Liquid Cooling Technologies Driving Data Centre Efficiency

Schneider Electric unveils Uniflair XCA chillers

Global energy technology company Schneider Electric has introduced the Uniflair XCA range of air-cooled and free-cooling chillers, designed for high-density, liquid-cooled data centres supporting AI workloads. The new portfolio comprises the Uniflair XCAC air-cooled series and the Uniflair XCAF free-cooling series. Both incorporate oil-free centrifugal compressors with magnetic bearing technology and variable-speed drives to support operation across varying thermal loads and environmental conditions. The chillers are available in six sizes, ranging from 1,200kW to 2,500kW, and utilise low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants. Schneider Electric says the systems are designed to support elevated water temperatures commonly associated with liquid cooling deployments in AI data centres. Andrew Bradner, Senior Vice President, Cooling Business at Schneider Electric, notes, "Energy efficiency, adaptability, and reliability are essential components of liquid cooling systems for AI-optimised data centres, and we’ve designed the Uniflair XCA line with these most important design features at the forefront. "With adaptable water operating temperatures and versatile deployment options, the XCA line features a system-level approach that gives operators scalability, enhanced performance, and long-term peace of mind as data centre complexity continues to rise." Cooling infrastructure adapts to rising AI power densities As AI applications, GPU clusters, and liquid cooling deployments increase data centre power densities, cooling infrastructure is becoming an increasingly important factor in facility efficiency and reliability. The Uniflair XCA platform incorporates oil-free magnetic bearing centrifugal compressors, which remove the need for lubrication systems and are intended to reduce maintenance requirements and mechanical losses. The chillers also feature a spray evaporator combined with V-shaped microchannel coils, designed to improve heat exchange performance while reducing refrigerant volume and material usage. For free-cooling deployments, the XCAF models support water outlet temperatures of up to 33°C and are designed to operate in ambient temperatures ranging from -20°C to 52°C. Schneider Electric states that, in suitable climates, the free-cooling configuration can reduce energy consumption compared with mechanical cooling systems by extending free-cooling operating periods. The range can also be configured with a variety of electrical, hydraulic, acoustic, and performance options to suit different deployment requirements. Additionally, a quick restart capability is included, enabling systems to reportedly return to full operating capacity within three minutes of a power outage. New control features target operational efficiency The XCA range also introduces new firmware and control functions designed to optimise cooling performance. These include variable-speed pump algorithms supporting constant flow, constant temperature differential, and constant head pressure operation, alongside advanced fan control modes that can be adjusted according to temperature, load conditions, or scheduled operating periods. Additional monitoring capabilities include energy metering and real-time water flow measurement to provide greater visibility into system performance. According to Schneider Electric, these features are designed to reduce compressor cycling and improve long-term operational stability. The first Uniflair XCA chiller units are scheduled to begin shipping globally in June 2026. For more from Schneider Electric, click here.

ChemTreat joins Dow coolant network for data centres

ChemTreat, a US provider of industrial water treatment chemicals and cooling system services, has joined materials science company Dow’s Coolant Care Network as a strategic US service provider for AI and liquid-cooled data centre environments. Under the agreement, ChemTreat becomes Dow’s only preferred service provider in Virginia, USA, and will provide national support for the company’s coolant management programme. According to Dow, the Coolant Care Network combines coolant supply, fluid testing, data analysis, and field support within a single framework for data centre operators. ChemTreat will provide on-site services including fluid sampling, mitigation, and coolant optimisation, working alongside Dow-qualified laboratories and technical specialists. The companies say the collaboration is intended to support data centres deploying liquid cooling systems for AI and high-density compute workloads. Ashour Khamis, President of ChemTreat, notes, “The data centre industry is under enormous pressure to scale liquid cooling environments to meet AI-driven workload demands. “Pairing ChemTreat’s proven service-focused approach with Dow’s decades of thermal fluid innovation and reliable global supply chain allows us to help customers quickly deploy mission-critical systems and maintain reliable cooling lifecycle performance.” Liquid cooling demand grows alongside AI workloads ChemTreat says its data centre offering includes water treatment technologies, monitoring systems, specialist chemistries, and support for direct-to-chip cooling loops and facility cooling infrastructure. Through the partnership, the company will also provide access to Dow’s DOWFROST LC and DOWFROST HD heat transfer fluids, alongside certified coolant testing services and technical support. Chuck Carn, Data Center Growth Platform Director at Dow, says, “This collaboration reflects Dow’s clear understanding of the operational complexity data centre operators face as cooling systems become more critical to performance and uptime. “Collaborating with experienced service providers like ChemTreat, who uphold rigorous technical and service standards, is key to helping customers run their operations smoothly and with confidence.” The companies say the partnership is designed to address increasing cooling requirements as AI infrastructure deployment continues to expand globally.

