Liquid Cooling Technologies Driving Data Centre Efficiency

Trane to acquire LiquidStack

Trane Technologies, a US manufacturer of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire LiquidStack, a US-based provider of liquid cooling technology for data centres. LiquidStack, headquartered in Carrollton, Texas, develops direct-to-chip and immersion cooling systems for high-density and hyperscale computing environments. The company’s technology is used to support generative AI and other compute-intensive workloads. Trane Technologies made a minority investment in LiquidStack in 2023. The proposed acquisition expands its data centre thermal management portfolio, which includes chillers, heat rejection systems, controls, liquid distribution, and on-chip cooling. Expanding liquid cooling capabilities The deal includes LiquidStack’s manufacturing, engineering, and research and development operations in Texas and Hong Kong. Following completion, the business will operate within the Commercial HVAC unit of Trane Technologies’ Americas segment. Holly Paeper, President, Commercial HVAC Americas, Trane Technologies, says, “Rising chip-level power and heat densities, combined with increasingly variable workloads, are redefining thermal management requirements inside modern data centres. "Customers need integrated cooling solutions that scale from the central plant to the chip and can adapt as performance demands continue to evolve. "LiquidStack’s direct-to-chip and immersion cooling capabilities and talent, combined with Trane’s systems expertise and global footprint, strengthen our ability to deliver end-to-end, future-ready thermal management across the entire data centre ecosystem.” LiquidStack co-founder and CEO Joe Capes will join Trane Technologies in a leadership role and will continue to lead the business. Joe says, “LiquidStack has been on a mission to innovate and deliver the most advanced, powerful, and sustainable liquid cooling solutions. "Joining Trane Technologies enables us to accelerate that mission with the resources, scale, and global reach needed to power next-generation AI workloads in the most demanding compute environments." The transaction is expected to close in early 2026, subject to customary conditions. Financial terms have not been disclosed. Trane Technologies also recently announced the acquisition of Stellar Energy, which is expected to complete in the first quarter of 2026. For more from Trane Technologies, click here.

