Critical Resources Ltd (ASX:CRR) has appointed liquid cooling specialist Eric Martinez Gurrea as technical adviser, adding hands-on engineering expertise as it advances a licensed two-phase spray cooling technology for artificial intelligence and high-performance computing data centres.
Martinez Gurrea has more than 14 years of mechanical and thermal engineering experience, including six years focused on AI, high-performance computing and mission-critical data centre cooling.
He will support engineering reviews, system-level analysis and the planned progression of the technology toward independent rack-scale demonstration.
Chiller-free cooling targets energy and water constraints
Critical Resources holds an exclusive worldwide licence covering a portfolio of two-phase spray cooling technologies for CPUs, GPUs, lithium-ion batteries and other high-density electronic infrastructure.
The system sprays an electrically non-conductive dielectric fluid directly onto heat-generating components. The fluid boils on contact, absorbs heat and is then condensed and recirculated through a sealed loop.
The technology is designed to operate using near-ambient-temperature fluid without mechanical refrigeration chillers or water at the electronics level.
Critical Resources said cooling can account for around 30% to 40% of data centre energy consumption, making energy use and water availability major constraints as AI infrastructure expands.
Peer-reviewed laboratory studies cited by the company reported a 25.8% reduction in total facility energy consumption and Power Usage Effectiveness of 1.08, compared with about 1.69 for conventional air-cooled systems. The company cautioned that its development program remains at an early stage, with independent rack-scale validation a key objective.
Adviser brings hyperscale data centre experience
Martinez Gurrea previously worked as product owner and designer of Submer Technologies’ SmartPod immersion cooling system and has delivered cooling distribution units and thermal solutions for hyperscale operators across the Asia-Pacific region.
He also serves as the data centre cooling technical lead for a university-led industry working group developing energy and water efficiency guidance for the New South Wales and Victorian governments.
Critical Resources managing director Tim Wither said the appointment would help the company test the technology and plan its transition from laboratory studies to real-world validation.
Critical minerals strategy remains central
Critical Resources said the cooling technology represented a capital-light extension of its critical minerals and battery technology strategy.
The company’s core portfolio includes the Mavis Lake Lithium Project in Ontario, the Halls Peak Base Metals Project in New South Wales and gold assets in New Zealand.
Its development model centres on university-based research, exclusive licensing and staged technical validation, with the two-phase cooling and solid-state battery programs being advanced independently on their respective merits.