据气体世界网2021年11月25日首尔报道，两家韩国公司联合开发了世界首个使用液化天然气(LNG)的冷却数据中心，以帮助减少IT服务器运行时产生的热量。

韩国天然气公司(KOGAS)和KT在11月1日签署了谅解备忘录(MoU)，共同进行可行性研究、技术安全验证、国内外事业发展计划等。

合作伙伴的目标是通过使用LNG冷却技术“大幅降低”数据中心运营所需的电力——其中30%用于冷却。

通过使用低至-162度的天然气生成LNG时产生的未使用的能源，除了显著减少二氧化碳排放外，估计每年的电力消耗可以降低60%。

KOGAS首席执行官Chae Hee-bong表示，该协议将有助于在仁川新港建立冷链群，并称这是“向碳中和迈出的又一步”。

他补充说：“此外，我们将刺激海外冷热利用业务，以确保未来新的增长引擎。”

根据KT龙山数据中心的LNG冷却系统的规模，合作伙伴计算，它可以节省多达12兆瓦时的电力。  

该技术还可以支持韩国政府实现碳中和的目标，如果采用“冷热”技术，每小时提供100吨LNG，每年可以减少16000吨二氧化碳。  

李峻 编译自 气体世界网

原文如下：

Korea to reduce CO2 with 'world’s first' LNG-cooled data centre

Two South Korean companies have joined forces to develop a data centre that uses liquefied natural gas (LNG) to help reduce the heat generated during operation of IT servers.

Having signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 1st November, Korea Gas Corporation (KOGAS) and KT Corporation (KT) will work together to conduct a feasibility review, technology safety verification and domestic and foreign business development plans.

The partners aim to ‘dramatically reduce’ the power required – 30% of which is used for cooling – for the operation of data centres by using LNG cooling.

By utilising the unused energy generated when cooling natural gas to temperatures as low as -162C, forming LNG, it’s estimated that annual power consumption could be lowered by 60% in addition to significantly reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

Calling it ‘another step towards carbon neutrality’, Chae Hee-bong, CEO, KOGAS, said that the agreement will help establish a cold chain cluster in Incheon New Port.

“In addition, we will spur the overseas cold and heat utilisation business to secure a new growth engine for the future,” he added.

When scaled up for an LNG-based cooling system at KT’s Yongsan data centre, the partners calculated that it would be possible to save up to 12 MWh (megawatt hours) of electricity.

The technology could also support the Korean Government’s aim to achieve carbon neutrality by allowing 16,000 tonnes of CO2 to be saved per year providing 100 tonnes of LNG per hour if ‘cold heat’ is utilised.