Crypto Mining with Immersion Cooling: What You Need to Know

In crypto mining, mining machines generate a lot of heat, and managing that heat has always been a major challenge for miners. Traditional air-cooling methods use fans and ventilation systems, which often suffer from high noise and electricity usage. These methods don’t perform well in high-density mining setups or places with limited airflow. That’s why immersion cooling has emerged as a more efficient solution. In the past two years, it’s gained popularity, especially among large-scale mining farms and miners looking to lower their energy bills. This blog will walk you through how immersion cooling works, its key benefits for miners, and whether individual miners can build their own systems.

What Is Immersion Cooling?

Immersion cooling means submerging mining hardware entirely in a non-conductive, specially formulated dielectric liquid. This liquid absorbs and transfers heat directly from the equipment. It works kind of like a car radiator, which uses liquid to cool an engine. Unlike air cooling that moves heat through fans and air, immersion cooling removes heat right from the surface of the hardware. This improves both cooling performance and reliability.

Most immersion cooling systems on the market are made by modifying standard air-cooled miners instead of using machines built for immersion from the start. What miners usually do is:

• Remove the fans and other unnecessary components, since fans don’t work in liquid and only consume power and add drag. Take off the outer casing or plastic parts to allow better contact between the components and the liquid.
• Apply protective coatings to the circuit boards or connectors, though most dielectric liquids already offer enough insulation.
• Adjust the miner settings to overclock, because immersion cooling handles extra heat better than air.

How Does Immersion Cooling Work?

In an immersion system, miners are placed in a tank filled with dielectric fluid. When the machines run and generate heat, the liquid absorbs it quickly. The heated fluid then flows through a cooling loop that carries the heat to external exchangers or dissipates it into the environment. This setup avoids dust buildup, mechanical failures, and the loud noise of fan-based systems. It results in a quieter and more stable mining environment. The diagram below shows how immersion cooling works step by step.

When choosing immersion coolant, miners usually care about insulation strength, heat transfer performance, and cost. Commonly used coolants include 3M’s Fluorinert and Novec series, Shell Diala mineral oils, ElectroCool fluids, and BitCool liquids made for ASIC miners. While 3M products are more expensive, they’re known for top-tier insulation and excellent cooling and are popular with commercial mining farms and data centers.

For smaller-scale or DIY miners on a budget, Shell Diala oils are more affordable and still perform well thermally. They’re widely used and have a good track record. ElectroCool and BitCool are also solid choices, offering high efficiency with minimal maintenance, ideal for miners who want reliability and consistent operation.

The Advantages of Immersion Cooling for Miners

Immersion cooling offers clear advantages over traditional cooling. It greatly reduces energy use because liquid transfers heat more efficiently than air. This allows miners to overclock safely without overheating their equipment. It also helps extend the lifespan of hardware, reduces how often you need to clean or replace parts, and cuts down on noise—making it great for home or city environments. Marathon Digital, a mining company, has said that immersion cooling helps them run miners more efficiently and extend hardware life. The improved thermal control lets machines run faster without overheating, which boosts performance and ROI.

Immersion cooling also allows for denser mining setups, which saves space and increases operational efficiency. That’s why large-scale mining farms prefer it—it lowers electricity bills, reduces maintenance, and minimizes downtime. According to a study published in the journal Energy Informatics, immersion cooling systems can achieve power usage effectiveness (PUE) ratios as low as 1.02–1.04. That’s nearly 50% more efficient than air cooling and uses about two-thirds less space. It also supports higher rack power density, making it a smart upgrade for any mining data center.

Can Individual Miners Build Their Own Immersion Systems?

Yes, individual miners can absolutely build their own immersion cooling setups. This isn’t just for large-scale operations—many hobbyists and small farm owners are already using DIY systems. To build your own, you’ll need dielectric coolant, a container or tank, a heat exchanger, a circulation pump, and some modifications to the miner like removing the fans.

The biggest advantage of a DIY system is the lower upfront cost. It gives you flexibility to design something that fits your space and hardware. DIY setups also tend to be quieter and more efficient. But they do require some technical skill and planning. You need to make sure the system is leak-proof, keeps cooling consistent, and maintains electrical safety.

Commercial Immersion Solutions for Large-Scale Miners

More and more industrial-scale mining operations are switching to immersion cooling to boost performance and lower costs. Companies like Bitdeer, through its container brand MINERBASE, now offer ready-to-use immersion cooling solutions built specifically for crypto mining. These commercial systems come with advanced heat management, high reliability, and full customer support. Compared to traditional air-cooled data centers, immersion systems dramatically cut electricity bills, maintenance costs, and downtime, which is why they’re becoming the standard for large mining farms.

How Much Can Immersion Cooling Save You?

Over the long run, immersion cooling can deliver major savings. Compared to air-cooled systems, it can reduce electricity costs by up to 40% thanks to better heat transfer and no fan usage. It also extends equipment lifespan by about 30%, meaning less frequent replacements and fewer repairs. Real-world examples show that miners often recover their investment within two years. And beyond that, their mining profits improve thanks to more stable performance and lower overhead.

Want to Learn More? Visit Bitdeer’s Learning Hub

Ready to explore immersion cooling or upgrade your mining strategy? Bitdeer offers top-tier cloud mining services, high-performance mining hardware, and expert insights to help you run more efficiently. Visit Bitdeer now and take your crypto mining operation to the next level.