The rapid shift toward liquid cooling, driven by increased adoption of AI and high-performance chips, presents an equal number of opportunities and challenges for the industry. Meeting the rising power demand brings with it greater heat output, calling into question the suitability of traditional cooling methods to support a new generation of ultra-dense data centers.

Across the sector, liquid cooling is emerging as a vital solution for managing this increased thermal load. As servers become more powerful and densely packed, the heat they produce exceeds what traditional air cooling systems can handle efficiently. This has created a growing demand for advanced cooling technologies that can be seamlessly integrated into both current and future data center designs.

In this episode of DCD>Talks, David Kandel, global data center applications manager at Belimo, explores how the company’s innovative control valves and advanced system controls are making data center cooling smarter and more transparent. As Belimo marks its 50th anniversary, the company is doubling down on supporting operators in their efforts to scale up infrastructure, while keeping cool.

Entering the market

For years, there’s been talk about liquid cooling being the next big thing in data center technology. As chipmakers developed more powerful processors and AI workloads placed greater demands on infrastructure, the limitations of air cooling became increasingly apparent.

But what was once a slow-building trend has rapidly turned into a widespread shift: “There was a lot of excitement about it and a lot of anxiety, and then there was this big shift sometime in the last 12 months,” says Kandel. “It went from ‘it's coming’ to ‘it's here.’ And it wasn't a small jump, it was a massive change all at once.”

This surge in computing performance has unlocked new opportunities for the industry. But it also means that data centers must be supported by cooling systems that can keep pace without compromising efficiency or scalability.

Belimo, known for its roots in commercial HVAC and expertise in fluid control, is leveraging that foundation to meet the emerging needs of modern data centers. Kandel explains what’s driving the company’s move into the sector:

“We've had amazing transitions into the control valve market space, the controls, and sensor marketplaces, and we're all about innovation. We try to find the solutions that maybe even the market doesn't know it needs yet.”

By applying its proven engineering capabilities to the unique challenges of liquid cooling, Belimo is helping bridge the gap between traditional HVAC and high-performance data center operations.

Standing out from the crowd

As liquid and hybrid cooling gain ground and air cooling gradually retreats, innovation has become a necessity. Providers are racing to offer solutions that not only handle the heat but do so with intelligence, efficiency, and adaptability. For Belimo, the key is combining technical innovation with customer-first thinking.

“Belimo pairs the smart electronics with the actuation, the control valves, and the sensors, which is what makes us unique in that space,” explains Kandel.

In a landscape where one-size-fits-all solutions no longer cut it, alignment between providers and customers is more important than ever. Belimo has created a dedicated team of data center application consultants to work directly with clients and help them identify the right solutions, on their terms.

“Belimo has a group of data center application consultants whose only job is to work with clients to help them figure out the best solutions to match their applications. They're not salespeople. They're not commissioned,” explains Kandel.

This focus on customer guidance ensures that new solutions and innovations are aligned with real-world operational needs.

Advanced controls

While much of the spotlight on liquid cooling centers around pumps, manifolds, and immersion systems, the often-overlooked hero is the control valve. It’s the component responsible for managing fluid flow, regulating pressure, and ensuring the system responds accurately to varying thermal loads.

Belimo has reimagined this core element by embedding intelligence directly into the valves. These aren’t just mechanical parts, they’re smart devices that offer a window into how the cooling system is functioning.

“What we've done is integrate all this telemetry into our valves, which allows us to have advanced controls,” explains Kandel. “We now have the ability to measure flow through valves, modulate them to specific flow rates and specific differential pressures.”

The result? Data center operators gain precise control over how and where cooling is delivered, down to individual heat exchangers and server racks.

“With differential pressure control, we have the ability to measure full power heat transfer across heat exchange devices so you can do power control,” he adds. “It gives us so many more options, and it gives us unparalleled system transparency.”

That visibility is crucial. In high-density environments where every degree matters, operators need real-time data to make informed decisions. Belimo’s technology not only makes that possible, it makes it practical and scalable.

Future trends

As the industry looks ahead, one thing is certain: thermal loads are only going to increase. Emerging workloads like generative AI, edge computing, and advanced analytics will continue pushing hardware and cooling systems to their limits.

“We're talking about tremendous amounts of heat in a rack of servers,” says Kandel. “The kind of heat we used to describe an entire data center is what we're talking about for a single rack in the next five years.”

To meet these demands, cooling technologies will need to become even more integrated, efficient, and intelligent. That means ongoing innovation in how fluids are moved, controlled, measured, and optimized.

It also means that collaboration across the industry, between hardware suppliers, cooling specialists, and infrastructure providers, will be essential. “It’s an exciting time, but we really all need to work together as an industry to make sure we get there,” Kandel concludes.

Liquid cooling is rapidly moving from niche to necessity as data centers grapple with soaring thermal demands driven by AI and high-performance computing. With a combination of intelligent controls, system transparency, and a customer-first approach, Belimo is championing innovative, future-ready solutions.

To hear more from David Kandel about Belimo’s innovative cooling solutions and his view on the future of data center cooling, watch the full DCD>Talks episode here.