LG has launched an air-cooled, oil-free, centrifugal chiller for the AI data center market.

The company said the system is designed “to improve energy performance and maintain cooling continuity.”

It uses an oil-free magnetic bearing centrifugal compressor. By using magnetic force to suspend the rotating shaft without physical contact, LG said the design eliminates the need for lubricating oil, reducing mechanical friction losses and improving compression performance.

The new system is also refrigerant-free, using cool outdoor air to lower the compressor cooling load. “Unlike conventional free-cooling systems, it circulates refrigerant directly without an intermediate heat exchanger and does not require glycol, minimizing heat and pressure losses and simplifying maintenance,” an LG statement said. This means it could consume as much as 30 percent less energy when compared to traditional free cooling that requires liquid.

LG has not disclosed how much heat the system can remove, but said it is available in 480 to 600 refrigeration tons per unit, and can be configured to an individual data center’s cooling requirements

“As AI data centers become increasingly dense and heat-intensive, energy-efficient, reliable cooling is more critical than ever,” said James Lee, president of the LG Electronics Eco Solution unit. “With our core tech and data center cooling expertise, we will continue to expand our portfolio of solutions to meet these evolving requirements.”

While many AI data centers opt for liquid cooling systems, which can handle far higher rack densities than air, traditional air cooling systems remain in widespread use in data centers.

Other vendors, including Schneider Electric, have brought oil-free, centrifugal systems to market to try and improve the efficiency of air cooling.