Pumps, valves and heat exchangers for data center cooling
Hydraulic components for cloud, colocation, AI, HPC and mining data centers: chillers, free cooling, facility water systems, CDUs, immersion cooling and heat recovery. KSB and Ebara pumps with VFDs, balancing valves, plate heat exchangers. Technical selection, stock available, worldwide shipping.
Why data centers need more pumps
Cloud, artificial intelligence, high performance computing and mining keep pushing up power per rack. A latest-generation AI server rack dissipates around 130 kW. Air cooling in practice handles 20-40 kW per rack: above that threshold heat has to be removed with water. Every new AI hall adds hydraulic loops, redundant pumps, heat exchangers and valves.
Italy expects EUR 25 billion of data center investment in 2026-2028, with 83 new projects and 75% of capacity concentrated in the Milan area (Data Center Observatory, Politecnico di Milano, July 2026). Over the same period the liquid cooling component supply chain is working with long lead times.
Roffia supplies the hydraulic package wherever the site is: pumps, valves, heat exchangers, fittings and accessories from a single supplier, with technical selection and stock for urgent site requirements.
Every type of data center
Size and density vary, but the hydraulics are the same: water or glycol to circulate, heat to reject, uptime to guarantee.
| Type | Typical cooling | What is needed |
|---|---|---|
| Hyperscale and cloud | Chillers with free cooling, chilled water, increasingly direct-to-chip liquid cooling | Large pumps in N+1, motorised butterfly valves, plate heat exchangers, grooved fittings |
| Colocation | Chilled water to CRAHs and rear doors, AI halls with CDUs | Twin inline pumps, PICV balancing, control valves, phased expansions |
| AI and HPC (high performance computing, supercomputing) | Direct-to-chip liquid cooling with CDUs, facility water at 30-45 °C | Pumps with VFDs, plate heat exchangers, strainers, sensors, components for CDU manufacturers |
| Mining farms (cryptocurrency, blockchain) | Immersion cooling in dielectric fluid or water-cooled hydro-miners, dry coolers | Pumps and plate heat exchangers on the water loop between tanks and dry coolers, valves, fittings, joints |
| Edge and enterprise data centers | Compact chillers, in-row units, free cooling | Pumps and circulators, balancing valves, expansion vessels, accessories |
| Heat recovery | Heat pumps supplying district heating, greenhouses, industrial processes | Large plate heat exchangers, circulation pumps, control valves |
The three loops of a liquid-cooled data center
Heat travels from the racks to the outside through three water loops in series, separated by heat exchangers. Each loop has its own pumps and valves.
| Loop | Where | Components | Brands |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Heat rejection | Chillers, dry coolers, cooling towers, free cooling | End-suction and split case pumps with VFDs (N+1), motorised butterfly valves, dual plate check valves, Y-strainers, anti-vibration joints, expansion joints, plate heat exchangers for free cooling | KSB, Ebara, Valbia, Italvalvole, Alfa Laval, Swep |
| 2. Facility water system (FWS) | Distribution loop to CRAHs, rear doors, CDUs · 30-45 °C with direct liquid cooling | Single and twin inline pumps with differential pressure control, pressure independent control valves (PICV), 2/3-way control valves, isolation ball valves, grooved fittings, expansion vessels, deaerators, dirt separators | KSB, Caleffi, Danfoss, Siemens, RM |
| 3. Technology cooling system (TCS) | From the CDU to the racks · treated water or propylene glycol PG25 | Components for CDU manufacturers: stainless steel plate heat exchangers, motorised control valves, fine strainers, pressure and temperature sensors. 304/316L stainless steel, EPDM seals | Danfoss, Samson, Siemens, Valvoinox |
| Heat recovery | Heat pumps and district heating supplied with data center waste heat | Large plate heat exchangers, circulation pumps, control valves, instrumentation | KSB, Alfa Laval, Swep, Danfoss |
| Utilities | Make-up water, water treatment, fire protection | Stainless steel multistage pumps for pressure boosting, dosing pumps for chemical treatment, UNI EN 12845 fire pump sets | KSB, Ebara, Etatron |
Products for data center cooling
Data center cooling pumps
KSB and Ebara inline, end-suction, split case and multistage pumps with VFDs, in N+1 redundancy.
Plate heat exchangers
Free cooling, loop separation, heat recovery. Sizing included.
Butterfly valves
Wafer and lug, concentric and eccentric, with electric actuators for large diameters.
Balancing valves and PICV
Static and dynamic, to distribute flow between CRAHs, rear doors and CDUs.
Control valves
2-way and 3-way with electric actuators, for temperature and flow control.
Check valves
Dual plate and silent check valves on pump discharges.
Strainers
Y-type and basket strainers to protect pumps and heat exchangers.
Grooved and stainless steel fittings
Grooved for fast, weld-free installation, stainless steel butt weld, EN and ANSI flanges.
Anti-vibration joints
On pump and chiller suction and discharge.
Expansion joints
To absorb thermal expansion in main headers.
Air vents and deaerators
Air out of the loops: less corrosion, quieter pumps.
Fire protection
Fire pump sets, hydrants and certified components.
Who we work with
- Chiller, CDU and IT cooling unit manufacturers
- Pumps, heat exchangers, valves and instrumentation for series production, with scheduled deliveries and stock for urgent needs.
- Mechanical contractors and installers
- The complete hydraulic package for the site, delivered in phases, with the documentation required for commissioning.
- Distributors and traders abroad
- Branded pumps and valves from Italian stock when local channels are stretched. Quotations in English and French, documents for resale.
- Data center operators and maintenance teams
- Original KSB and Ebara spare parts, mechanical seals, replacement valves and joints, with short lead times.
Why Roffia
- Worldwide shipping: Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Americas and Asia. Quotations in English, French and Italian, delivery terms and export documents per Incoterms.
- Stock available: valves, fittings, joints, spare parts and standard pumps ready to ship when manufacturers quote long lead times.
- One supplier for the whole package: pumps, heat exchangers, valves, fittings and accessories from more than 25 brands.
- Technical selection with official KSB and Ebara software, plate heat exchanger sizing.
- Full documentation: datasheets, curves, CE and PED declarations, EN 10204 3.1 certificates where applicable.
- Since 1968 in industrial plant: water, steam, thermal oil, compressed air.
What to include in your enquiry
Components and quantities, current make and model or acceptable alternatives
Pump duty point: flow (m³/h) and head (m)
Fluid and temperature: water, glycol (%), chilled or condenser water
Motor: rating, voltage and frequency, IE class, VFD
Materials and connections: cast iron or stainless steel, PN or ANSI flanges
Destination and timing: country, Incoterms, delivery date
Partial data is fine: for fast-track projects we call you back to complete the selection.
Email vendite@roffia.com with this templateFrequently asked questions
Which pumps are used to cool a data center?
Why do AI data centers use liquid cooling?
What is a CDU and does Roffia supply them?
Which valves are used in data center cooling systems?
Does Roffia export data center components outside Italy?
How quickly can Roffia deliver pumps and valves to a data center site?
What information do you need for a quotation?
Working on a data center project?
Send us the component list or the system schematic. We select pumps, valves and heat exchangers and send you a quotation with confirmed delivery dates.