Top 20 Global Data Center Cooling and Thermal Management Patent Applicants : Inventec, Foxconn, and
Top 20 Patent Applicants in Data Center Cooling and Thermal Management
Source: Taiwan Intellectual Property Office
As the demand for generative AI computing power rapidly increases, data centers are facing growing pressure in energy consumption and thermal management, becoming a critical challenge for industry development. According to the latest "Patent Trends Analysis of Key Components in Data Centers" report released by the Taiwan Intellectual Property Office, which analyzed 8,449 global data center and server cooling technology patent families published between 2015 and 2024, the cooling patent sector has seen a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17% over the past decade. In 2022, the number of patent filings surged past 1,000 annually, and has continued to rise, reflecting the rapid increase in AI-driven demand. Taiwanese companies, including Inventec, Foxconn, and Quanta, were listed among the major patent applicants, highlighting Taiwan’s crucial position in the global server supply chain.
The report shows that among the top 20 patent applicants in data center cooling and thermal management, U.S. patent holders accounted for eight positions, with tech giants like Nvidia, Alphabet, Microsoft, and Amazon making the list. Applicants from Mainland China followed with six positions, with Inspur and Baidu standing out in particular. Taiwan had three companies on the list: Inventec, Foxconn, and Quanta. Inventec, in particular, stands out in the liquid cooling technology field, with a total of 111 patents, 87 of which are related to liquid cooling. Additionally, Inventec holds 19 patents in the more advanced field of immersion cooling, leading other Taiwanese companies. In comparison, Quanta’s patent portfolio mainly focuses on air cooling technology, with 50 patents related to this, surpassing liquid cooling patents, reflecting its focus on the traditional server market. Foxconn, on the other hand, has accumulated significant technical expertise in immersion cooling and has also made considerable investments in patents related to air conditioning and cold-hot aisle containment. Taiwan’s strong patent portfolio in the data center cooling sector not only reflects technological innovation but also establishes a competitive edge in the future AI data center and server cooling market.