The Growing Demand for Innovative Data Center Cooling Solutions

With the rapid rise of digitalization and emerging technologies such as AI, cryptocurrency mining, deep computing, cloud services, big data, and machine learning, data centers have become critical infrastructure. Industry projections estimate that the number of data centers will increase by 165% by 2030 compared to 2023, driving a surge in demand for more efficient and innovative cooling solutions.

Cooling systems in data centers can consume up to 40% of the total energy output in a data center, making efficiency improvements in cooling essential for reducing operational costs and environmental impact. Evaporative cooling systems are known for their excellent energy efficiency, particularly in hot climates. However, this comes at the cost of very high water usage, often exceeding millions of gallons per year per site, a growing concern in areas facing drought, high water costs, or regulatory pressure.

Adiabatic coolers offer a highly effective compromise. When equipped with intelligent water spray control systems and EC fan motors, adiabatic coolers can achieve nearly the same energy efficiency as evaporative coolers under peak load conditions, but with up to 80–95% less water usage annually.

Retrofitting Cooling Systems in Existing Data Center Facilities 

Many legacy data centers are struggling to keep pace with the demands of AI workloads, high-density servers, and other next-generation computing applications. These older facilities often rely on HVAC systems that were never designed to handle modern rack densities or heat loads. Rather than investing in costly new construction, many data center operators are choosing retrofits and upgrades, an efficient, economical path to meeting data demands that leverages existing infrastructure.

Common data center cooling system retrofit upgrades include high-efficiency adiabatic coolers to improve heat rejection with minimal water use, replacing fluid coolers with copper tubes with fluid coolers with stainless steel tubes, variable frequency drive (VFD) fan upgrades for better airflow control and energy savings, hot-aisle/cold-aisle containment layout to eliminate air mixing, and economizer controls that adapt performance based on ambient conditions. In addition, refrigerant transitions to natural refrigerants or low-GWP blends are becoming essential as facilities face more strict environmental regulations and pursue energy performance improvements.

Replacing copper-tube fluid coolers with Colmac’s Stainless Steel Tube Fluid Coolers delivers a major reliability upgrade for data center cooling systems. Traditional copper coils use brazed joints that are more prone to leaks from thermal cycling and vibration. In contrast, Colmac’s Standard 304 Stainless Steel Tube Design features full-penetration TIG welds certified to ASME B31.5, eliminating braze filler metals and dramatically improving fatigue and corrosion resistance. This robust, all-welded construction stays pressure-tight under the high flow rates, variable temperatures, and chemically treated water often found in data center loops. Backed by a five-year warranty on all pressure-bearing stainless steel components, compared to the industry-standard one year for copper, Colmac Fluid Coolers reduce maintenance, prevent downtime, and deliver long-term peace of mind. Read Colmac’s warranty and quality commitment here.

Colmac Coil’s Adiabatic Coolers are ideally suited for retrofit scenarios. With Colmac Coil Dryware™ Selection Software, engineers can customize configurations to fit within existing site constraints while maximizing thermal performance. Whether driven by sustainability goals or the need to support increased compute density, Colmac Coil offers reliable, scalable heat transfer solutions to meet the evolving demands of modern data centers.

Adiabatic and Dry Cooling with Colmac Coil

Colmac Coil provides a broad range of heat rejection solutions; condensers, fluid coolers, gas coolers, and heat pump evaporators, designed specifically for data center applications. Colmac Coil's Dry Coolers supports both adiabatic and dry operation, enabling data centers to optimize cooling based on location and climate. In regions where energy is inexpensive, but water is costly and scarce, such as many data center hubs, Colmac Coil’s Adiabatic Cooler offers an ideal balance by drastically reducing water usage while maintaining energy efficiency, when compared to evaporative coolers.

Key Features of Colmac Coil Adiabatic Coolers for Data Center Cooling Systems:

• The Colmac Coil Adiabatic recirculating water design reduces water consumption and environmental impact compared to once-through adiabatic systems.

• Available in multiple configurations, including V-Bank, Flat Deck Horizontal, and Flat Deck Vertical dry cooler designs, scalable up to 20 fans to fit a wide range of site footprints.

• Dryware Selection Software helps engineers size an optimal cooling solution based on project-specific requirements.

• Electronically commutated (EC) fan motors ensure quiet operation with variable speed control for improved airflow and energy efficiency, ideal for urban and edge data centers.

• Compatible with natural refrigerants such as ammonia and CO2 to provide a future proof solution, meet low-GWP, regulatory agendas such as the AIM Act, and sustainability objectives.

• Supports multiple modes of operation, running dry in mild conditions and using adiabatic cooling only during peak temperatures for optimal water and energy resource efficiency.

• Built with industrial-grade components, including heavy-gauge G235 galvanized steel, stainless steel tubing for Colmac's standard design and corrosion-resistant hardware for long equipment life.

• Integrated adiabatic controls allow seamless connection to building management system (BMS) and data center infrastructure management (DCIM) platforms for real-time monitoring, adaptive setpoints, and remote diagnostics.

Types of Data Center Cooling Systems

Data center cooling technologies vary widely depending on size, location, and IT load. Common cooling systems for data centers include:

• Air Cooling: Traditional method using Computer Room Air Handlers (CRAHs) or air conditioners circulating cold air directly to the equipment.

• Liquid Cooling: Includes cold plates, rear-door heat exchangers (RDHx), and direct-to-chip systems where coolant removes heat closer to the source, improving efficiency.

• Hybrid Cooling: Combines air and liquid cooling methods or integrates economizers with mechanical cooling to optimize performance seasonally.

• Immersion Cooling: Servers are submerged in dielectric fluids that absorb heat directly. This method offers high efficiency, significant space savings, and quieter operation but requires specialized hardware.

Partner with Colmac Coil for Your Next Data Center Cooling Solution Upgrade

As data centers evolve in scale and complexity, selecting an optimized cooling strategy is critical to operational success. Colmac Coil offers proven, efficient, and sustainable cooling technologies tailored to meet the unique demands of modern data center retrofit projects.

Contact your local Colmac Coil’s Representative or the factory to explore customized cooling solutions that enhance performance, reduce water consumption, and align with your sustainability goals.