ThermaSMART · Project

Advanced Cooling Technology for High-Power Microprocessors Using Phase-Change

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thermasmart.eng.ed.ac.uk

When your laptop or server gets hot, it slows down or even breaks — and the hotter the processor, the worse the problem. ThermaSMART explored a smarter way to cool chips: using tiny amounts of liquid that evaporate on the surface, carrying heat away much faster than a fan ever could. Think of it like the way sweat cools your skin, but engineered at microscopic scale for computer chips. A global team of 21 partners across 12 countries pooled expertise to model how vapour bubbles behave on these tiny surfaces, opening the door to next-generation cooling for data centres and electronics.

By the numbers

consortium partners across multiple sectors

countries represented in the research network

early-stage researchers trained in experimental and modelling techniques

EUR 1,723,500

EU contribution to the project

project deliverables produced

European SMEs in the consortium

The business problem

What needed solving

High-power microprocessors generate enormous heat that limits performance, reliability, and lifespan. Conventional air cooling is hitting its limits, especially in packed data centres and space electronics where fans are impractical or insufficient. Companies need breakthrough cooling methods that can handle the thermal loads of next-generation chips without consuming excessive energy.

The solution

What was built

The project built the first-ever computational model simulating vapour cloud dynamics on heated surfaces, along with 17 deliverables covering fundamental research on boiling, evaporation, and wetting at micro-scale. The primary output was a trained network of 43 researchers with expertise in phase-change cooling across 21 institutions.

Audience

Who needs this

Data centre operators facing rising cooling energy costsSemiconductor companies designing next-generation high-power chipsAerospace firms building electronics for space environmentsThermal solution manufacturers developing advanced heat sinksHigh-performance computing centres pushing processor limits

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Data centre operations

enterprise

Target: Data centre operators and cloud infrastructure providers

If you are a data centre operator struggling with rising energy costs from cooling — this project developed vapour cloud dynamics models and phase-change cooling research that could reduce thermal throttling and extend processor lifetimes. The consortium trained 43 early-stage researchers in these techniques across 21 partner institutions, building a deep knowledge base for future cooling solutions.

Semiconductor manufacturing

enterprise

Target: Chip packaging and thermal solution companies

If you are a semiconductor company dealing with heat density limits in next-generation processors — this project studied how evaporating droplets and boiling bubbles interact on patterned micro-surfaces. With 4 industry partners including links to Intel and IBM facilities, the research addresses the fundamental physics that limit how much power you can pack into a chip.

Aerospace and space electronics

enterprise

Target: Manufacturers of electronics for space and high-reliability environments

If you are building electronics for space where conventional air-cooling is impossible — this project specifically investigated phase-change cooling for both earth and space environments. The consortium of 21 partners across 12 countries, including access to NASA facilities, explored how boiling and evaporation work under conditions relevant to zero-gravity electronics cooling.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to license or adopt this cooling technology?

ThermaSMART was a MSCA-RISE staff exchange project (EUR 1,723,500 EU contribution) focused on fundamental research and researcher training, not product development. There is no ready-to-license product at this stage. Any commercial application would require significant further R&D investment.

Can this work at industrial scale in real data centres?

The project produced its first vapour cloud dynamics model — a simulation tool, not a physical cooling system. Scaling to industrial use would require moving from modelling to prototype hardware, then pilot testing. Based on available project data, industrial-scale deployment is still several development stages away.

Who owns the intellectual property from this research?

IP would be shared among the 21 consortium partners according to their grant agreement, with the University of Edinburgh as coordinator. With 16 universities and 3 SMEs involved, licensing arrangements would need to be negotiated through the consortium. Contact the coordinator for specifics.

What exactly was demonstrated during the project?

The key demonstrated output is the first-ever model simulating dynamics of vapour clouds on heated surfaces. The project produced 17 deliverables in total, primarily research papers and models rather than hardware prototypes. This represents important foundational science for future cooling products.

How does this compare to existing liquid cooling solutions on the market?

Current liquid cooling (water blocks, immersion cooling) is already commercially available. ThermaSMART investigated the fundamental physics of phase-change at micro-scale — understanding exactly how bubbles and droplets behave on patterned substrates. Based on available project data, this is upstream research that could eventually improve existing approaches rather than replace them.

Were any real-world tests done with chip manufacturers?

The consortium had access to facilities at Intel, IBM, and NASA through partner connections, and included 4 industry partners. However, the MSCA-RISE funding scheme is designed for staff exchanges and training (43 researchers trained), not industrial pilot testing. Based on available project data, the focus was on knowledge transfer rather than product validation.

Consortium

Who built it

ThermaSMART assembled 21 partners from 12 countries — an unusually wide geographic spread including Brazil, Canada, China, India, Japan, South Africa, and key EU states. However, the consortium is heavily academic: 16 universities versus only 4 industry players (19% industry ratio), with just 3 SMEs. This signals strong scientific depth but limited commercial pull. The connections to Intel, IBM, NASA, and Hitachi facilities mentioned in the objectives are access arrangements, not formal partnerships. For a business looking to adopt this technology, the path would go through the University of Edinburgh as coordinator, but expect the technology to need significant further development before it becomes commercially viable.

THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGHCoordinator · UK
CHERRY BIOTECHparticipant · FR
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE DUBLIN, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND, DUBLINparticipant · IE
KOKURITSU DAIGAKU HOJIN KYUSHU DAIGAKUpartner · JP
UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DO RIO DE JANEIROpartner · BR
ELVESYSparticipant · FR
YORK UNIVERSITYpartner · CA
UNIVERSIDADE DO ESTADO DO RIO DE JANEIROpartner · BR
UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIApartner · ZA
University System of Marylandpartner · US
THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAMparticipant · UK
ECOLE NORMALE SUPERIEURE PARIS-SACLAYparticipant · FR
FACULDADES CATOLICAS ASSOCIACAO SEM FINS LUCRATIVOSpartner · BR
INSTYTUT FIZYKI POLSKIEJ AKADEMII NAUKparticipant · PL
BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITYpartner · US

How to reach the team

The University of Edinburgh coordinated this project. Their engineering faculty can direct inquiries about phase-change cooling research and potential collaboration.

Order a report on this consortium See THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore whether ThermaSMART's phase-change cooling research fits your thermal management challenges? SciTransfer can connect you with the right researchers from this 21-partner consortium — contact us for a briefing.

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