this post was submitted on 20 Sep 2024
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Technology

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[–] [email protected] 26 points 3 months ago (2 children)

The water isn't really consumed. It's not like the servers are digesting it or boiling it away or something. Doesn't the water just cycle through the system and then come out warm on the other side? There's no reason for that water to go to waste!

Seems like these data centers are just dumping perfectly potable drinking water because it's slightly cheaper than having their own water supply and cooling ponds.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 3 months ago

That's a good point, there's no reason this couldn't be designed as a closed cycle system.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago (1 children)

it generally gets evaporated because evaporative cooling is efficient and water is cheap.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago

There'd be billowing clouds of steam coming from data centers if that were the case.

Pretty sure the water just goes through coolant piping and comes out the other side warmer, because water is a good heat sink.