In-Row Cooling Systems

Modern servers, storage, and GPUs pack more power into each rack. High density in-row cooling is designed to handle loads that perimeter systems struggle with.

Air travels only a short distance between the cooling unit and the rack, reducing mixing, losses, and fan energy.

Cooling is delivered exactly where it is needed, making in-row units an effective hot spot cooling system.

In-row cooling without a raised floor makes it ideal for new builds, retrofits, and edge sites where raised floors are impractical.

Units come in half-rack (around 300 mm) and full-rack (around 600 mm) widths to fit standard rack rows.

A high-capacity coil removes heat efficiently, using either chilled water or refrigerant.

Multiple EC fans deliver horizontal airflow with variable speed control and built-in redundancy.

Filters protect the coil and fans from dust.

Chilled water units use a modulating valve, while DX units use a variable speed compressor.

Remote sensors at rack inlets provide accurate feedback for control.

A built-in condensate pump removes any moisture from the coil.

An intelligent controller manages operation, alarms, and communication, supported by leak detection sensors.

A chilled water in-row unit connects to a central chiller plant. CW in-row cooling offers high capacity, excellent efficiency, and no compressors in the data hall.

A DX in-row cooling unit has its own compressor and connects to an outdoor condenser. Air cooled in-row cooling suits sites without a chilled water plant.

Water cooled in-row cooling and glycol cooled in-row cooling reject heat to a water or glycol loop, allowing longer distances to outdoor equipment.

Half-rack units suit smaller loads and tight spaces, while full-rack units deliver higher capacity per unit.

Compact in-row units cool micro data centers and self-contained rack pods for branch offices and edge sites.

Chilled water coils fitted on the rack rear door cool exhaust air before it leaves the rack.

Cooling units mounted above racks supply cold air downward, saving floor space.

Enclosed rack systems with built-in cooling provide in-rack cooling for individual racks. When comparing in-row cooling vs in-rack cooling, in-row serves the whole row, while in-rack cooling serves a single enclosed rack.

Hot aisle containment with in-row cooling encloses the hot aisle, so units draw only hot air. This raises return temperatures and improves efficiency.

Cold aisle containment with in-row cooling encloses the cold aisle, keeping cold air in front of the racks.

Pre-engineered pods combine racks, in-row units, containment, power, and monitoring into a single modular solution.

Blanking panels and sealed gaps prevent bypass air and recirculation. In open aisle in-row cooling layouts without containment, these measures are even more important.

In-row cooling for high density racks, combined with containment, can handle rack loads well beyond what perimeter cooling supports.

In-row cooling for GPU racks and HPC in-row cooling deliver concentrated cooling for AI training and inference clusters. In-row cooling for AI data centers is often the first step in handling these heat loads.

When rack densities rise to very high levels, air cooling alone becomes impractical. When comparing in-row cooling vs liquid cooling, direct-to-chip or immersion cooling may be needed for the hottest racks, often alongside in-row cooling for the remaining air-cooled load.

In-row cooling sizing starts with total IT load and kW per rack for each row.

Units are distributed along each row to cover all racks evenly. Common in-row cooling capacity options include 30kW in-row cooling and 40kW in-row cooling units, with high capacity in-row cooling models available for larger loads.

N+1 in-row cooling adds one extra unit per row or group, maintaining cooling if a unit fails.

In-row cooling airflow, or CFM, is matched to the airflow needed by the IT equipment to avoid bypass or recirculation.

Chilled water piping can run overhead or underfloor, with drip trays and leak detection.

Refrigerant piping to outdoor condensers is sized and routed within manufacturer limits.

Condensate pumps and drain lines are planned to handle any moisture safely.

ASHRAE TC 9.9 publishes widely followed thermal guidelines for data processing environments.

For most IT equipment, the recommended rack inlet temperature range is 18°C to 27°C. Always check the latest guidelines and equipment requirements.

With containment, in-row units receive higher return air temperatures, which improves coil capacity and efficiency. In-row humidity control keeps moisture within recommended limits.

Short air paths need less fan power to deliver the same cooling.

Variable speed in-row cooling with EC fans adjusts airflow to match IT load.

Chilled water in-row units can operate with warmer water, improving chiller efficiency and enabling in-row free cooling through the chiller plant.

Containment prevents air mixing and raises return temperatures, improving efficiency.

