LG Electronics Unveils Turbo Chiller for AI Data Centers Claiming 30% Annual Energy Savings

IT Home reported on September 20 that LG Electronics today announced the launch of a new air-cooled oil-free inverter centrifugal chiller, optimized specifically for AI data centers to reduce electricity costs while meeting the demand for flexible capacity expansion.

According to reports, this product is equipped with LG Electronics' proprietary oil-free magnetic bearing technology. It uses electromagnetic levitation to suspend the rotating shaft in the air, thereby eliminating mechanical friction losses. It eliminates the need for oil circulation pumps and related piping equipment, and prevents cooling efficiency degradation caused by oil film formation inside the heat exchanger.

At the same time, the product applies natural refrigerant precooling technology, enabling cooling in winter environments without running the compressor. Specifically, during chiller operation, the compressor—which accounts for over 80% of total power consumption—shuts down, allowing the refrigerant condensed at low temperatures to circulate naturally and carry away heat.

Compared with traditional precooling technologies, this solution can reduce the annual power consumption of data centers by 30% and improve power usage efficiency. The product also adopts R-513A refrigerant, which offers a more than 50% improvement in Global Warming Potential (GWP) compared to R-134a refrigerant, meeting customers' ESG (IT Home note: Environmental, Social, and Governance) requirements.

In addition, the product incorporates machine learning technology to detect signs of anomalies in advance and prevent sudden equipment downtime. Following a power restoration, the unit can also utilize ultra-fast restart technology to restore 100% of its rated cooling capacity within 180 seconds, safeguarding AI servers.