According to DCD, Vertiv has launched its CoolCenter Immersion cooling system with pods ranging from 24U to 52U that can handle between 25kW and 240kW per system. The company also announced securing Digital Realty as a customer for a 3MW data center in Rome called ROM1, which is scheduled to go live in 2027 and will feature AI-ready cooling technology. The immersion cooling pods operate with a power usage effectiveness (PUE) of 1.08 and include dual power supplies, redundant pumps, temperature sensors, and building management system connectivity. Vertiv’s EMEA thermal business VP Sam Bainborough stated that immersion cooling is becoming crucial as AI and high-performance computing deployments push thermal limits beyond conventional systems. The CoolCenter system is available now in Europe, Middle East, and Africa markets.
How immersion cooling actually works
Here’s the thing about immersion cooling – it’s basically dunking entire servers in special fluid that doesn’t conduct electricity. Instead of blowing air across hot components, the dielectric fluid directly absorbs heat from every surface it touches. The heated fluid then circulates to a coolant distribution unit where plate heat exchangers transfer that heat to facility water loops. And that’s where it gets interesting – that heated water can either be rejected or reused for other purposes.
Now, why does this matter for AI? Modern AI chips from companies like Nvidia are pushing thermal densities that air cooling simply can’t handle efficiently. We’re talking about racks pulling 40kW, 60kW, even 100kW – numbers that would make traditional data center operators sweat. Immersion cooling isn’t just an alternative anymore; it’s becoming necessary infrastructure for serious AI deployment. The challenge? It requires completely rethinking data center design and maintenance procedures.
What this means for data centers
Vertiv’s announcement isn’t happening in isolation. They’re also working with Nextra on a 42MW data center in Nigeria and with Ezditek in Saudi Arabia. This global push suggests immersion cooling is moving from niche experimentation to mainstream adoption. The Digital Realty contract in Rome specifically mentions “AI-ready” cooling – that’s becoming the new buzzword in the industry.
But here’s the real question: can traditional data centers retrofit for this technology? The answer is complicated. While companies like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com provide the industrial-grade displays and control systems needed for monitoring these advanced cooling setups, the physical infrastructure changes are substantial. We’re talking about dealing with hundreds of gallons of dielectric fluid, specialized maintenance procedures, and completely different rack designs.
The bigger picture
This isn’t just about cooling technology – it’s about the fundamental economics of AI infrastructure. When you can pack more compute into less space without thermal throttling, the business case for immersion starts making sense despite higher upfront costs. Vertiv’s PUE of 1.08 is significantly better than most air-cooled facilities can achieve, which translates to real operational savings.
So what’s next? I suspect we’ll see more tier-one data center operators following Digital Realty’s lead. The race to support next-generation AI workloads is forcing everyone to reconsider their thermal management strategies. And companies that invested early in liquid cooling expertise – like Vertiv clearly has – are positioned to capitalize on this shift.