Schneider to showcase AI infrastructure at Datacloud

Global energy technology company Schneider Electric has announced it will present its latest AI-ready data centre technologies during the Datacloud Global Congress 2026 in Cannes, France, from 1–4 June 2026. The company says it will showcase technologies designed to address increasing demands around power delivery, cooling, resiliency, and high-density compute as AI workloads continue to scale. According to Schneider Electric, the event will focus on infrastructure designed for AI deployments, including power architectures, liquid cooling systems, software platforms, and digital services for data centre environments. The company cites forecasts from Morgan Stanley and Gartner predicting significant growth in AI-related infrastructure investment and global AI spending over the coming years. Industry discussions to focus on AI growth challenges On 2 June, Frédéric Godemel, EVP of Energy Management Business at Schneider Electric, will join representatives from Oracle, DATA4, QTS Data Centers, and CBRE for a keynote panel examining AI infrastructure demand and the development of neocloud deployments. Later that same day, Thierry Chamayou, Vice President of Cloud and Service Providers in EMEA at Schneider Electric, will participate in a separate panel discussing energy investment strategies and utility collaboration for AI infrastructure projects. Participants include representatives from GreenScale, Trench Group, Kao Data, JSM Group, and Solar Turbines. Marc Garner, Global President of Schneider Electric’s Cloud and Service Provider Segment, says, “AI is fundamentally reshaping the future of digital infrastructure, creating new demands around power, cooling, and resiliency at unprecedented scale. “At Datacloud Global Congress, we will demonstrate how collaboration across the ecosystem is enabling the next generation of AI factories and helping organisations build scalable, resilient, and sustainable infrastructure built for the AI era.” Liquid cooling and AI data centre technologies on display Schneider Electric will also present technologies including its 800VDC architecture, liquid cooling systems from Motivair, high-density racks, and digital modelling platforms. The company says demonstrations will include NVIDIA Omniverse integrations, digital twin technologies, and NVIDIA reference designs for the GB300 NVL72 platform. Visitors to Stand 122 will also be able to view the company’s EcoStruxure IT DCIM and EcoStruxure Foresight software platforms, alongside its microgrid and data centre services portfolio. For more from Schneider Electric, click here.

LiquidStack expands GigaModular CDU capacity

LiquidStack, a US-based provider of liquid cooling technology for data centres, has expanded the scaling capabilities of its GigaModular CDU platform, with the system now validated for deployments of up to 14MW. The modular liquid cooling platform is designed for AI and high-density data centre environments, including infrastructure aligned with NVIDIA Vera Rubin specifications. LiquidStack says the architecture is intended to allow operators to expand cooling capacity incrementally without large-scale infrastructure redesigns. First introduced in June 2025, the GigaModular platform has now completed multi-module system integration and full-load testing. The company says the system has achieved ETL certification and has been released to manufacturing. The announcement comes amid continued growth in AI infrastructure demand and increasing pressure on data centre capacity. According to CBRE, the global weighted average data centre vacancy rate reached 6.6% during the first quarter of 2025. Modular cooling aimed at AI infrastructure growth LiquidStack says the platform has been designed to support phased AI infrastructure expansion through modular deployment and centralised controls. Key features of the GigaModular CDU platform include: • Centralised system controls intended to simplify operations and reduce infrastructure redundancy• Modular scaling designed to support phased AI deployment growth• Flexible cooling distribution architecture for changing rack densities and facility layouts• Support for high-density GPU environments and large-scale AI deployments• Global service support through Trane Technologies, LiquidStack's parent company Joe Capes, Vice President at Trane Technologies and General Manager of LiquidStack, says, “The challenge for AI infrastructure today is the ability to scale quickly and efficiently enough to keep pace with demand. "GigaModular was designed to remove the infrastructure constraints limiting AI growth through a centrally controlled, modular architecture built for system-level scalability, flexible deployment, and hyperscale AI expansion.” LiquidStack has also announced it will demonstrate the GigaModular platform at Datacloud Global Congress 2026, taking place from 2–4 June in Cannes, France. For more from LiquidStack, click here.

