LG Unveils Air-Cooled Centrifugal Chiller for AI Data Centres

LG Electronics has launched a new Air-Cooled Centrifugal Chiller aimed at the rising thermal loads of AI data centres. The unit is offered in capacities from 480 to 600 refrigeration tons and pairs an oil-free magnetic-bearing centrifugal compressor with refrigerant free-cooling technology.

Core compression and free-cooling technologies

The magnetic-bearing compressor suspends the rotating shaft on a magnetic field, eliminating physical contact and the need for lubricating oil. On the free-cooling side, the system circulates refrigerant directly without an intermediate heat exchanger or glycol loop. According to LG's internal simulation, this approach consumed approximately 30 % less annual energy than a waterside free-cooling configuration under the specified test conditions.

Power resilience and management software

An integrated UPS allows the compressor shaft to come to a controlled stop during a power interruption; LG states that cooling capacity can be restored within three minutes once power returns. The chiller is also managed through LG's Data Center Cooling Management platform, which supports monitoring of CDUs, CRAHs and chillers, anomaly detection, predictive maintenance and workload-based optimisation.

Air-cooled design and deployment flexibility

Because the system is air-cooled, it reduces dependence on cooling towers and associated water infrastructure — a consideration for data centres sited in areas where water availability or site constraints shape cooling-system design. The modular 480–600 RT capacity range lets operators match the installation to different facility sizes and cooling requirements.

LG positions the chiller as part of its broader thermal-management approach for high-density computing environments.

Source: Cooling India.