Schneider Electric has begun shipping its Uniflair XCA, a new series of air-cooled and free-cooling chillers designed to meet the rapidly evolving demands of AI-driven, high-density liquid-cooled data centres.
The Uniflair XCAC (air-cooled) and Uniflair XCAF (free-cooling) series integrate oil-free centrifugal compressors with magnetic bearing technology and built-in variable-speed drives, forming a fully optimised cooling platform engineered to deliver remarkable energy performance and operational stability across diverse thermal loads and ambient conditions.
Equipped with a high-efficiency spray-type evaporator, the XCA line features six sizes of oil-free centrifugal chillers ranging from 1,200 kW to 2,500 kW units that deliver excellent thermal performance and use low-GWP refrigerants to significantly reduce environmental impact.
Their wide operating range accommodates elevated water temperatures, making the chillers particularly suited for AI-optimised data centres and advanced liquid cooling infrastructures, where energy efficiency and sustainability are critical.
Schneider Electric’s senior VP, Cooling Business, Andrew Bradner, said energy efficiency, adaptability and reliability are essential components of liquid cooling systems for AI-optimised data centres, and the Uniflair XCA line has been designed with these features at the forefront.
“With adaptable water operating temperatures and versatile deployment options, the XCA line features a system-level approach that gives operators scalability, enhanced performance and long-term peace of mind as data centre complexity continues to rise,” he said.
As AI, GPU clusters and liquid cooling architectures drive unprecedented power densities, cooling systems have become central to data centre reliability and cost control. Uniflair XCA addresses these challenges through an integrated high‑efficiency architecture built around:
- Oil free magnetic bearing centrifugal compressors, which eliminate lubrication systems to reduce maintenance, contamination risks and mechanical losses, while delivering up to 25% higher efficiency and ultra-low acoustic levels.
- Advanced heat-exchange architecture that combines spray evaporator technology with V-shape microchannel coils, delivering thermal performance while significantly reducing refrigerant charge, material usage, and overall environmental footprint.
- Optimised heat-rejection architecture combining a new V-shape coil design, and a new generation of large diameter EC fans delivers higher heat exchange efficiency with increased airflow, lower acoustic impact and enabling stable operation even at high ambient temperatures.
- Enhanced free cooling capabilities: With high water temperatures (up to 33°C outlet) and enhanced coil geometry, XCAF free-cooling models significantly boost annualized performance. It can operate in extreme environmental conditions (from -20°C to +52°C), while in moderate climates, the system can achieve up to 60% energy savings compared to mechanical cooling alone, extending free-cooling availability and significantly reducing reliance on mechanical cooling.
- High configurability: With numerous electrical, hydraulic, noise control, and performance enhancement options, the system can be customized to meet specific operational needs, improving efficiency and reducing management costs.
- High-efficiency quick restart: Built for mission-critical application, the system supports a quick restart, restoring full operational capacity within 3 minutes of power outage to minimize service interruptions.
The XCA introduces a new generation of firmware features that optimise performance in real time:
- Variable speed pump algorithms for constant flow, constant temperature differential, or constant head pressure.
- Advanced fan modulation enabling low‑noise and ultra‑low‑noise profiles based on temperature, load, or time schedules.
- Energy metering and real-time water flow measurement for enhanced visibility.
These capabilities deliver predictive efficiency, reduced compressor cycling, and higher overall system stability.