Rittal, the system provider for hardware, software, and automation, is further expanding its liquid cooling portfolio of the Blue e+ Chiller series for industry and IT, focusing on future-proof refrigerants that comply with the F-Gas Regulation. New performance classes from 1.5 to 7 kilowatts and special outdoor models are available for the proven cooling solution. A new addition is a particularly energy-efficient hybrid IT chiller in 5.5 and 7 kilowatts with an integrated free cooling function. A key feature of the new Blue e+ Chiller variants is their exceptionally high temperature stability with an accuracy of up to ±0.1 Kelvin in steady state. This precision is said to contribute significantly to extending the service life of temperature-sensitive components and enabling the manufacture of high-precision workpieces – especially in demanding industrial applications.

Energy savings of up to 70 percent

The basis for the high energy efficiency is a central direct current (DC) inverter, which intelligently controls the DC compressor, the DC condenser fan, and the electronic expansion valve depending on the load. This is said to enable energy savings of up to 70 percent compared to conventional cooling solutions, especially in partial load operation. According to Rittal, the savings increase to as much as 90 percent with hybrid IT chillers with free cooling function. In combination with the optional IoT interface, for example, integration into higher-level energy management systems for monitoring and controlling the cooling functions is possible. A touch display ensures intuitive operation directly on the device. All new devices have international approvals and offer multi-voltage capability for worldwide use.

Extended power classes for precise liquid cooling

For industrial applications, Rittal is expanding the standard version of the series to include power classes of 1.5 and 7 kilowatts—in addition to the existing 2.5, 4, and 5.5 kilowatt versions. This allows users in the mechanical engineering sector to find the right device for their specific application even more precisely. The Blue e+ Chiller scores particularly highly in mechanical engineering thanks to its high temperature accuracy, which ensures precise machine operation and compliance with tight material tolerances. The result: fewer production errors and downtimes, and a longer service life for components.

Robust outdoor version

In addition to the new power classes for indoor use, the Blue e+ Chiller is now also available as an outdoor version with 4, 5.5, and 7 kilowatts from stock as standard. The robust aluminum housing with UV-resistant paint and the weather-protected touch display ensure reliable outdoor use. Since the unit can pre-temper the cooling medium, it remains operational even at ambient temperatures as low as -20 degrees Celsius. The outdoor version can also withstand outside temperatures of up to +43 degrees Celsius, ensuring constant cooling to ideal operating temperatures in outdoor use. Rittal is thus opening up new applications for its climate control technology, such as for battery energy storage systems (BESS), which are increasingly in demand in the wake of the energy transition.

Highly efficient with free cooling

The portfolio expansion is rounded off by the Blue e+ Hybrid IT Chiller in the 5.5 and 7 kilowatt power classes, which, in combination with an LCU CW, can be used primarily in smaller IT applications up to 30 kilowatts. With a free cooler, this variant enables 90 percent energy savings compared to conventional cooling solutions. The integrated free cooling function automatically uses low outside temperatures for passive heat dissipation via a heat exchanger. As soon as the ambient temperature is cooler than the target temperature inside, active cooling is deactivated. This significantly reduces energy consumption, especially in temperate climates or during seasonal low temperatures. The Blue e+ Hybrid IT Chiller is just as weather-resistant as the Blue e+ Outdoor Chiller as standard and is therefore ideal for outdoor use, for example in combination with the Rittal Datacenter Container. Together with the LCU CW from Rittal, the Hybrid IT Chiller also supports rapid conversion to future-proof, F-gas regulation-compliant cooling solutions in IT. “With the expansion of our chiller portfolio, we are responding specifically to current market requirements,” summarizes Hakan Türe, Product Manager for Liquid Cooling at Rittal: “Whether it's the desire for greater process reliability in mechanical engineering, the boom in BESS, increasing computing power in IT, or the need for F-gas regulation-compliant equipment—our new models are ideally equipped for the challenges of tomorrow.”

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