Direct-to-chip liquid cooling market to reach $7.9bn by 2033

Rising computational intensity has placed unprecedented pressure on traditional air-based cooling systems. High-performance computing (HPC), artificial intelligence (AI), cloud data centres, and advanced semiconductor architectures generate dense heat loads that are increasingly difficult to manage using conventional thermal management approaches. According to Research Intelo, a global market research and consulting firm, the global direct-to-chip liquid cooling market was valued at $1.3 billion (£951 million) in 2024 and is projected to reach $7.9 billion (£5.7 billion) by 2033, expanding at a CAGR of 22.3%. This strong growth trajectory underscores the growing reliance on liquid-based cooling technologies to support next-generation digital infrastructure. Direct-to-chip liquid cooling has emerged as a practical and scalable response to these challenges, offering targeted heat removal directly from processors and other high-power components. By reducing thermal resistance and improving heat transfer efficiency, this approach supports higher rack densities while aligning with broader energy efficiency and sustainability objectives. What exactly is direct-to-chip liquid cooling? Direct-to-chip liquid cooling is a thermal management method in which a liquid coolant flows through cold plates mounted directly onto heat-generating components such as CPUs, GPUs, and accelerators. Heat is absorbed at the source and transported away through a closed-loop liquid system, minimising reliance on air circulation. Compared to immersion cooling, which involves submerging entire systems in dielectric fluids, direct-to-chip solutions integrate more easily with existing data centre architectures. This balance between high cooling efficiency and operational compatibility has positioned the technology as a preferred option for gradual infrastructure upgrades and hybrid cooling deployments. Which factors are driving market growth? 1. Technological innovation and automation As processing power and server densities continue to rise, traditional air-cooling solutions are approaching their practical limits, increasing the risk of thermal throttling and hardware degradation. Direct-to-chip liquid cooling technologies provide a highly efficient alternative by enabling precise and consistent heat removal from critical components. Ongoing innovation in cold plate design, advanced coolants, and system integration is further enhancing performance and reliability. The incorporation of smart sensors, real-time monitoring tools, and automated flow controls enables predictive maintenance and dynamic thermal optimisation. These advancements are making direct-to-chip liquid cooling more scalable and accessible across a wide range of computing environments, from hyperscale data centres to edge deployments. 2. Shifts in end-user accelerating market expansion The rapid expansion of data-intensive applications, including AI, machine learning, blockchain, and the Internet of Things (IoT), has led to unprecedented heat generation within servers and computing clusters. Enterprises and data centre operators face increasing pressure to maintain high performance and uptime while controlling operational costs and energy consumption. Direct-to-chip liquid cooling addresses these demands by delivering superior thermal efficiency and reducing dependence on energy-intensive air conditioning systems. The ability to support higher rack densities is particularly valuable in urban data centres and edge locations where space and power constraints are significant. As organisations prioritise sustainability and long-term infrastructure resilience, adoption of liquid cooling technologies is expected to expand across multiple industry verticals. 3. Regulatory support and government incentives Regulatory frameworks aimed at reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in data centres are creating favourable conditions for advanced cooling technologies. In regions such as Europe and North America, government incentives - including tax benefits, grants, and energy efficiency programs - are encouraging the adoption of low-impact thermal management solutions. In parallel, international standards for green data centre operations are pushing organisations to modernise their infrastructure and improve environmental performance. These regulatory and policy-driven factors are fostering innovation, reducing adoption barriers, and supporting sustained market growth. What challenges are limiting wider adoption? Despite strong growth prospects, the market faces several challenges that could impact adoption rates. Regulatory uncertainty related to safety standards, environmental compliance, and fluid handling requirements can complicate deployment decisions. Volatility in raw material prices, particularly for copper and specialised cooling fluids, may also influence production costs and pricing strategies. Additionally, standardisation gaps and interoperability issues can pose challenges in complex or legacy IT environments. Addressing these constraints will require continued collaboration among technology providers, regulators, and end-users to establish clear guidelines, improve compatibility, and build confidence in long-term system reliability. Which technologies are shaping product innovation? Manufacturers are continually refining cold plate designs to improve heat transfer efficiency and compatibility with next-generation processors. Innovations such as microchannel architectures, optimised flow paths, and advanced alloys enable higher thermal performance while minimising pressure drop and energy consumption. Customisation tailored to specific processor architectures and workload requirements has become increasingly common. This flexibility supports diverse applications across AI, HPC, cloud computing, and enterprise data centres, further strengthening the market’s value proposition. What regional trends are emerging? • North America dominates the global market, accounting for over 38% of total market share in 2024. This leadership is driven by a mature data centre ecosystem, advanced IT infrastructure, and early adoption of innovative cooling technologies. The strong presence of hyperscale data centre operators and cloud service providers, particularly in the US, has accelerated deployment across the region. • Asia Pacific is projected to register the fastest growth, with a CAGR of 27.1% from 2025 to 2033. Rapid digital transformation, expanding cloud infrastructure, and increasing investments in hyperscale and edge data centres are fuelling demand. Countries such as China, India, Japan, and Singapore are witnessing rising adoption of AI and HPC across sectors including fintech, healthcare, and smart cities, further driving the need for advanced cooling solutions. • Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa are experiencing gradual adoption of direct-to-chip liquid cooling technologies. While infrastructural limitations, budget constraints, and skills gaps have slowed deployment, growing awareness of long-term cost savings and sustainability benefits is steadily improving market outlook in these regions. What does the competitive landscape look like? The market features a combination of established thermal management companies and specialised liquid cooling solution providers. Competition is primarily based on cooling efficiency, system reliability, ease of integration, and total cost of ownership. Strategic partnerships between hardware manufacturers, data centre operators, and cooling technology providers are becoming increasingly common. Continuous investment in research and development remains critical, as cooling requirements evolve alongside processor design and workload intensity. What is the future outlook for the direct-to-chip liquid cooling market? The transition towards high-density computing shows no signs of slowing. Market forecasts indicate strong expansion, with the direct-to-chip liquid cooling market expected to grow from $1.3 billion (£951 million) in 2024 to $7.9 billion (£5.7 billion) by 2033, reflecting sustained demand across data centre, enterprise, and research environments. As processors become more powerful and energy efficiency expectations rise, direct-to-chip liquid cooling is expected to shift from selective adoption to broader implementation. Continued standardisation, declining component costs, and increased operational familiarity are likely to accelerate this transition. Conclusion: Is direct-to-chip liquid cooling becoming a standard rather than an option? Direct-to-chip liquid cooling addresses some of the most critical challenges facing modern computing infrastructure. By enabling efficient heat management, supporting high-performance workloads, and aligning with sustainability and energy efficiency goals, the technology is redefining thermal management strategies. As digital workloads intensify and infrastructure demands evolve, the market’s trajectory raises a defining question: Will direct-to-chip liquid cooling soon be regarded as a baseline requirement for advanced computing environments rather than a specialised enhancement?

