Decision-making For Liquid Cooling Pipe Selection in Data Centers: Why Are High-density Computing Centers Increasingly Opting For 316L Rather Than 304?
Driven by AI computing power and the training of large models, the power consumption of a single server cabinet in data centers is rapidly exceeding 30kW or even 50kW. Liquid cooling technology has shifted from being "novel" to being "essential". However, with the large-scale application of deionized water, water ethylene glycol, and various special cooling fluids, the long-term reliability of liquid cooling systems is facing severe challenges. Through our practice of serving global customers at China Super Tech Co., Ltd., we have discovered that the corrosion problem of liquid cooling pipes, especially internal wall pitting and weld failure, has become the core pain point for the operation and maintenance team. This not only affects the heat dissipation efficiency, but also directly threatens the continuous operation safety of the entire data center.
Many customers initially preferred to use 304 stainless steel liquid cooling pipes to control the initial construction costs. However, in actual operation, they often paid a higher price. We once encountered a very typical customer: In a Tier III data center in Southeast Asia, 304 pipe materials were used in the system for secondary-side circulation of deionized water mixed with 25% ethylene glycol. After only 18 months of operation, the system developed internal wall pitting and perforation. The pit depth reached 0.35mm, and signs of intergranular corrosion were found in the heat affected zone of the weld. The test results showed that the acidic substances produced by the hydrolysis of ethylene glycol at high temperatures, along with the trace amount of chloride ions in the water, quickly penetrated the passivation film of 304 stainless steel, causing metal ions to be released and polluting the cooling liquid, and even nearly causing blockage of the GPU cold plate.
This lesson reveals the underlying logic of material selection: 304 stainless steel lacks the element molybdenum (Mo), resulting in a relatively low point corrosion resistance equivalent (PREN) and extremely poor tolerance to chloride ions. In contrast, 316L stainless steel contains 2%-3% of molybdenum and strictly controls the carbon content (≤0.03%), significantly enhancing its point corrosion resistance and raising the critical point corrosion temperature. For liquid cooling systems that are constantly operating at 40-50℃ and involve chemical additives (such as water ethylene glycol), the corrosion resistance redundancy of 316L is incomparable to that of 304. This is why the current mainstream high-end computing centers and immersion liquid cooling projects all list 316L as a mandatory standard.
As a global professional supplier of liquid cooling pipelines, China Super Tech Co., Ltd. fully understands the decisive role of materials in determining the lifespan of a system. Our main products are 316L and 304 stainless steel liquid cooling pipes, which strictly follow ASTM A269/A213 and DIN standards, covering a full range of specifications from Φ6mm to Φ108mm. For high-end liquid cooling requirements, we particularly recommend 316L seamless pipes with internal electrolytic polishing (EP grade) treatment, to ensure an ultra-high cleanliness level of Ra ≤ 0.4μm, minimizing flow resistance and particle shedding risks to the greatest extent. Additionally, we have a large stock of ready-to-use products, as well as the capability to provide custom processing (such as fixed-length cutting and pipe end shaping), ensuring rapid response and delivery for both standard products and custom orders.
In today's increasingly complex liquid cooling systems, choosing the right pipe is like purchasing a long-term "insurance" for the data center. China Super Tech, with its comprehensive product range, profound industry application experience, and one-stop technical support services, is dedicated to providing the most reliable liquid cooling pipeline solutions for global customers. Whether you are facing the corrosion challenge of an coastal high-humidity environment or the long-term operation pressure of high-density cabinets, we are confident that we can become your reliable partner.
Contact us to get the best data center liquid cooling solution for you.
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