Data Center Cooling in Corrosive Locations
Why data centres are exposed
Site selection follows power, fibre and land, which often leads to ports, coastal cities and industrial zones. Heat-rejection equipment runs around the clock, so it moves far more outdoor air than a typical building system.
Adiabatic and free cooling
Adiabatic dry coolers wet the inlet air or pads to cut water and energy use, but droplets that reach the coil leave minerals behind. Free-cooling systems bring outdoor air into the building, taking salt and gases to indoor coils and, if poorly filtered, to IT equipment.
Redundancy is not protection
N+1 plant hides early corrosion losses until several units degrade together. Coating before shipment keeps the whole fleet at its design capacity for longer.
ISO 9223 corrosivity category
Typical category for this environment: C3–C5.
- C1Very low
- C2Low
- C3Medium
- C4High
- C5Very high
- CXExtreme
Recommended protection by equipment
| Condition | ISO 9223 | Recommended system | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chillers and dry coolers, coastal site | C5 | PG-S1 Polysiloxane sol-gel | Dip where the coil fits the tank; PG-C spray on larger banks. |
| Chillers and dry coolers, industrial zone | C4 | PG-S1 Polysiloxane sol-gel | PG-C where acid gases are present. |
| Adiabatic dry coolers | C4 | PG-S1 Polysiloxane sol-gel | Send the spray water analysis with the enquiry. |
| CRAH / AHU coils with outdoor-air free cooling | C3 | PG-W Waterborne 2K | Coat where the outdoor air is salty or polluted. |
Not sure which category your site falls into?
Enter distance from the sea, humidity and nearby industry to get an estimated ISO 9223 category.
Related
- CoatingsWaterborne Polysiloxane (Sol-Gel) Coil Coating
- EquipmentDry Cooler Coil Coating
- EnvironmentsCoastal HVAC Corrosion by Distance from the Sea
- ServicePre-Shipment Coil Coating in China
- MarketsCoil Coating for HVAC Projects in Southeast Asia
- GuidesDoes Coil Coating Reduce Heat Transfer?
Also see
- CoatingsAir-Dry Two-Component Chemical-Resistant Coating
- EquipmentAir-Cooled Chiller Coil Protection
- EnvironmentsIndustrial Atmospheres (SO₂, NOx, Chlorides)
- MarketsCoil Coating for HVAC Projects in the Middle East and Gulf
- GuidesDoes Coating Increase Air-Side Pressure Drop?
- CoatingsWaterborne Two-Component Coil Coatings
- EquipmentAHU Coil Coating
- MarketsCoil Coating for HVAC Projects in North America
Does ISA-71.04 apply to the cooling coils?
ISA-71.04 classifies gaseous contamination for electronics, so it applies to the air around IT equipment. Outdoor coils are specified by the atmospheric corrosivity category instead.
Will coating reduce cooling capacity?
A thin film tested under 2% heat-transfer loss has a small effect compared with the capacity lost to corroded, blocked fins over the life of the site.
Tell us the equipment, the site and the destination port. We reply within 24 hours.