Carrier launches CRAH for data centres

Carrier, a manufacturer of HVAC, refrigeration, and fire and security equipment, has introduced the AiroVision 39CV Computer Room Air Handler (CRAH), expanding its QuantumLeap portfolio with a precision cooling system designed for medium- to large-scale data centre environments. Developed and manufactured in Europe, the AiroVision 39CV is intended to support energy efficiency, reliability, and shorter lead times, while meeting EU regulatory requirements. The unit offers a cooling capacity from 20kW to 250kW and is designed to operate with elevated chilled water temperatures. Carrier states that this approach can improve energy performance and contribute to lower power usage effectiveness (PUE) by enabling more efficient chiller operation and supporting free cooling strategies. Factory-integrated design for simplified deployment The AiroVision 39CV features a built-in controller for real-time monitoring, adaptive operation, and integration with building management systems. The control platform can be configured to suit specific operational requirements. All components are factory-integrated to reduce on-site installation and commissioning work. Additional features, including an auto transfer switch and ultra-capacitors, are intended to support service continuity in critical environments. Michel Grabon, EMEA Marketing and Market Verticals Director at Carrier, says, “The 39CV is a strategic addition to our QuantumLeap Solutions portfolio, designed to help data centre operators address today’s most pressing challenges: increasing thermal loads from higher computing densities, the need to reduce energy consumption to meet sustainability targets, and the pressure to deploy solutions quickly and efficiently. "With its high-efficiency design, intelligent control system, and factory-integrated components, the 39CV helps operators to improve energy performance, optimise installation time, and build scalable infrastructures with confidence.” For more from Carrier, click here.

PFX highlights its SOLUTHERM cooling fluids

PFX Group, a Canadian manufacturer of automotive and industrial fluids, has showcased its SOLUTHERM heat transfer fluid range at the 2026 AHR Expo in Las Vegas, USA. The company presented its thermal management fluids at the Recochem booth during the event, which ran from 2 to 4 February. The SOLUTHERM range is designed to support HVAC system performance, including traditional heating and cooling loops and liquid cooling applications in data centres. The company states that increasing power densities, changing regulatory requirements, and evolving system materials are driving greater demand for effective thermal management. This is particularly relevant in data centres, where continuous operation and high-performance computing environments require reliable temperature control to support equipment performance and operational continuity. The SOLUTHERM range includes glycol-based heat transfer fluids designed to support system efficiency, temperature stability, and corrosion protection. Some formulations are developed to support environmental targets, including biodegradable options and fluids aligned with LEED building requirements. Jerome Dujoux, Vice President of Branding and Innovation at PFX Group, says, “HVAC and data centre cooling are no longer separate conversations. "As computing power increases and buildings become more energy intensive, thermal management is becoming a connective tissue between digital infrastructure and the built environment. That’s the shift SOLUTHERM is designed for.” Thermal fluids for HVAC and data centre cooling Among the products highlighted at the exhibition were SOLUTHERM PG HD and EG HD heat transfer fluids, designed for HVAC applications in facilities including hospitals, universities, and other critical infrastructure environments. The company also presented SOLUTHERM direct liquid cooling fluids, developed for servers and high-performance computing environments. These fluids are designed to operate across a wide temperature range, supporting data centre cooling requirements associated with increasing power density. Additional products included SOLUTHERM PG HD LEED heat transfer fluids, which use bio-based propylene glycol and meet ASTM D8039 corrosion testing standards, and SOLUTHERM PG AL Safe heat transfer fluids, developed for systems containing aluminium components such as boilers, water heaters, and heat exchangers. Tom Corrigan, Director of Research and Development at PFX Group, notes, “Heat transfer fluids are often treated as a commodity when, in reality, they influence energy efficiency, equipment lifespan, and system reliability more than most people realise. "We see thermal management as a strategic decision and that’s why SOLUTHERM is engineered for specific applications and backed with ongoing support.”

