What is the main purpose of a chiller in a data center?

The main purpose of a chiller in a data center is to circulate chilled water for cooling purposes. In data centers, maintaining optimal temperature is critical for the reliable operation of servers and other electronic equipment. Chillers play a vital role in this process by removing heat from the water circulating through the system, which is then used to cool air or equipment directly.

Chillers work on the principle of refrigeration, where they extract heat from water, effectively lowering its temperature. This chilled water is then pumped through cooling systems such as air handlers or cooling coils to absorb heat from the datacenter's environment, ensuring that equipment remains within safe temperature margins.

This cooling method is particularly effective in heavily loaded data centers, where high-density racks generate significant heat. By utilizing chilled water, data centers can achieve efficient cooling while maintaining the necessary airflow to dissipate heat effectively from racks of servers and other hardware.