The cooling requirements of data centers continue to grow, prompting the need for components capable of delivering the liquid used to keep chips and servers from overheating. Enter the latest Data Master MegaFlex hoses from Gates Corp. The company is one of many in the fluid power industry developing hoses, fittings and other components to transport cooling liquid throughout a facility — much like they would oil through an excavator.
Gates has introduced 3- and 4-in. inner diameter (ID) hose options to meet the increased cooling capacity and higher flow rates now required in data centers. Rebekah Headley, general manager of the Gates data center business unit, explained to me that when you need to move more coolant through a system, hose diameter is one of the first design variables you have to address. “A wider bore, or internal diameter, provides less flow resistance, lower pump head requirements, and greater coolant throughput, all of which directly improve heat transfer efficiency and overall cooling loop performance.”
Increasing use of AI and evolving chip technology are among the factors driving the need for higher flow liquid cooling systems in data centers. “Fluid power companies are well positioned to play a meaningful role,” she said. “The full cooling loop depends on fluid power expertise: from the pumps that move coolant through the system, to the quick disconnect couplings that enable live maintenance without downtime, to the hose assemblies that connect every component in between. Companies that understand fluid dynamics, thermal management, material compatibility, and system-level performance have a real advantage in this space.”
Are you developing products for use in data centers? What opportunities, if any, are you seeing in this market? Besides cooling systems, are there other applications in these facilities in which hydraulic and pneumatic components are used? I’m always interested in learning what readers are seeing in the industry and suggestions for potential future topics we should be covering, so feel free to email me at [email protected] to offer your thoughts.
Sara Jensen, Editor, Power & Motion