Johnson Controls launches cooling reference design guides

Johnson Controls, a global provider of smart building technologies, has announced the launch of its Reference Design Guide Series for one-gigawatt AI data centres. Each guide in the series maps the full thermal chain, offering cooling architectures tailored to diverse compute densities, geographies, and elevations. The series begins with a blueprint for water-cooled chiller plants, with future guides to address air-cooled and absorption chiller solutions. As AI transforms industries, the scale and complexity of data centre infrastructure is rapidly evolving. The ability to efficiently manage thermal loads at gigawatt scale is now a critical enabler for AI innovation, and the industry faces mounting pressure to deliver facilities that are not only high-performing, but also sustainable and future-ready. Johnson Controls says its Reference Design Guide Series responds to this challenge by outlining how to achieve "industry-leading" energy and water efficiency (PUE and WUE) while maintaining flexibility to scale across diverse climates and operational requirements. The guide outlines a complete thermal architecture supporting both liquid- and air-cooled IT loads through integrated computer room air handlers (CRAHs), fan coil walls, coolant distribution units (CDUs), and high-efficiency YORK centrifugal chillers. It provides sizing guidance for 220MW compute quadrants and defines temperature and operating conditions across all major facility loops, including Technology Cooling System (TCS) loops supporting next-generation GPUs. Stated key outcomes • Zero water consumption — A "fully water-free" heat rejection process using dry coolers, "reducing operational costs and advancing sustainability objectives." • Future-ready thermal flexibility — High-temperature TCS loop readiness aims to ensure compatibility with forthcoming GPU architectures. • Optimised high-density AI performance — Alignment with NVIDIA DSX reference architecture enables scalable deployment of 1-GW-class AI Factories. • Energy-efficient operation — Elevated condenser water temperatures, bifurcated loops, and YORK high-lift chillers aim to deliver good PUE and improved annualised efficiency. Austin Domenici, Vice President & General Manager at Johnson Controls Global Data Center Solutions, says, "AI Factories are production facilities - the places where intelligence is manufactured at an industrial scale. "By supporting the NVIDIA DSX reference architecture and improving water and energy efficiency in the cooling process while maintaining high temperature loop compatibility, our Reference Design Guide equips customers to deploy gigawatt-scale AI infrastructure that is scalable, repeatable, resilient, and sustainable." For more from Johnson Controls, click here.

Carrier launches CDU with 2°C ATD

Carrier, a manufacturer of HVAC, refrigeration, and fire and security equipment, has introduced a new coolant distribution unit (CDU), designed to support the growing use of liquid cooling in UK data centres while improving energy performance, resilience, and space utilisation. The Carrier CDU is intended to help operators manage higher rack densities and increasing cooling demands. It is designed to support liquid-cooled IT environments and provide greater control over energy use and system uptime. As liquid cooling becomes more widely adopted to meet efficiency targets, the CDU enables deployment at scale through management of secondary coolant loops. Carrier says this can help reduce pumping energy and optimise heat removal across varying load conditions. Thermal performance and system efficiency The CDU uses modular heat exchangers that can deliver approach temperatures as low as 2°C, compared with more typical 4°C systems. According to Carrier, this can enable up to 15% chiller energy savings, allowing more electrical capacity to be allocated to IT loads rather than cooling. Oliver Sanders, Data Centre Commercial Director UK&I, Carrier HVAC, notes, “Data centre leaders across the UK are focused on increasing capacity without increasing risk. “This new Carrier CDU supports that goal by giving operators greater thermal stability, more flexibility in system design, and better visibility of cooling performance. The result is improved energy efficiency and smoother scalability as liquid cooling demand grows.” The CDU is designed for use in mission-critical environments and includes redundant pumps and power supplies to support continued operation during maintenance or unexpected events. Intelligent controls manage fluid temperatures and flow rates in real time, with the aim of maintaining stable conditions for high-density servers while reducing energy consumption. Integration, scalability, and monitoring Carrier states that the CDU is designed for simplified integration into existing facilities, allowing liquid cooling to be introduced with minimal disruption. The product range includes multiple unit sizes from 1.3 to 5 MW, enabling operators to align cooling capacity with current and future high-density requirements. The system is intended to support direct-to-chip cooling as well as mixed cooling environments. Carrier says it is designed to maintain stable performance under fluctuating workloads and higher ambient temperatures. “Liquid cooling adoption is accelerating, and operators want systems that deliver both efficiency and certainty,” Oliver continues. “With this Carrier CDU, customers can integrate high-density workloads confidently, knowing their cooling system is designed to maximise uptime, efficiency, and long-term value.” The CDU integrates with Carrier’s control platforms to support centralised monitoring, performance optimisation, and energy management. This is intended to help data centre teams track cooling trends, respond to load changes, and plan capacity more effectively. The Carrier CDU forms part of Carrier’s QuantumLeap portfolio of data centre technologies. For more from Carrier, click here.

