Airedale by Modine highlighted its extensive range of cooling technologies designed to meet the ongoing need to remove heat from the data center hall and water flowing through server racks in modern data centers. With more than two decades of concurrent free-cooling expertise, Airedale is strategically positioned to support the industry’s shift toward higher temperature and higher heat density thermal architectures, driven by rapid advancements in next-generation chips. This positioning ensures data center operators can rely on Airedale solutions to help optimize their energy efficiency and minimize their Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) as thermal densities continue to rise.
Pioneered by Airedale more than 20 years ago, the concept of concurrent free cooling has been a cornerstone of energy-efficient data center design. The technology reduces reliance on mechanical (DX) cooling, while maximizing the part-load efficiencies of critical components such as electronically controlled (EC) fans, inverter-driven pumps and centrifugal compressors. The variable speed control on such components allows cooling duty to be very precisely matched to thermal load, reducing energy consumption and unnecessary wear. For example, EC fans are up to 70% more efficient than alternating current fans at part-load.
With recent press announcements that server racks now have the ability to be cooled with 45C water, the operational window for free cooling and hybrid cooling expands, helping minimize PUE as data center thermal density increases. This development, combined with Airedale’s intelligent control systems, allows for cooling to be staged, ensuring a smooth transition from mechanical cooling to free cooling. The Airedale Cooling System Optimizer™, for example, can configure between two and twenty chillers to control the cooling block in its most efficient form. On sites with traditional air-cooled chillers and chillers with free cooling, the Optimizer ensures that free cooling is optimized across all available units when the ambient temperature is low, while maintaining stable system water conditions.
“Airedale by Modine is well-positioned for the industry’s shift toward higher temperature and higher heat density thermal architectures,” said Art Laszlo, Group Vice President, Global Data Centers at Modine. “Alongside our air-cooled chillers with free cooling, we offer a full range of solutions including dry coolers, air handling units (AHU), coolant distribution units (CDU), and intelligent controls to optimize efficiency across diverse designs. We’re also advancing our immersion cooling capabilities to support the rising power densities of next-generation chips. This diversity ensures that Airedale by Modine remains a long-term strategic partner for data centers adapting to these changes.”
