• Shell launches new cooling fluid to meet AI data center demands
• DLC Fluid S3 cools high-performance components like CPUs and GPUs
• The propylene glycol blend is formulated for safety and cooling effectiveness

Direct liquid cooling is gaining traction in data centers as traditional air-based systems struggle to manage the demands of modern computing.

Shell, one of the world’s largest oil and gas companies, has launched a new direct liquid cooling fluid aimed at meeting the thermal demands of AI and high-performance computing.

Shell DLC Fluid S3 is a propylene glycol-based solution designed to cool high-density server hardware by directly targeting heat-generating components such as CPUs and GPUs. It meets the latest Open Compute Project PG25 standards, making it compatible with a broad range of server architectures.

Powering the future of digital infrastructure

Data centers currently account for an estimated 2–3% of global power consumption, but Shell claims its new fluid can improve Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) by up to 27% compared to air cooling, potentially reducing the need for energy-intensive air conditioning.

The company also highlights the fluid’s extended service life, corrosion protection across a variety of metals, and fluorescent dye for easier leak detection.

“With Shell DLC Fluid S3, Shell now offers both direct-to-chip and full immersion cooling solutions, and we’re not just keeping data centers cool in the age of AI – we’re powering the future of digital infrastructure,” said Aysun Akik, VP New Business Development and Global Key Accounts, Shell Lubricants.

“Our growing range of advanced liquid cooling solutions is designed to meet the diverse needs of modern data centers both today, and tomorrow – and are backed by the strength of Shell’s global footprint, supply chain and five technology development hubs around the globe.”

We previously covered how Castrol, a major name in motor lubricants, has also entered this space and is developing dielectric fluids for immersion cooling systems.

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Wayne Williams is a freelancer writing news for TechRadar Pro. He has been writing about computers, technology, and the web for 30 years. In that time he wrote for most of the UK’s PC magazines, and launched, edited and published a number of them too.