Motivair introduces scalable CDU for AI data centres

Motivair, a provider of liquid cooling systems for data centres, owned by Schneider Electric, has announced a new coolant distribution unit designed to support high-density data centre cooling requirements, including large-scale AI and high-performance computing deployments. The new CDU, MCDU-70, has a nominal capacity of 2.5 MW and is intended for use in liquid-cooled environments where compute density continues to increase. Motivair says the system can be deployed as part of a centralised cooling architecture and scaled beyond 10 MW through multiple units operating together. According to the company, the CDU is designed to support current and future GPU-based workloads, where heat output is significantly higher than traditional CPU-based infrastructure. It notes that rack power densities in AI environments are expected to approach one megawatt and above, increasing the need for liquid cooling approaches. Designed for scalable, high-density cooling Motivair states that the new CDU integrates with Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure platform, allowing multiple units to operate as part of a coordinated system. The design is intended to support phased expansion as cooling demand grows, without requiring major redesign of the wider plant. Rich Whitmore, CEO of Motivair by Schneider Electric, comments, “Our solutions are designed to keep pace with chip and silicon evolution. Data centre success now depends on delivering scalable, reliable infrastructure that aligns with next-generation AI factory deployments.” The CDU forms part of Schneider Electric’s wider liquid cooling portfolio, which includes systems ranging from lower-capacity deployments through to multi-megawatt installations. Motivair says the units are designed as modular building blocks, enabling operators to select and combine systems based on specific performance and redundancy requirements. The system is manufactured through Schneider Electric's facilities in North America, Europe, and Asia, and is intended to provide high flow rates and pressure within a compact footprint. The company adds that the design supports parallel filtration, real-time monitoring, and integration with other cooling components to support efficient operation across the data centre. The MCDU-70 is now available to order globally. For more from Schneider Electric, click here.

Sabey Data Centers partners with OptiCool Technologies

Sabey Data Centers, a data centre developer, owner, and operator, has announced a partnership with OptiCool Technologies, a US manufacturer of refrigerant-based cooling systems for data centres, to support higher-density computing requirements across its US facilities. The collaboration sits within Sabey’s integrated cooling programme, which aims to ease adoption of liquid cooling approaches as processing demand increases, particularly for AI applications. Sabey says the partnership will broaden the range of cooling technologies available to customers across its portfolio, providing a practical route to denser deployments. OptiCool supplies two-phase refrigerant pumped systems designed for data centre use. The non-conductive refrigerant absorbs heat at the rack through phase change, removing heat without chilled water, large mechanical infrastructure, or significant data hall changes. Sabey states that the method can support increased density while reducing energy use and simplifying plant design. Supporting higher-density and liquid cooling uptake John Sasser, Chief Technical Officer at Sabey Data Centers, comments, “Partnering with OptiCool allows us to offer a cooling pathway that is both efficient and flexible. "Together, we’re making it easier for customers to deploy advanced liquid cooling while maintaining the operational clarity and reliability they expect.” Lawrence Lee, Chief Channel Officer at OptiCool, adds, “By working with Sabey, we’re able to bring our two-phase refrigerant systems into facilities designed to support the next generation of compute. "This partnership helps customers move forward with confidence as they transition to more advanced cooling architectures.” For more from Sabey Data Centers, click here.