An energy efficient in-row cooling system, with inverter in-row cooling for DX units, helps lower Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE).

Units control cooling based on actual rack inlet temperature, the most accurate measure of IT conditions.

Units in a row work together, sharing load, rotating duty, and responding to failures automatically. This group control provides built-in in-row cooling redundancy.

In-row cooling BMS integration and in-row cooling DCIM integration through SNMP, in-row cooling Modbus, or in-row cooling BACnet provide full visibility.

Remote monitoring sends instant alerts for faults, high temperatures, and leaks.

Leak detection around units and piping provides early warning of water leaks.

In-row cooling supports much higher rack densities than perimeter cooling.

Targeted rack cooling delivers cold air exactly where it is needed.

In-row cooling works on slab floors, reducing construction cost. Raised floor in-row cooling is also possible where a raised floor already exists.

Units can be added as racks and loads increase.

Short air paths and variable airflow reduce energy use.

In-row cooling for edge data centers is compact and efficient, making it a strong edge data center cooling solution.

In-row units take up rack positions that could otherwise hold IT equipment.

Chilled water or refrigerant runs close to IT equipment, requiring drip trays and leak detection.

Distributed units mean more equipment to service than a few large perimeter units.

At low rack densities, perimeter cooling may be more economical.

Overhead piping must be coordinated with cable trays, lighting, and fire systems.

Compress India designs each in-row installation to balance density, cost, and reliability.

In-row cooling is the standard choice for high density data center cooling.

Colocation providers use in-row cooling to support varied tenant densities.

Compact in-row units cool edge sites and micro data centers.

In-row cooling supports AI training and HPC clusters with high heat loads.

In-row cooling upgrades enterprise server rooms without raised floors.

Telecom hubs use in-row cooling for dense network equipment.

Banks rely on redundant in-row cooling for critical systems.

Universities and research institutes use in-row cooling for supercomputing and research clusters.

Vertiv in-row cooling, including the Liebert CRV range, is widely used in Indian data centers. Liebert in-row cooling units are available in chilled water and DX options.

Schneider in-row cooling, sold under the APC InRow range, including InRow RC chilled water units, is a popular choice for data centers of all sizes.

STULZ offers in-row precision cooling units for high-density data centers.

Rittal offers row-based and rack-based cooling solutions for IT environments.

Other manufacturers also offer in-row cooling units. Compress India recommends the best-fit brand for your project.

Scheduled quarterly visits cover inspections, cleaning, testing, and performance checks.

Filters are replaced regularly to maintain airflow.

Coils and fans are cleaned to maintain heat transfer and airflow.

Valves, compressors, and refrigerant charge are checked for correct operation.

Condensate pumps are tested to prevent leaks.

Sensors are calibrated and leak detection systems tested.

Our team provides round-the-clock support for critical failures.

Causes: insufficient capacity, unit failure, or airflow problems.

Solution: Check unit operation, containment, and capacity, and add units if needed.

Causes: missing blanking panels, containment gaps, or poor unit placement.

Solution: Seal gaps, add blanking panels, and optimise placement.

Causes: pump wear, blocked drains, or float switch faults.

Solution: Repair or replace pumps and clean drains.

Causes: clogged strainers, valve issues, or balancing problems.

Solution: Clean strainers, check valves, and rebalance flow.

Causes: dirty condensers, refrigerant issues, or high ambient.

Solution: Clean condensers, check charge, and improve condenser airflow.

Causes: EC fan motor or electronics failure.

Solution: Replace fans. Multiple fans maintain airflow during repair.

Causes: open doors, gaps, or missing panels.

Solution: Seal containment and install blanking panels.

In-row units can be added to existing rooms to handle new high-density racks and in-row cooling for hot spot reduction.

Containment can be retrofitted to improve efficiency.

Existing facilities can be upgraded with higher capacity in-row units, and liquid cooling where needed.

Older units can be upgraded with EC fans and modern controllers.

Higher capacity units cost more, while full-rack units cost more than half-rack units.

DX units include compressors and condensers. Chilled water units rely on the chiller plant, which affects the overall project cost.

Piping, drip trays, leak detection, containment, electrical work, and commissioning form part of the installed cost.

Brand, number of units, redundancy, containment, controls, and site conditions all affect the final price.

Share your rack layout and IT load with Compress India to receive an accurate in-row cooling quotation.