BASF has launched its Glythermin heat transfer fluid portfolio for liquid-cooled data centres, targeting the growing thermal management demands of artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing infrastructure.

The company’s Glythermin DC and Glythermin PG products are designed to support primary cooling loops and direct liquid cooling (DLC) applications, helping data centre operators manage increasing heat loads while maintaining system reliability and energy efficiency.

According to BASF, global data centre capacity has nearly doubled over the past five years, while AI workloads are driving server rack power densities to unprecedented levels. 

Processors and graphics processing units (GPUs) used for AI applications can generate heat loads exceeding 150 kilowatts per rack, pushing conventional air-cooling systems towards their limits.

Direct liquid cooling addresses this challenge by transferring heat directly from processors and GPUs through circulating coolant to a coolant distribution unit, which regulates flow, temperature and pressure.

BASF said its Glythermin portfolio combines propylene glycol chemistry with corrosion protection technologies to deliver reliable cooling performance and long-term system protection. 

The formulations are designed to extend coolant service life while reducing inhibitor consumption and protecting equipment against corrosion, ageing and deposit formation.

Glythermin DC PG 25 has also qualified as an NVIDIA DSX Ready Coolant, meeting applicable NVIDIA PG25 fluid requirements for secondary-loop, single-phase cold-plate cooling applications.