Vertiv launches new MegaMod HDX configurations

Vertiv, a global provider of critical digital infrastructure, has introduced new configurations of its MegaMod HDX prefabricated power and liquid cooling system for high-density computing deployments in North America and EMEA. The units are designed for environments using artificial intelligence and high-performance computing and allow operators to increase power and cooling capacity as requirements rise. Vertiv states the configurations give organisations a way to manage greater thermal loads while maintaining deployment speed and reducing space requirements. The MegaMod HDX integrates direct-to-chip liquid cooling with air-cooled systems to meet the demands of pod-based AI and GPU clusters. The compact configuration supports up to 13 racks with a maximum capacity of 1.25 MW, while the larger combo design supports up to 144 racks and power capacities up to 10 MW. Both are intended for rack densities from 50 kW to above 100 kW. Prefabricated scaling for high-density sites The hybrid architecture combines direct-to-chip cooling with air cooling as part of a prefabricated pod. According to Vertiv, a distributed redundant power design allows the system to continue operating if a module goes offline, and a buffer-tank thermal backup feature helps stabilise GPU clusters during maintenance or changes in load. The company positions the factory-assembled approach as a method of standardising deployment and planning and supporting incremental build-outs as data centre requirements evolve. The MegaMod HDX configurations draw on Vertiv’s existing power, cooling, and management portfolio, including the Liebert APM2 UPS (uninterruptible power supply), CoolChip CDU (cooling distribution unit), PowerBar busway system, and Unify infrastructure monitoring. Vertiv also offers compatible racks and OCP-compliant racks, CoolLoop RDHx rear door heat exchangers, CoolChip in-rack CDUs, rack power distribution units, PowerDirect in-rack DC power systems, and CoolChip Fluid Network Rack Manifolds. Viktor Petik, Senior Vice President, Infrastructure Solutions at Vertiv, says, “Today’s AI workloads demand cooling solutions that go beyond traditional approaches. "With the Vertiv MegaMod HDX available in both compact and combo solution configurations, organisations can match their facility requirements while supporting high-density, liquid-cooled environments at scale." For more from Vertiv, click here.

Data centre cooling options

Modern data centres require advanced cooling methods to maintain performance as power densities rise and workloads intensify. In light of this, BAC (Baltimore Aircoil Company), a provider of data centre cooling equipment, has shared some tips and tricks from its experts. This comes as the sector continues to expand rapidly, with some analysts estimating an 8.5% annual growth rate over the next five years, pushing the market beyond $600 billion (£445 billion) by 2029. AI and machine learning are accelerating this trajectory. Goldman Sachs Research forecasts a near 200TWh increase in annual power demand from 2024 to 2030, with AI projected to represent almost a fifth of global data centre load by 2028. This growth places exceptional pressure on cooling infrastructure. Higher rack densities and more compact layouts generate significant heat, making reliable heat rejection essential to prevent equipment damage, downtime, and performance degradation. The choice of cooling system directly influences efficiency and Total-power Usage Effectiveness (TUE). Cooling technologies inside the facility Two primary approaches dominate internal cooling: air-based systems and liquid-based systems. Air-cooled racks have long been the standard, especially in traditional enterprise environments or facilities with lower compute loads. However, rising heat output, hotspots, and increased energy consumption are testing the limits of air-only designs, contributing to higher TUE and emissions. Liquid cooling offers substantially greater heat-removal capacity. Different approaches to this include: • Immersion cooling, which submerges IT hardware in non-conductive dielectric fluid, enabling efficient heat rejection without reliance on ambient airflow. Immersion tanks are commonly paired with evaporative or dry coolers outdoors, maximising output while reducing energy use. The method also enables denser layouts by limiting thermal constraints. • Direct-to-chip cooling, which channels coolant through cold plates on high-load components such as CPUs and GPUs. While effective, it is less efficient than immersion and can introduce additional complexity. Rear door heat exchangers offer a hybrid path for legacy sites, removing heat at rack level without overhauling the entire cooling architecture. Heat rejection outside the white space Once captured inside the building, heat must be expelled efficiently. A spectrum of outdoor systems support differing site priorities, including energy, water, and climate considerations. Approaches include: • Dry coolers — These are increasingly used in water-sensitive regions. By using ambient air, they eliminate evaporative loss and offer strong Water Usage Effectiveness (WUE), though typically with higher power draw than evaporative systems. In cooler climates, they benefit from free cooling, reducing operational energy. • Hybrid and adiabatic systems — These offer variable modes, balancing energy and water use. They switch between dry operation and wet operation as conditions change, helping operators reduce water consumption while still tapping evaporative efficiencies during peaks. • Evaporative cooling — Through cooling towers or closed-circuit fluid coolers, this remains one of the most energy-efficient options where water is available. Towers evaporate water to remove heat, while fluid coolers maintain cleaner internal circuits, protecting equipment from contaminants. With data centre deployment expanding across diverse climates, operators increasingly weigh water scarcity, power constraints, and sustainability targets. Selecting the appropriate external cooling approach requires evaluating both consumption profiles and regulatory pressures. For more from BAC, click here.