on 10/21/26 at 2:11 pm to notsince98
I stand corrected. Completely forgot about the viscosity of water and the impact that has on membranes.
Posted on 10/21/26 at 2:13 pm to Cell of Awareness
The heat is used to cause global warming
Posted on 10/21/26 at 2:15 pm to Cell of Awareness
Because it isnt dollar-efficient to do anything with it.
Posted on 10/21/26 at 2:16 pm to Cell of Awareness
quote:This is at least something...
Why can the heat being generated not be used to create at least a portion of the power they utitlize?
Nebius turns heat into a resource.
Posted on 10/21/26 at 2:18 pm to Cell of Awareness
quote:
Why can the heat being generated not be used to create at least a portion of the power they utitlize?
Law of conservation of energy; first law of thermodynamics.
You technically could, but the amount is btu minimal in the grand scheme.
Posted on 10/21/26 at 2:20 pm to Cell of Awareness
quote:
Why can the heat being generated not be used to create at least a portion of the power they utitlize?
Not generally. You can maybe pre-heat some water before making it into steam, but the numbers are marginal, and it also requires co-location. Combined-heat and power generally tries to co-locate generators near users of lower-quality steam. It just doesn't really work from a thermodynamic standpoint.
Posted on 10/21/26 at 2:21 pm to notsince98
quote:
It works great for the first stage heating to increase the water temperature and decrease the load on the process.
This is more along the lines I was speaking of with CHP/cogeneration.
Posted on 10/21/26 at 2:25 pm to Jester
Thanks for the answers. I was curious after watching a Musk video on Space AI centers and the problem with radiating the heat in that case,
Posted on 10/21/26 at 2:30 pm to Cell of Awareness
Space heat dissipation is a completely other issue that will have to be solved. Just getting it to the "cold side" may not be enough to manage the heat.
On earth, the upkeep of the equipment would likely be more than the cost of nat gas to recoup heat.
On earth, the upkeep of the equipment would likely be more than the cost of nat gas to recoup heat.
This post was edited on 10/21/26 at 2:31 pm
Posted on 10/21/26 at 2:33 pm to fightin tigers
Right. In space, there's nothing to dissipate the heat to.
Posted on 10/21/26 at 2:35 pm to Cell of Awareness
How many people complaining about data centers are complaining about combined cycle or Co generation units used for years???
Posted on 10/21/26 at 2:38 pm to Cell of Awareness
Is it true they need a constant supply of fresh water to stay cool?
Why can't they run on a closed system with radiators and fans like a watercooled engine?
Why can't they run on a closed system with radiators and fans like a watercooled engine?
Posted on 10/21/26 at 2:40 pm to guzziguy
quote:
Why can't they run on a closed system with radiators and fans like a watercooled engine?
They do, and have been for decades, in many data centers.
Posted on 10/21/26 at 2:42 pm to Cell of Awareness
To spin a turbine and generate power, you need high-pressure steam running at hundreds of degrees. Data center silicon runs around 85°C to 105°C, meaning your exhaust coolant is sitting at a useless 40°C to 60°C. The Carnot efficiency would be practically zero, and the parasitic load of running a micro-generator would eat up any power you managed to squeeze out.
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