Rethinking Materials in Cable Design for Data Centers

Why Galvorn Carbon Nanotube Wire Deserves a Spot in Your Next Design

As an engineer or product designer immersed in the intricate world of data center infrastructure, you're constantly seeking materials that push the boundaries of performance, efficiency, and sustainability. Copper has long been the undisputed champion for its conductivity, but what if there were a material that offered significant advantages in areas where copper falls short, particularly in the context of ever-densifying, energy-hungry data centers? Enter Galvorn.

While not a direct copper replacement for every high-current application, Galvorn CNT wire presents a compelling case for their integration into high performance data center cabling, especially for low-current and signal applications. Let's dive into the key features and, more importantly, the tangible benefits that Galvorn can bring to your next cabling design.

Features That Set Galvorn Apart

Galvorn CNT wire boasts a unique combination of properties that make it an exciting alternative to copper wire, improving performance in a variety of ways while meeting strict cable standards:

• Electrical Conductivity Approaching Copper: Galvorn CNT wire is constructed by twisting or braiding Galvorn CNT fibers. The diameter of the fibers can range between 15-30 µm, depending on application requirements. Galvorn has a specific electrical conductivity of 6150 Sm2/kg, which is about 97% that of copper’s 6300 Sm2/kg. While the current carrying capacity depends on several factors beyond electrical conductivity, our customers have found that Galvorn is a lighter, more durable alternative conductor for signal wire and EMI shielding applications.
• Featherlight Density: Galvorn CNT fibers have a density of 1.6 g/cm³, significantly lighter than copper (8.96 g/cm³), offering a remarkable weight reduction.
• Unrivaled Mechanical Strength: Stronger than steel, Galvorn CNT fibers exhibit tensile strength of 3 GPa, ensuring exceptional durability. Higher grades of steel are typically 1 GPa. Weight for weight, it's 50 times stronger than copper, ensuring Galvorn wires are highly durable.
• Textile-like Flexibility: Unlike rigid copper, Galvorn's inherent flexibility allows it to conform to complex geometries and withstand repeated bending.
• Superior Thermal Conductivity: With a thermal conductivity of 450 W/m·K, Galvorn surpasses copper (~385 W/m·K) in its ability to dissipate heat, an important factor in determining ampacity.
• Corrosion Resistance: Galvorn resists oxidation, offering long-term reliability in varying environmental conditions.

Download the Galvorn spec sheet for a full listing of products and their properties.

How Galvorn Benefits Your Data Center Cabling Designs

Now, let's translate these impressive features into concrete benefits for your data center cabling projects:

1. Drastic Weight Reduction for Enhanced Efficiency and Easier Management: Imagine reducing the weight of signal wire and cable by up to 80% or having an EMI shielding solution that is 95% lighter (and more durable). This isn't just an abstract number; it means easier installation and maintenance for data center operators, as well as reduced structural load on server racks. In data centers housing thousands of cables, this cumulative weight savings is significant.
2. Unlocking Space Efficiency for Denser Configurations: More flexible Galvorn cables can allow for denser cabling configurations, optimizing precious real estate within crowded data center. This translates to more compute power per square foot and lower operating costs, a critical advantage in hyperscale facilities where space is at a premium.
3. Flexible and Durable Cabling for Dynamic Environments: In modular or high-density data centers requiring frequent reconfiguration, copper cables can be rigid and prone to fatigue. Galvorn's textile-like flexibility means cables can bend and fit into tight spaces with ease, simplifying installation and maintenance. Its exceptional strength ensures durability under mechanical stress, significantly reducing cable wear and failure during reconfigurations or vibrations. Easier cable management directly translates to reduced maintenance downtime.
4. Optimized Thermal Management Within Your Cables: While you might primarily think of thermal management in terms of heat sinks, the thermal properties of your cabling material also play a role. Galvorn's high thermal conductivity allows for more efficient heat dissipation within the cable itself, potentially contributing to cooler operating environments for sensitive components and prolonging equipment lifespan.
5. Supporting the Future of High-Frequency Applications: As data center cable systems evolve to support 5G/6G networks and other high-frequency applications, signal integrity and weight become paramount. Galvorn's conductivity is actually better than copper’s at higher frequencies. For intra-data center networks, this can mean reduced latency and weight compared to traditional copper-based systems.

Application Context is King

Application context is mission critical. It can be tempting to benchmark a new conductive material versus copper based on conductivity alone. But engineers and product designers understand that multiple factors determine how a material gets the job done. Signal wire and cable do not require the full conductivity of copper. And in terms of EMI shielding, Galvorn film has met Mil spec requirements with 90% less weight—with better durability and flexibility to boot! By strategically integrating Galvorn into your new cabling designs, you can get the job done in terms of signal and data transmission, as well as EMI shielding, while also benefiting from Galvorn’s significant lightweighting, durability, and space-saving advantages, as well as its sustainable production benefits.