Vertiv and Compass Datacenters Collaborate on Combination Liquid and Air Cooling System To Accelerate Deployment of Liquid Cooling for AI Applications

Rhea-AI Summary

Vertiv (NYSE: VRT) and Compass Datacenters have announced a collaboration to develop the Vertiv™ CoolPhase Flex, a revolutionary cooling solution that combines air and liquid cooling technologies for AI applications. The system will be initially deployed at a Compass facility in Q1 2025 as part of a multi-billion dollar supply arrangement.

The solution integrates liquid cooling capabilities with refrigerant-based air-cooling technologies in a single packaged system, allowing data centers to flexibly support both traditional IT and high-density AI computing. Key benefits include faster deployment of high-density computing, improved efficiency through pumped refrigerant economization, and significant cost and space savings through external installation.

Positive

• Multi-billion dollar supply arrangement secured starting Q1 2025
• Innovative product addressing growing AI infrastructure market
• Strategic partnership with major data center operator
• Cost-efficient solution reducing deployment and operational expenses

Negative

• Revenue impact from new product won't materialize until Q1 2025

Insights

Tech Infrastructure Analyst

<p>The collaboration between Vertiv and Compass Datacenters represents a significant technological breakthrough in data center cooling infrastructure. The <b>Vertiv CoolPhase Flex</b> hybrid cooling system addresses a critical market need for flexible, scalable cooling solutions that can support both traditional IT workloads and high-density AI applications.</p><p>The <b>multi-year, multi-billion dollar supply arrangement</b> starting in Q1 2025 signals strong commercial potential. The system's ability to switch between air and liquid cooling without major infrastructure changes reduces capital expenditure and deployment time for data center operators. This technological advancement positions Vertiv favorably in the rapidly growing AI infrastructure market, particularly as data centers rush to upgrade their facilities for AI workloads.</p>

Market Research Analyst

<p>This strategic partnership strengthens Vertiv's position in the booming AI infrastructure market. With AI data center spending projected to surge, the timing of this innovation is optimal. The solution addresses key market pain points: flexibility in cooling methods, cost-effective deployment and energy efficiency.</p><p>The predictive maintenance component through Vertiv Next Predict adds recurring revenue potential and enhances customer stickiness. The multi-billion dollar supply agreement with Compass, a major player in data center development, validates market demand and provides significant revenue visibility. This positions Vertiv to capture a larger share of the AI-driven data center infrastructure upgrade cycle.</p>

First-of-its-kind cooling solution integrates air and liquid cooling technologies to meet the evolving and mixed cooling needs of data centers supporting AI

COLUMBUS, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Data center operators face the challenge of supporting rapidly evolving environments in which established IT applications increasingly co-exist alongside the high-density computing being deployed to support AI. Vertiv (NYSE: VRT), a global provider of critical digital infrastructure and continuity solutions, and Compass Datacenters, which designs, builds and operates data center campuses for some of the world’s largest technology companies, announced today they have collaborated to develop a first-of-its-kind solution that 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.

Compass’ modular data centers and equipment yards offer the flexibility to make adoption of the Vertiv™ CoolPhase Flex possible without major retrofitting or costly rebuilding. (Attribution: Photo by Tadd Myers. Copyright Compass Datacenters 2024.)

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 center customers plan their growth strategies, Vertiv CoolPhase Flex can be used initially as a direct expansion (DX) cooling system with integrated economization to support reliable and efficient air cooling, and then as more high-density computing is deployed, the liquid cooling capabilities can be simply and quickly engaged to support liquid cooling applications.

“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,” said Chris Crosby, CEO of Compass. “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 and that is highly valuable to us and to our customers.”

“AI is not only bringing change to data centers, it is also changing how key industry players work together to enable growth. Data center operators, customers, chip manufacturers, infrastructure providers, utility companies and others must work together to innovate and reduce barriers to AI adoption,” said Giordano (Gio) Albertazzi, CEO of Vertiv. “Compass Datacenters 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 center 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.”

Key benefits of the Vertiv CoolPhase Flex include:

• Faster, simpler deployment of high-density computing: With the packaged hybrid design of the Vertiv CoolPhase Flex, the complexity associated with liquid cooling adoption is minimized, reducing time to deploy, as well as associated costs and downtime.
• Uncompromised efficiency: For air cooling, the solution uses pumped refrigerant economization (PRE) technology that automatically switches to free cooling whenever external conditions are suitable. When IT loads are better served by liquid cooling, the same system is designed to easily convert for liquid fluid distribution and heat removal, and is compatible with liquid cooling solutions that include Vertiv™ XDU 1350.
• Cost & space savings: The self-contained packaged system is installed outside the data center, freeing up valuable data center space. Compass’ modular data centers and equipment yards are designed for flexibility and scale so that it can adapt to evolving requirements and new technologies. This means customers will be able to upgrade to the Vertiv CoolPhase Flex with little impact to operations and without high costs associated with rebuilding or extensive retrofitting.

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's been awesome to have Vertiv leading the way alongside us.”

For more information on critical digital infrastructure, visit Vertiv.com, and for AI-ready data centers, visit compassdatacenters.com.

About Vertiv

Vertiv (NYSE: VRT) brings together hardware, software, analytics and ongoing services to enable its customers’ vital applications to run continuously, perform optimally and grow with their business needs. Vertiv solves the most important challenges facing today’s data centers, communication networks and commercial and industrial facilities with a portfolio of power, cooling and IT infrastructure solutions and services that extends from the cloud to the edge of the network. Headquartered in Westerville, Ohio, USA, Vertiv does business in more than 130 countries. For more information, and for the latest news and content from Vertiv, visit Vertiv.com.

About Compass

Compass Datacenters, one of Inc. Magazine’s 5000 fastest growing companies, designs and constructs data centers for some of the world’s largest hyperscalers and cloud providers on campuses across the globe. Our corporate culture is predicated on continual improvement and innovation and has enabled us to marry technology with modern manufacturing methods to enhance our ability to consistently deliver our customer’s projects faster, with no sacrifices in quality. Since our inception, our sustainability efforts have encompassed the entire data center from its design to its post-delivery performance, including the efficient use of land, water-free cooling and a focus on Green House Gas reduction in the materials used to build our facilities and in their operation. Compass embraces a long-term perspective with the financial strength of investors Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan and Brookfield Infrastructure.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27 of the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act. These statements are only a prediction. Actual events or results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements set forth herein. Readers are referred to Vertiv’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for a discussion of these and other important risk factors concerning Vertiv and its operations. Vertiv is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241117945678/en/

Sara Steindorf

E : sara.steindorf@fleishman.com

Source: Vertiv Holdings Co

FAQ

When will Vertiv (VRT) deploy the CoolPhase Flex cooling system at Compass Datacenters?

The initial units of Vertiv CoolPhase Flex will be deployed at a Compass facility in Q1 2025.

What are the key features of Vertiv's (VRT) new CoolPhase Flex cooling system?

The CoolPhase Flex combines air and liquid cooling technologies in a single packaged system, featuring pumped refrigerant economization, external installation design, and compatibility with liquid cooling solutions including Vertiv XDU 1350.

How much is the supply arrangement between Vertiv (VRT) and Compass Datacenters worth?

The arrangement is described as a multi-billion dollar supply arrangement over multiple years.