LG Electronics, SK Enmove (SKEN), and Green Revolution Cooling (GRC) are collaborating on immersion cooling solutions for AI data centers.

The three companies have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU), which will see them conduct joint marketing and deliver proof of concept (PoC) demonstrations for integrated solutions and business models in liquid immersion cooling.

Lubricant firm SKEN was the first Korean company to make immersion cooling fluid back in 2022, and is an investor in Texas-based GRC, which has been pioneering immersion cooling systems since 2009.

As part of the partnership, LG will take the lead in integrating data center cooling systems, providing core components such as coolant distribution units (CDUs), facility water units (FWUs) and chillers.

SKEN will supply advanced thermal fluids designed for immersion cooling, while GRC will contribute its expertise in immersion tank system design and deployment.

“We expect that these three companies, each with their own immersion cooling technology and market experience, will effectively combine their respective strengths to further enhance our competitiveness in the global data center immersion cooling market,” said Nam Jae-in, head of green growth at SK Enmove. “Based on our innovative solutions and strategic partnership, we will lead the growth and transformation of the cooling market.”

Immersion cooling sees servers submerged in tanks of cooling fluid, something which can deliver efficiency and safety benefits, particularly for high-density data centers. However, it has so far proved less popular than direct-to-chip liquid cooling solutions, which are also hitting the market in their droves.

LG plans to expand its liquid cooling PoC at the Pyeongtaek testbed facility in Korea, adding an immersion cooling solution. It will also develop an integrated data center infrastructure management platform, allowing operators to monitor and manage both facility and server systems in real time.

“This collaborative partnership between LG and SK will provide innovative and quantifiable value to AI data center customers,” said Peter Pollin, CEO of GRC. “We will support customers in quickly adopting high-quality cooling solutions and establishing a stable operating environment.”

James Lee, president of the LG ES company, said: “Through this strategic partnership with SKEN and GRC, LG aims to accelerate the adoption of liquid immersion cooling and deliver highly efficient and reliable solutions for the AI-driven future.”