Fluorocarbon refrigerants used in data centre chillers

Air and water chillers have been selected for data centres in the Netherlands and South Korea providing a total cooling capacity of over 90 MW from 42 chillers. Depending on the chiller model and customer requirements, according to manufacturer’s information, four refrigerant options may be available: R-515B (GWP 288), R-134a (1430), R-513A (630) and R-1234ze (1.37). The first three are non-flammable A1 classification, with R-1234ze being moderately flammable (A2L). The chillers are reported to provide customers with future-proof cooling solutions tailored to their individual on-site requirements and meet all the requirements for reliability, efficiency, and sustainability that are particularly demanding in the data centre industry. According to manufacturer’s information, as well as excellent energy efficiency, with oil-free compressor, con tact-free magnetic bearings it is low maintenance and reliable.

(Source Manufacturer’s information and Data Center Dynamics and ITBrief).

Advanced HFO chillers coupled with a chiller plant optimisation system improved energy efficiency by 20 per cent, saving 33 million kWh of energy and 50,000 tonnes of carbon emissions. This is a major contributor to more than 150 million kilowatt-hour (kWh) in energy savings and 200,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emission reductions since 2021 for a world leader in memory solutions company in Singapore.

(Source Business Times Singapore).

An AI-ready, liquid-cooled data centre designed for the next generation of computing is scheduled for first phase to be operational by mid-2026 in Jakarta, Indonesia, with full completion targeted by early 2027. A key piece of the cooling solution integrated package is an integrated package is a water-cooled oil-free centrifugal chiller, using HCFO-1233zd(E), featuring a lubricant-free magnetic bearing technology. The chiller delivers outstanding energy efficiency while minimizing vibrations and noise. It is also equipped with a machine learning-based surge protection system that enables quick recovery and stable operation during unexpected power outages. The data centre will feature power redundancy, seismic isolation, and smart battery storage.

(Source DCPulse and manufacturer’s information).