Choosing the Right Cooling Pumps for Next-Gen Data Centres
As chips become more powerful and generate increasingly higher temperatures that approach the limits of safe operation, the traditional assumptions around data centre thermal design are being challenged.
Central processing units (CPUs), once considered high-performance at 200 watts, are now routinely rated above 350 watts. Graphics processing units (GPUs) are pushing past 1,000 watts. Across the board, thermal design power (TDP) is rising fast.
This shift is driving rack densities to 60–100 kilowatts and beyond – levels that air cooling alone can no longer manage effectively. High-speed fans and chillers struggle to keep up, often at the expense of energy efficiency, acoustic limits or system stability.
In this context, liquid cooling is no longer a niche solution.
It has become a strategic tool that supports higher rack densities and lowers power usage. It also helps operators meet growing sustainability targets through better thermal control and more efficient resource use.
But making the switch requires more than selecting a new heat rejection method. It involves infrastructure decisions that impact reliability, integration and long-term performance.
Why circulation still matters
Although different liquid cooling methods vary in architecture, most rely on one shared requirement: reliable coolant circulation.
Liquid-to-air, direct-to-chip, and single-phase immersion systems all depend on an active pump to keep coolant moving consistently. Without flow, even a well-designed thermal loop can fail quickly.
While two-phase immersion relies on passive heat transfer through boiling and condensing, most liquid cooling approaches require active circulation to maintain stable thermal conditions – making pump performance central to system reliability.
Pump performance directly affects thermal stability, acoustic levels and uptime. Weak flow can lead to component hotspots, while excess noise can limit deployment in shared or sound-sensitive environments. A failure in circulation can result in thermal shutdowns or long-term equipment damage.
This is why many original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and system integrators are specifying brushless DC (direct current) pumps which are engineered for long service life, minimal vibration and efficient operation.
Xylem’s Flojet D5 and DDC pumps, recognised as leading liquid cooling solutions for high-performance desktop systems, are now being adopted in the rapidly growing space of server liquid cooling for their proven reliability, compact footprint and quiet operation.
This makes them a strong fit for integration into rack-level cooling loops, such as cold plate and small-scale immersion systems, where uptime and thermal control are critical.
Choosing the right fit
Selecting the right cooling approach isn’t just about thermal performance. It involves understanding rack densities, infrastructure readiness, power and water availability, acoustic constraints and maintenance capacity.
For smaller installations or environments with constraints on infrastructure and downtime, liquid-to-air systems offer a practical step forward. Others – particularly those supporting dense AI workloads or working in modular data centres – may benefit more from cold plates or immersion.
What most of these methods have in common is the need for consistent coolant circulation.
In these environments, the pump is not just a supporting component – it is a defining factor in thermal performance, system uptime, and peace of mind.
Cooling as Infrastructure
The modern data centre is more than a facility. It is a powerful engine that drives everything from generative AI to cloud infrastructure. And like any engine, it depends on effective thermal control to operate efficiently.
Liquid cooling allows data centres to scale performance, reduce emissions and improve energy use, keeping heat under control and operations running smoothly.
To learn more about how Xylem is helping the next generation of data centres manage server heat in the most efficient, sustainable way, click here.
