Overview
- Nvidia unveiled the Rubin/DSX fully liquid‑cooled reference design on Monday, June 22, 2026, describing a closed‑loop system that runs coolant at up to 45°C and cools every chip and networking component with no fans.
- The design uses a recycled coolant mix of about 75% water and 25% propylene glycol that flows through cold plates at chip level to capture heat and enable dry‑cooler, chiller‑less operation for much of the year.
- Nvidia says the approach can cut facility evaporative water use from roughly 2.6 million gallons per megawatt per year to near zero and save millions of dollars a year in cooling costs for large hyperscale sites.
- Independent reporting and analysts note the claim addresses only on‑site cooling and does not change the larger water and emissions footprint tied to electricity generation and chip manufacturing.
- Industry adoption will be gradual because retrofit costs, regional climate limits, power sourcing, permitting pauses and local opposition will shape where systems are built and how quickly they replace older air‑cooled sites.