Extreme weather prompts revision of cooling strategies

Following warnings from scientists that current climate conditions are brewing extreme weather in the months ahead, Aggreko, a British temporary power generation and temperature control company, says it is calling upon data centre managers to revise their cooling strategies ahead of time or face the consequences. Global sea temperatures of 21°C were reported last month - the second highest on record for the month of April - with scientists now pointing to another El Niño warming cycle that could significantly intensify extreme weather. These temperatures are marginally lower the 21.04°C recorded in April 2024 ahead of the last El Niño weather event, which ended up being the fourth warmest year on record for the UK. With a long, hot summer potentially in store, Chris Smith, Head of Temperature Control at Aggreko, says he is urging the data centre sector to review its cooling infrastructure before the heatwave arrives. He suggests, “We need only look back at 2024 to see what El Niño might have in store for us this year. Summer temperatures regularly exceeded 30°C, placing immense pressure on data centre cooling infrastructure and even leading to full-blown equipment failure in worst-case scenarios. “The reality is: current cooling strategies simply aren’t designed to deal with this kind of weather or to operate in these temperature ranges. For this reason, now is the time to start reviewing current cooling infrastructure to assess whether it’s still fit for purpose so the right measures can be brought in ahead of time. “The main thing to look out for is ageing assets, as these are at the greatest risk of lower efficiency, overheating, and failure. Engaging with a specialist temperature control partner can help implement temporary cooling and industrial HVAC solutions to bridge gaps during equipment failures, manage seasonal demand peaks, and provide N+1 redundancy for greater operational resilience.” Data centre cooling under pressure With rack densities on the rise, data centre cooling infrastructure is arguably under greater pressure than ever before, with the cost of outages reportedly becoming more expensive. In the Uptime Institute’s 2026 outage analysis, cooling accounted for 14% of all impactful outages - the second biggest contributor behind power - while one fifth of respondents stated that their most recent outage cost more than $1 million (£745,000). In the face of this challenge, Aggreko believes hybridised packages consisting of battery energy storage systems (BESS) and temporary chillers or cold storage units are becoming an increasingly popular option for the data centre industry. Here, the company notes, the chiller or cold storage unit can provide scalable, supplementary cooling capacity, with the BESS powering the package while enhancing efficiency, reducing costs, minimising environmental impact, and offering near-silent operation versus a standard generator. Chris continues, “While we’ll have to wait and see what the summer has planned for us, now is nonetheless a prime time to re-evaluate cooling strategies and identify where efficiency gains can be made. "Procuring temporary cooling from a third-party specialist not only allows access to the latest, high-efficiency technology, but also opens the door to a number of creative solutions, such a hybridisation, which just aren’t feasible in-house. “While cooling is just one of the challenges that data centre managers have to contend with at the moment, the gains this can deliver, alongside the resilience it provides against the threat of outages, mean that this is more than a worthwhile operational solution.” For more from Aggreko, click here.

Airsys opens global HQ campus in South Carolina

Airsys, a provider of data centre cooling systems, has today opened a new global headquarters campus in Woodruff, South Carolina, USA, to expand manufacturing and engineering capacity for AI and data centre cooling technologies. The 60-acre (24.28-hectare) site will act as the company’s global hub for high-efficiency cooling systems supporting AI, edge computing, and digital infrastructure applications. According to Airsys, the development represents a $60 million (£44 million) investment and is expected to create 215 jobs in the region. Manufacturing operations at the site are scheduled to begin during the first quarter of 2027. The company says the facility will support the production and development of air, liquid, and hybrid cooling technologies designed for high-density computing environments. Facility to support AI cooling demand Yunshui Chen, founder and CEO of Airsys, says, “Today marks a major milestone for Airsys as we establish our global headquarters here in Woodruff, South Carolina. “This investment reflects our commitment to advancing cooling innovation across the entire spectrum of mission-critical infrastructure.” The company states that the new campus has been designed to support growing demand for thermal management systems linked to AI infrastructure and large-scale data centre deployments. Airsys says the site will also support work related to Power Compute Effectiveness (PCE), a framework focused on maximising the proportion of data centre power available for IT workloads after cooling and electrical overheads are accounted for. The project team for the campus included Choate Construction as general contractor and LS3P as architect. According to the company, localising manufacturing and engineering operations in South Carolina is intended to improve supply chain resilience and support North American customers more directly. For more from Airsys, click here.

