Sapphire Technologies Opens Orders for High-Lift Oil-Free Centrifugal Compressors Targeting AI Data Center Chillers

Sapphire Technologies has opened the order book for its High Lift Oil-Free Compressor platform, a two-stage centrifugal compressor designed for air-cooled chillers serving AI data centers. The California-designed and -manufactured units give chiller OEMs an additional domestic supply option at a time when data-center-driven demand is straining compressor availability.

Key technical parameters

• Two-stage centrifugal architecture with a high-speed permanent-magnet motor
• Active magnetic bearings developed and manufactured in-house
• Refrigeration capacity up to 8,000 tons (approximately 28,135 kW) per unit
• Modular compressor block for integration into existing chiller products
• Rated for high-lift operation at ambient air temperatures up to 140 °F (60 °C)
• Proprietary power electronics configurable for AC or DC supply, including an 800 VDC option for high-voltage data-center power distribution

Technology heritage and development

The platform draws on compressor technology that Sapphire and its parent company Calnetix have developed for industrial and defense applications, including systems supplied to the U.S. Navy. Sapphire began designing the High Lift Compressor line earlier in 2026, reusing magnetic-bearing and permanent-magnet rotor components already proven in its turboexpanders and other compressor products.

Freddie Sarhan, CEO of Sapphire Technologies, noted that chiller manufacturers are responding to hyperscaler demand by launching new air-cooled chiller models, but the compressors the industry has relied on were built for a different era and a different duty. He stated that the new units were designed specifically for high-lift applications on Sapphire's proprietary oil-free platform, which has been in production for over 25 years, and that the launch is intended to alleviate the chiller supply chain.

Delivery and additional services

Sapphire is currently fulfilling orders and expects to deliver its first commercial compressors by February 2027. The company also supplies magnetic bearings, controls, and power electronics to chiller manufacturers and offers engineering services for custom cooling systems and subsystems.

Source: Refindustry.