Against the backdrop of rapid development in AI computing power, data centers and new‑energy industries, liquid‑cooling technology, with its advantages of efficient heat dissipation, low energy consumption and high integration, is becoming the mainstream cooling solution for high‑power equipment. Stable operation of liquid‑cooling systems relies heavily on two fundamental components: sealing rings and springs. Serving as a critical barrier against coolant leakage and long‑term system reliability, they directly impact the safety, stability and service life of liquid‑cooling equipment.
I. Demanding Operating Conditions for Liquid‑Cooling: Requirements for Seals and Elastic Components
Liquid‑cooling systems operate in complex environments and impose far higher performance requirements on seals and springs compared with traditional air‑cooling solutions:
- Media Compatibility: Compatible with coolants such as ethylene‑glycol aqueous solutions, fluorinated liquids and deionized water to avoid material swelling, degradation and corrosion for diverse medium environments.
- Temperature Cycling: Equipment startup‑shutdown and load variations bring wide‑range temperature shocks from ‑40℃ to 260℃. Materials shall feature low permanent compression set and excellent thermal aging resistance to withstand temperature fluctuations.
- Pressure Fluctuation: Frequent pressure alternation (0‑50 MPa) occurs in pipelines, pumps and connectors. Seals shall deliver favorable adaptive compensation while springs provide consistent pre‑load force.
- Vibration and Fatigue: Continuous vibration exists in servers, energy‑storage cabinets and new‑energy vehicles. Components shall possess good fatigue resistance with no obvious pre‑load decay over long‑term service.
- Cleanliness Requirements: For semiconductors and supercomputing applications, materials shall feature low‑outgassing and impurity‑free properties to prevent contamination of cooling loops and precision components.
II. Seals for Liquid‑Cooling Systems: Material Selection and Core Product Categories
(1) Mainstream Sealing Materials: Solutions for Diverse Operating Conditions
Modified PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene): Operates across ‑200℃ to 260℃, compatible with most liquid‑cooling media. Featuring low friction and low permeability, it is widely used as the outer jacket of spring‑energized seals (spring‑loaded seals) for high‑pressure static sealing with broad application coverage.
EPDM (Ethylene‑Propylene‑Diene Monomer): Offers cost‑effective performance and good hydrolysis resistance. Suitable for water‑based coolants and general liquid‑cooling loops; not applicable to fluorinated liquids or organic solvents.
(2) Core Sealing Categories: Addressing Pain Points in Various Liquid‑Cooling Scenarios
Spring‑energized Seals (Spring‑loaded Seals): Composite structure with modified PTFE / PEEK outer jacket and inner spring. Combining spring pre‑load and pressure‑actuated sealing, it enables automatic wear compensation with favorable leakage performance. Suitable for cold‑plate interfaces, CDU pump shafts and immersion‑cooling tanks under high‑pressure and frequent‑plug‑unplug conditions.
O‑ring plus Back‑up Ring Assembly: Mature and general‑purpose sealing solution. Equipped with back‑up rings for high‑pressure service, mostly applied to static sealing of pipelines and flanges with good adaptability and cost performance.
Dual‑Seal Composite Structure: Adopts redundant double‑seal design with good resistance to plug‑unplug impact, effectively controlling medium leakage. Suitable for high‑frequency scenarios such as quick connectors for AI servers.
Dynamic Mechanical Seals: Composed of silicon‑carbide friction pairs and spring compensation structures. It enhances sealing performance for rotating parts with dry‑run resistance, suited for dynamic equipment including liquid‑cooling pumps and agitators.
III. Springs for Liquid‑Cooling Systems: Invisible Core for Sealing Compensation and Structural Stability
As key auxiliary parts of liquid‑cooling sealing systems, springs deliver steady pre‑load force for seals and effectively compensate for thermal expansion‑contraction, assembly tolerances and seal‑face wear, which is essential for sustainable sealing performance.
(1) Mainstream Spring Types and Their Advantages
Wave Springs: Compact flat structure. Under equivalent load, its axial space requirement is only 1/3‑1/2 of ordinary coil springs, matching the miniaturization trend of liquid‑cooling equipment. Uniform stress distribution, slow pre‑load decay, good temperature‑change and vibration resistance; widely used for sealing pre‑loading.
Canted‑Coil Contact Springs: Enable both radial and axial compensation. Applied to high‑pressure dynamic sealing and quick‑connector latching. Featuring long plug‑unplug service life to meet blind‑mating requirements of AI servers.
Cylindrical Coil Springs: Highly versatile and cost‑effective. Used for general sealing pre‑loading and connector locking. 316L stainless‑steel grades satisfy most liquid‑cooling operating conditions.
Belleville Springs: Capable of withstanding frequent pressure shocks and providing favorable dynamic gap compensation. Suitable for liquid‑cooling pump seals and pressure regulating valves.
(2) Spring Material Selection: Prioritizing Corrosion Resistance and Fatigue Resistance
316L Stainless Steel: For most general‑purpose conditions. Resists ethylene‑glycol and deionized‑water corrosion with stable fatigue performance and comprehensive overall properties.
17‑7PH Precipitation‑Hardened Stainless Steel: For wide‑temperature‑range (‑40℃‑130℃) high‑vibration complex conditions. Delivers outstanding creep resistance and extended service life.
Hastelloy / Inconel Alloys: For severely corrosive media such as fluorinated liquids, offering excellent corrosion resistance for harsh working conditions.
IV. Mascot Technology: Solutions for Liquid‑Cooling Seals and Elastic Components
With years‑long expertise in liquid‑cooling seals and springs, Mascot Technology develops customized, high‑performance and reliable sealing rings and springs for liquid‑cooling applications in data centers, AI computing power, new‑energy vehicles and semiconductors:
- Material Customization: Focused on three core materials: PTFE, PEEK and PU. Provides customized modified formulas and processing services to match diverse coolants and operating‑condition requirements.
- Structural Optimization: Leveraging core products including spring‑energized seals, wave springs and canted‑coil springs. Refined structural design achieves low‑pressure fitting, high‑pressure sealing and dynamic compensation to mitigate liquid‑cooling leakage risks.
- Quality Assurance: Products undergo comprehensive tests covering media compatibility, high‑low‑temperature cycling, pressure alternation and fatigue life, adapting to harsh liquid‑cooling environments for long‑term stable equipment operation.
Conclusion
The wide adoption of liquid‑cooling technology greatly improves heat‑dissipation efficiency for high‑power equipment and raises higher standards for supporting components. As critical supporting parts of liquid‑cooling systems, seals and springs exert direct influence on the safety and overall performance of complete equipment. Centered on three high‑performance materials PTFE, PEEK and PU, Mascot Technology keeps advancing in liquid‑cooling sealing and elastic‑component technologies. With proven expertise and premium products, Mascot builds solid supporting barriers for the sound development of the liquid‑cooling industry and facilitates efficient and stable operation of various high‑power devices.
