LG Electronics has launched a new Air-Cooled Centrifugal Chiller designed to address the increasing cooling requirements of AI data centres. The system is available in capacities ranging from 480 to 600 refrigeration tons per unit and combines an oil-free magnetic-bearing centrifugal compressor with refrigerant free-cooling technology.
The magnetic-bearing compressor uses magnetic force to suspend the rotating shaft without physical contact, eliminating the need for lubricating oil. The chiller also uses refrigerant free-cooling, which directly circulates refrigerant without an intermediate heat exchanger or glycol. Based on LG’s internal simulation, the technology consumed approximately 30% less annual energy than waterside free-cooling under specified conditions.
For operational continuity, the system includes an integrated UPS that enables the compressor shaft to stop safely during a power interruption. LG says cooling capacity can be restored within three minutes after power is restored. Its Data Center Cooling Management platform also supports monitoring of CDUs, CRAHs and chillers, along with anomaly detection, predictive maintenance and workload-based optimisation.
The air-cooled configuration can also reduce dependence on cooling towers and associated water infrastructure, an important consideration for data centres being developed in locations where water availability and site constraints influence cooling-system design. The modular capacity range allows the system to be deployed according to different facility sizes and cooling requirements.
LG is positioning the chiller as part of its broader thermal-management approach for high-density computing environments.
