Kylmoduler

Kylmoduler is a modular cooling subsystem designed for high-density electronic installations such as data centers, high-performance computing clusters, and industrial control cabinets. The term combines kyl, a root meaning cold in several Scandinavian languages, with moduler, indicating its modular construction and interoperability.

Design and components: A kylmoduler typically includes a heat exchanger, a microchannel cooling block, a circulating pump, a coolant reservoir or manifold, valves, and an integrated control unit. Interfaces provide electrical, mechanical, and hydraulic connections that allow plug-and-play installation and hot-swapping of individual modules. Coolants used include water-glycol mixtures or dielectric fluids, selected for compatibility with electronic equipment and thermal performance.

Operation: Modules are installed in racks or frames and coordinated by a central controller or distributed controllers. The system adjusts pump speed and valve positions to regulate temperatures, maintain target inlet temperatures, and balance thermal load across modules. Temperature sensors and leak-detection devices support safety and reliability.

Advantages: The modular approach enables incremental cooling capacity by adding modules. It offers improved thermal uniformity, easier maintenance, faster replacement, and potential reductions in energy use through optimized flow control. It can also improve resilience by localizing failures and enabling redundant paths.

Limitations and considerations: Initial capital cost can be higher than traditional single-board cooling. Implementation requires compatible infrastructure, coolant management, leak detection, filtration, and crew trained in liquid cooling safety and maintenance.

History and usage: The kylmoduler concept gained traction in mid-2010s as data centers pursued scalable liquid cooling solutions. It has seen adoption in HPC facilities, edge computing deployments, and industrial equipment enclosures that demand tight temperature control.

See also: liquid cooling modules; hot-swappable cooling units; microchannel heat exchangers.