Cooling data centers

LG Electronics has launched a new air-cooled centrifugal chiller designed for the higher cooling demands of artificial intelligence data centers.

The system offers cooling capacities of 480 to 600 refrigeration tons per unit and uses an oil-free magnetic bearing centrifugal compressor aimed at reducing mechanical friction and improving efficiency.

LG said the chiller also uses refrigerant free-cooling technology, which takes advantage of cooler outdoor temperatures to reduce compressor workload.

Based on the company’s internal simulation, the system consumed about 30 percent less energy annually than waterside free-cooling under the tested conditions.

The chiller is also designed to restore full cooling capacity within three minutes after power is restored following an outage.

LG paired the system with its Data Center Cooling Management software, which monitors and controls cooling equipment including coolant distribution units, computer room air handlers and chillers.

The software supports anomaly detection, predictive maintenance and real-time optimization based on IT workloads.