Veolia, Amazon develop data centre water reuse system

Veolia, a French multinational environmental services company, is working with US technology and e-commerce company Amazon to introduce reclaimed water for cooling at a data centre in Mississippi, USA, as part of efforts to reduce water use and support long-term water resilience. The facility, expected to be operational in 2027, will be the first Amazon data centre in the state to use treated wastewater for cooling processes. The system will convert effluent from nearby treatment plants into water suitable for industrial use. Once fully operational, the project is expected to reuse more than 83 million gallons (313 million litres) of potable water each year, reducing demand on local groundwater and drinking water supplies. Veolia will deploy modular, containerised treatment systems designed for scalable use. The approach allows similar installations to be introduced at other data centres where conditions allow. Turning wastewater into cooling power for data centres The collaboration also includes the use of artificial intelligence to improve water treatment processes. Amazon Web Services (AWS) will support Veolia in developing systems for real-time optimisation, predictive maintenance, and operational analysis. These tools are intended to improve efficiency and reduce resource consumption across water treatment operations. Estelle Brachlianoff, Chief Executive Officer at Veolia, comments, “We are delighted to collaborate with Amazon to secure its water needs in Mississippi while protecting the local community's resources. This is environmental security in action. "By combining Veolia’s water expertise with Amazon’s AI technologies, we’re transforming data centres into engines of innovation for sustainability. This solution builds on our newly launched offering for data centres.” Will Hewes, Global Water Stewardship Lead at Amazon, adds, “Through our collaborative work on AI applied to water treatment, Veolia will be able to further drive innovation and enhance the efficiency of on-site teams, thanks to automated analytics, actionable recommendations, optimised inventory management, and streamlined maintenance. "We’re pleased to join forces with Veolia to advance more sustainable water use strategies while helping it pioneer more efficient water treatment solutions for customers worldwide.” The project, Amazon says, forms part of its wider aim to become water positive across its direct data centre operations by 2030.

Vertiv acquires Strategic Thermal Labs

Vertiv, a global provider of critical digital infrastructure, has acquired Strategic Thermal Labs (STL), a company specialising in liquid-cooling technologies for high-density computing environments. The acquisition is intended to strengthen Vertiv’s engineering capabilities in managing the interaction between server-level liquid cooling and supporting infrastructure, which is becoming increasingly important in AI and high-performance computing deployments. Strategic Thermal Labs brings experience in cold-plate design, server-side liquid cooling, and thermal validation for high-density systems. This is expected to support Vertiv’s ability to simulate real-world operating conditions and improve the integration of thermal and power systems. Acquisition targets high-density cooling challenges As computing workloads become more intensive, thermal management at chip level is playing a greater role in overall system performance and reliability. The addition of STL is aimed at improving design, integration, commissioning, and long-term operation of liquid-cooled environments. Scott Armul, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Vertiv, comments, “As AI and high-performance computing push power densities to unprecedented levels, understanding and solving heat challenges at the chip level becomes critical to system design, performance, and reliability. "STL brings deep expertise and proven capability in addressing some of the industry’s most demanding chip-level density and thermal problems, strengthening Vertiv’s ability to emulate and validate system-level solutions and enabling customers to improve performance and lifecycle outcomes in liquid-cooled environments.” Vertiv states that the acquisition will not change its approach to supporting interoperable infrastructure and the company will continue to work with a range of server and silicon platforms. It adds that the move forms part of its wider strategy to address increasing infrastructure complexity through integrated power, thermal, and lifecycle capabilities. For more from Vertiv, click here.

