Vertiv Adds New Direct Expansion Cooling Unit to Enable Carbon Footprint Reduction

Vertiv introduced the new, highly efficient Vertiv Liebert PDX-PAM direct expansion perimeter units with low global warming potential (GWP) and non-flammable R513A refrigerant. Available now in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), the system is designed to operate with an eco-friendly refrigerant (as compared to legacy refrigerants) to enable increased efficiency, reliability and maximum flexibility of installation.

Liebert PDX-PAM allows data centre owners to comply with the EU F-Gas Regulation 2024/573 and enables their pressing sustainability goals. The non-flammable R513A refrigerant provides up to a 70% GWP reduction when compared to the traditional R410A, without compromising safety or reliability. No additional safety devices are required, as is the case for units using flammable refrigerants, enabling reduced installation costs and CAPEX.

“In an era where efficiency and reliability are paramount, we recognize the urgent need for eco-friendly alternatives to stay ahead of regulatory requirements and provide our customers with state-of-the-art innovations,” stated Karsten Winther, president for Vertiv in Europe, Middle East and Africa. “With this new solution, we’re not just addressing our customers’ current sustainability objectives; we’re actively innovating and advancing the future of cooling technology and setting new heights for efficiency and reliability.”

Liebert PDX-PAM is available from 10 kW to 80 kW with a wide range of airflow configurations, options and accessories, making the unit easily adaptable to various installation needs, from small to medium data centres including edge computing applications, UPS and battery rooms. In conjunction with the Liebert PDX-PAM units, a wide choice of cooling solutions is available for managing heat rejection externally, depending on the specific system configuration.

Vertiv is leading in innovation and raising the technology threshold with Liebert PDX-PAM , a low-GWP, non-flammable R513A refrigerant solution with inverter-driven brushless motor compressors, staged coil design with an innovative patent-pending filter, electronic expansion valves and state-of-the-art electronically commutated (EC) fans, all included as standard features. The integrated Vertiv Liebert iCOM controller enables seamless synchronization of these components, allowing complete modulation of performance. This way, the Liebert PDX-PAM unit can adapt to changing operating conditions and heat load efficiently and reliably. The full continuous modulation capability significantly reduces the annual power consumption, resulting in a more cost-effective solution, thanks to the enhanced part load efficiency and precise monitoring of the machine’s operation, facilitating performance tracking and more timely and effective maintenance, thereby creating opportunities for predictive maintenance actions.

“The introduction of low GWP refrigerants for direct expansion systems marks a significant advancement in sustainable air-cooling technology,” said Lucas Beran, research director at Dell’Oro Group. By utilizing low-GWP and non-flammable refrigerants, Vertiv complies with EU F-Gas Regulation requirements and aims to reduce carbon footprints without compromising on safety or efficiency. This innovation is significant for data center operators aiming to achieve their sustainability goals while maintaining high operational standards.”