Innovative cooling solutions for AI powered data centres

Vertiv and Compass Datacentres have unveiled a cooling system designed to support the coexistence of traditional IT and high-density AI computing. The first-of-its-kind cooling solution integrates air and liquid cooling technologies to meet the evolving and mixed cooling needs of data centres supporting AI to improve performance.

Data centre operators face the challenge of supporting evolving environments in which established IT applications increasingly co-exist alongside the high-density computing being deployed to support AI. Vertiv, a global provider of critical digital infrastructure and continuity solutions, and Compass Datacentres, which designs, builds and operates data centre campuses for some of the world’s largest technology companies, collaborated to develop a first-of-its-kind solution. It enables future deployments of AI with the ability to flex between air and liquid cooling to support high-density computing. Vertiv and Compass engineers collaborated on this vision for a future-forward cooling solution, with Vertiv developing and manufacturing the technology solution.

The initial units will be deployed at a Compass facility in 1Q 2025 as part of a planned multi-year, multi-billion dollar supply arrangement.

The Vertiv™ CoolPhase Flex, the next generation of the high-efficiency Vertiv™ Liebert® DSE Packaged System, integrates liquid cooling capabilities with refrigerant-based air-cooling technologies and heat rejection in a single packaged system. As data centre customers plan their growth strategies, Vertiv CoolPhase Flex can be used initially as a direct expansion (DX) cooling system with integrated economisation to support reliable and efficient air cooling. As more high-density computing is deployed, the liquid cooling capabilities can be quickly engaged to support liquid cooling applications.

Chris Crosby, CEO of Compass says, “Our customers are looking for fast, practical and energy-efficient ways to introduce liquid cooling to support AI and other high-density applications, but want the flexibility to leverage air-cooling and support mixed loads in those same facilities. We had a vision for a future in which we could be prepared to quickly deploy air or liquid cooling to meet changing customer requirements and Vertiv brought that vision to life in a very innovative way. The Vertiv™ CoolPhase Flex provides a level of flexibility that is unparalleled in the marketplace which is highly valuable to us and to our customers.”

Giordano (Gio) Albertazzi, CEO of Vertiv, said, “AI is not only bringing change to data centres, it is also changing how key industry players work together to enable growth. Data centre operators, customers, chip manufacturers, infrastructure providers, utility companies and others must work together to innovate and reduce barriers to AI adoption. Compass Datacentres and Vertiv engineers worked together to make this important project a reality. Vertiv™ CoolPhase Flex makes it possible to support today’s IT and quickly enable the data centre of the future. With our deep expertise and understanding of the complexities of AI applications, Vertiv was uniquely able to bring this solution to market.”

Vertiv CoolPhase Flex benefits include faster and simpler deployment of high-density computing, uncompromised efficiency, and space and cost savings.

Compass has also deployed the Vertiv™ Next Predict service platform, leveraging predictive analytics to enable the company to shift from reactive to proactive maintenance on select cooling units. The platform provides visibility into equipment operations and uses historical and operating data to pinpoint when maintenance is required.

“A predictive tool that lets us know when equipment needs maintenance ahead of time as opposed to waiting until there is a potential availability issue is just a massive game changer for cooling equipment”, said Crosby. “It has been awesome to have Vertiv leading the way alongside us.”

For more information visit: Vertiv.com, and compassdatacentres.com

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