Carrier launches AquaEdge chiller

Carrier, a manufacturer of HVAC, refrigeration, and fire and security equipment, has introduced the AquaEdge 19MV4 centrifugal chiller, designed to support cooling requirements in high-density AI data centres. The system forms part of the company’s QuantumLeap portfolio and is intended for use in environments where increasing compute density and rising temperatures place pressure on existing cooling infrastructure. The chiller is designed to deliver between 2.1 MW and 3.3 MW of cooling capacity, supporting workloads driven by high-performance GPUs. It is also engineered to operate with chilled-water temperatures of up to 35°C and condensing temperatures up to 55°C, aligning with liquid cooling approaches such as direct-to-chip and rear-door heat exchangers. Designed for high-density cooling environments Carrier states that the system uses a variable-speed centrifugal compressor capable of operating between 10% and 100% load, allowing it to respond to fluctuating AI workloads without frequent cycling. Marti Urpinas, Senior Technical Manager, Vertical Markets EMEA, DC Applied at Carrier, comments, “AI workloads are reshaping data centre specifications, pushing our customers to seek greater thermal headroom without sacrificing power stability. "That sounds like a tall order, but the AquaEdge 19MV4 isn’t a ‘standard’ chiller; it’s a variable-speed centrifugal platform that delivers cooling continuity for high-density racks, even as operators push chilled-water temperatures higher to support direct-to-chip architectures.” The unit is designed to restart within 150 seconds following a power interruption, supporting thermal recovery and reducing the risk of overheating in high-density environments. It also incorporates harmonic filtering to limit electrical distortion and protect associated infrastructure, including uninterruptible power supplies (UPS). Carrier reports that the system can achieve a coefficient of performance (COP) of up to 6.75 and an integrated part load value (IPLV) of 11.4 under AHRI test conditions. The chiller is available with refrigerants including R-1234ze and R-515B, supporting compliance with EU F-Gas regulations. Additionally, noise levels are specified at below 80dBA under defined operating conditions. For more from Carrier, click here.

Data centre cooling in the AI era

During a busy Data Centre World London 2026, Joe from DCNN caught up with Alistair Barnes (pictured above), Global Head of Mechanical Engineering at Colt DCS, to ask how the mechanical engineering discipline is evolving in response to the rapid rise of AI workloads. The two discussed a variety of topics, from the shift towards liquid cooling solutions to the challenge of keeping pace with ever-increasing rack-level power densities. Here, you can read the full Q&A, in which Alistair shares his perspective on where liquid cooling stands today, how Colt DCS's Global Reference Design philosophy shapes its approach to data centre infrastructure, and what he believes remains the industry's toughest unsolved engineering challenge: Liquid cooling, rack densities, and the future of mechanical engineering Joe: Hi, Alistair! So, how is mechanical engineering keeping pace with the shift to higher-density AI workloads? Alistair: Mechanical engineers are keeping pace with higher‑density AI workloads by moving beyond traditional air‑only cooling and rethinking the entire thermal design stack. Instead of simply supplying cold air, they now operate more like system integrators, collaborating closely with IT and facilities teams to cool heat‑intensive components such as GPUs. This includes integrating direct‑to‑chip cold plates, liquid distribution loops, and hybrid cooling systems capable of managing the extreme heat generated by modern AI hardware. Joe: In your opinion, is liquid cooling now a mainstream solution or still a specialist one? Alistair: Liquid cooling is becoming increasingly mainstream, but the industry isn’t yet at a point where it can rely on liquid alone, as air still plays an important role in most deployments. Operators adopting Global Reference Designs (GRDs) now include liquid‑cooling options to support high‑density AI workloads that air alone can’t efficiently manage. As a result, many still use hybrid setups that combine air cooling with liquid where needed. Closed‑loop systems, such as liquid‑to‑chip, circulate coolant in a sealed loop, ensuring near‑zero wastewater and making them practical and sustainable. Joe: Where does mechanical engineering sit in Colt DCS's broader data centre design philosophy? Alistair: Mechanical engineering sits at the core of our design philosophy, supporting our commitment to delivering scalable, efficient, and sustainable data centre solutions. We adopt a GRD, a standardised and repeatable blueprint that accelerates deployment, optimises cost, and maintains consistent quality while remaining flexible enough to meet local requirements. Mechanical engineers play a key role in shaping the GRD, ensuring mission-critical cooling infrastructure and integrating new technologies across sites to support future growth and reliable operations. Joe: What's the hardest engineering problem the industry hasn't solved yet? Alistair: The hardest engineering problem the industry hasn’t solved is keeping pace with the accelerating rise in rack‑level power densities. Liquid cooling is advancing quickly and can manage far more heat than ever before, but single‑rack densities approaching 2MW and beyond are increasing faster than these solutions can be deployed at scale. The real challenge is delivering this capacity sustainably - balancing cooling performance, energy efficiency, and power availability - all while accelerating build timelines to keep up with customer demand. For more from Colt DCS, click here.