ION EXCHANGE

EMERGING SOLUTIONS

Data centre solutions

Integrated Cooling, EPC and Water Optimisation Solutions for Modern Data Centres

As data centres support increasingly demanding workloads, including AI, high-performance computing and cloud services, effective thermal management and reliable infrastructure are essential. Ion Exchange offers integrated data centre solutions combining cooling technologies, engineering and project execution, and water treatment expertise to help customers develop, upgrade and operate efficient, scalable facilities.

Cooling solutions

Ion Exchange offers cooling solutions designed to address the heat loads associated with high-density computing. Solutions can be configured for new facilities or for integration into suitable existing data centre infrastructure, based on rack density, site conditions, operating requirements and the customer’s cooling architecture.

Data hall with server racks along a contained aisle and overhead liquid cooling supply and return pipework with isolation valves
Row of liquid-cooled server racks with rear door heat exchangers, flexible coolant hoses to a floor manifold and a coolant distribution unit at the end of the row

Rear door heat exchangers (RDHx)

Rear Door Heat Exchangers capture heat from server exhaust at the rack, helping limit the spread of hot air into the data centre environment. Modular configurations can support changing rack heat loads and may be considered for suitable retrofit projects where minimising changes to existing infrastructure is important.

Coolant distribution units (CDUs)

Coolant Distribution Units manage the circulation of cooling fluid between facility-side systems and liquid-cooled IT equipment. They help regulate coolant flow, temperature and pressure, while separating the facility water loop from the secondary cooling loop. Configuration, capacity and redundancy are selected to suit project requirements.

Direct-to-chip liquid cooling

Direct-to-chip liquid cooling transfers heat from high-temperature components such as CPUs and GPUs through cold plates and a controlled liquid-cooling circuit. It can be evaluated for AI and high-performance computing applications where conventional air cooling may not be sufficient on its own.

Controls, monitoring and cooling optimisation

Where included in the project scope, monitoring and control solutions can provide visibility into key cooling parameters, support alarm identification and help in flagging unusual conditions and potential faults earlier so operators can adjust cooling and improve system performance. Integration with the customer’s building management system (BMS) and data centre infrastructure management (DCIM) environment can be evaluated during engineering.

Data centre EPC and project integration

Ion Exchange can act as the EPC lead and project integrator for agreed data centre opportunities, coordinating engineering and delivery across the defined project scope. Our role can bring together cooling systems, water treatment and associated infrastructure through a single project interface.

Data centre mechanical plant room with chilled water pumps, insulated pipework and valves, and two engineers in hard hats and hi-vis vests
  1. 01

    Engineering and system integration

    Project engineering, design coordination, interface management and integration of cooling and utility systems.

  2. 02

    Mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP)

    Coordination and execution of the agreed MEP scope, including interfaces with the facility and IT cooling infrastructure.

  3. 03

    Water treatment and water systems

    Water treatment systems and water-quality management to support the cooling arrangement and site-specific requirements.

  4. 04

    Procurement and construction management

    Procurement coordination, installation oversight and construction management for the contracted scope.

  5. 05

    Commissioning and handover

    System checks, commissioning coordination, documentation and handover in accordance with agreed project requirements.

  6. 06

    Customer interface and lifecycle support

    Coordination with the customer and relevant project stakeholders, with service and support arrangements defined for each project.

Water footprint optimisation and reuse

Water management is an important consideration in data centre design and operation. Drawing on its water treatment capabilities, Ion Exchange can develop site-specific solutions to improve water use and support responsible sourcing and reuse, subject to water quality, cooling technology and local regulations.

  • Closed-loop cooling schemes and water-system optimisation.
  • Water recovery, recycling and blowdown minimisation.
  • Treatment of suitable alternative water sources, including industrial recycled water and treated sewage effluent.
  • Water-quality assessment and treatment selection to support reliable operation of the proposed cooling system.
Water treatment plant room with a reverse osmosis skid of horizontal membrane pressure vessels, filtration vessels and a control panel, with the data centre cooling plant visible through the windows

Applications

  • AI training and inference facilities

  • HPC & Research computing

  • Hyperscale and enterprise data centres

  • Colocation and multi-tenant data centres

  • Edge and micro data centres

  • Existing facilities upgrading to higher rack densities or liquid cooling

Why Ion Exchange?

Aerial view of a data centre campus with rooftop dry coolers, a chiller yard, a chilled water pipe rack and a water treatment plant with storage tanks
  1. 01

    Integrated project approach combining EPC coordination, cooling-system integration and water treatment.

  2. 02

    Engineering-led solutions selected around site conditions, heat loads, operating requirements and expansion plans.

  3. 03

    Water expertise to support closed-loop systems, water recovery and the use of suitable alternative water sources.

  4. 04

    Modular and scalable solution planning for new installations and suitable retrofit applications.

  5. 05

    A coordinated customer interface across the agreed engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning scope.

Let’s plan your data centre solution

Whether you are planning a new data centre, increasing rack density, evaluating liquid cooling or looking to optimise water use, Ion Exchange can work with you to assess requirements and develop a fit-for-purpose solution.