With the unprecedented rise in cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI), the global need for data centres and supercomputers is soaring — and Cortec® Corporation is playing a key role in protecting the vital cooling systems that keep them running. As new facilities emerge worldwide, vast cooling towers and backup chillers have become a familiar sight, working hard during hot summer months and sitting idle through colder seasons. Whatever the weather, Cortec® emphasises that taking proactive steps to fight corrosion is essential to ensuring long-term system health and reliability.
Corrosion gradually weakens the metal walls of pipes and equipment, leading to holes, leaks, and premature system failure. It shortens the service life of cooling infrastructure, increases downtime for maintenance, and can cause costly water damage. Moreover, corrosion debris can clog systems or “poison” the water by elevating iron and other metal levels in the system’s chemical balance. By preventing these issues through effective corrosion control, Cortec® solutions help operators extend the lifespan of their cooling systems, minimise repairs, and achieve significant long-term savings.
Corrosion Protection During Operation
Although corrosion inhibitors are a standard part of water treatment programs for active chillers or cooling towers, they are sometimes overlooked due to a lack of communication or awareness. If facilities find that a corrosion inhibitor is missing, they can add M-640 L or a similar additive. This “building block” for water treatment formulations offers comprehensive protection thanks to the presence of both contact and Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibitors, which protect metals below and above the water level. It is also an excellent replacement for silicates, phosphates, and nitrite-based compounds where disposal restrictions apply.
Corrosion Protection During Seasonal Layup
Whereas the use of a corrosion inhibitor during operation is the normal practice, preservation of chillers or cooling tower systems that sit idle during cool weather is less widespread than it should be. With their normal water treatment program inactive, these components are also at higher risk of corrosion from residual moisture or condensation as temperatures and humidity fluctuate. Where temperatures stay above freezing, data centres may prefer to keep chillers on standby via wet layup with Cortec’s VpCI®-649, a robust corrosion inhibitor package for wet or dry layup. If freezing is a concern, water treatment professionals can drain the water after applying VpCI®-649, or they can apply the Cooling Tower Frog® to an empty chiller. Both treatments include Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibitors that diffuse throughout the void space and form a protective molecular layer on metal surfaces as long as the system remains closed. When temperatures climb high enough to warrant a return to service, the cooling water systems can easily be restarted without having to remove the product first, all while avoiding complications from corrosion during layup.
Stay Cool and Fight Corrosion
With cloud-computing and AI only promising to get bigger and place more cooling towers and chillers on the horizon, now is the time to equip data centre managers and water treatment service providers with the tools and knowledge they need to minimize corrosion headaches and help data centres “keep their cool” when it comes to corrosion.