Data Center Liquid Cooling

Liquid Cooling Solutions for Server Racks, Computer Rooms, Server Rooms & Data Centers

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In-Row Liquid Cooling
Overhead Liquid Cooling
In-Rack Liquid Cooling

Rear-Door liquid Cooling
Liquid Cooling Solutions

Liquid cooling is the great enigma of data center cooling discussions. While we know we are using liquid to dissipate heat from servers, little else about the topic is settled. For instance, how (and where) is the liquid used? In what form is the liquid: chilled water, refrigerant, or both? Is the liquid going to the chip, a rack, an air conditioner? Is there a capacity requirement to be considered a "liquid cooling" product? From all interested parties, there are no shortages of answers, opinions, and additional questions.

This product page attempts to bring clarity to the liquid cooling debate. These data center products are classified "liquid cooling" because they bring liquid-either chilled water or refrigerant-closer to the heat source for more efficient and effective cooling. Unlike a CRAC unit segregated to a corner of a room, these air conditioners are embedded in a row of server racks, suspended from the ceiling, or installed in a closed relationship with one or more racks.

Though the word "liquid" is included in the title, please note that, for most products, no liquid actually enters the server rack. The air conditioner, heat exchanger, and liquid-handling components are housed in an adjacent, but separate, enclosure.

In-Row Liquid Cooling

In-Row units are embedded in rows of data center cabinets, providing localized air distribution and management. Depending on the manufacturer (and data center room), chilled water (or refrigerant) piping is run overhead or under the floor to each individual cooler.

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Overhead Liquid Cooling

Overhead cooling suspends from the ceiling to complement a hot aisle/cold aisle arrangement. As hot air rises from the hot aisle, the overhead cooler captures it, conditions it, and releases it back to the cold aisle.

The overhead products require supply and return refrigerant lines, supplied by an intermediate refrigerant pumping station.

In-Rack Liquid Cooling

Rittal LCP - High Density In-Rack Cooling

In-Rack is a sister strategy to In-Row. Instead of releasing air into the room, In-Rack products contain both cold and hot airflow paths. The enclosed air conditioner and server rack create a microclimate that's thermally neutral to the rest of the room.

Like the In-Row, In-Rack cooling products will require chilled water supply and return piping.

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Rear Door Liquid Cooling

Blade chassis can produce Delta-Ts of 50 degrees, which may be beyond the capacity of existing CRAC coils. Rear Door Heat Exchangers condition the hot air and return it to the room at a more palatable temperature, aiding struggling CRACs.

Installed on racks, these units do not take up floor space. They are retrofit friendly, meaning the data center can stay operational as the units are brought online.

The 42U Advantage

If you are designing a new high density space, the products and possibilities can seem endless. Let 42U present your options. We partner with leading manufacturers like APC, Liebert, and Rittal. And with numerous projects under our belt, we are uniquely qualified to specify and support the breadth of cooling technologies.