Selecting the right materials is vital in every single project, from construction to complex industrial processes. It matters even for relatively simple things like packaging. One application where you need to be very careful is heat exchangers for data centres. They are key pieces of equipment, responsible for preventing overheating, damage to electronics, and even fires. We want to have a closer look at them here because data centres are a growing market that is becoming a cornerstone of the UK economy. Then, if you need to order exceptional materials like titanium plate Grade 7, you can rely on us.

What are they?

The UK has become one of the biggest markets for data centres in Europe. It’s likely to continue to grow as well, with many projects in the pipeline to keep building capacity. In fact, some local councils (particularly in hubs like London) are even including them in planning documents to identify where they can be built.

Data centres are becoming more and more important to support advanced IT and tech demands. This includes cloud and neocloud services, HPC computing, AI, and more. They contain a huge amount of equipment, particularly computers and server banks, to allow data storage, computing, and other key processes.

Why do they need heat exchangers?

Most people will be familiar with phones and other tech getting hot while you use it. If you’re doing something process heavy like gaming, devices can generate a surprising amount of heat. Now imagine what happens in data centres where there is a huge concentration of electrical equipment working really hard. It means heat exchangers are necessary to provide effective cooling. Titanium plate Grade 7 is an excellent material for them.

Growing demand

A recent report by Markets and Markets forecasts huge demand for data centre heat exchangers. This isn’t surprising when you consider the push to build more and increase capacity. Additionally, it’s important to ensure effective cooling to protect electronics. Liquid cooling is becoming more popular because it is able to handle higher heat loads and is generally quieter.

The report is estimating the data centre heat exchanger market will almost double in the next few years. Significantly, they expect it to grow from $7.67bn in 2026 to a massive $14.40bn in 2032. It expects North America to remain the biggest market, particularly for hyperscale data centres and AI infrastructure.

Why are plate heat exchangers so good?

There are several different types of heat exchanger, including shell and tube, finned, and plate. The latter are really good for data centres and other applications like aerospace and automotive. They can provide incredible performance, especially if you choose quality materials like titanium plate Grade 7.

The thing to keep in mind is plate heat exchangers offer a number of benefits. Critically, they can be surprisingly compact, especially if you compare to other models. The size does not compromise performance though; they can have a very high heat transfer co-efficient. This is significant for data centres. Plus, if you do need large models, it is easy to add extra plates.

Plate heat exchangers are also typically cost effective. Significantly, it is cheaper to buy plates than tubing. They are easy to maintain too thanks to a low fouling factor. Titanium improves this even further because of the high corrosion resistance. It reduces maintenance and improves the service life.

Learn more about titanium plate Grade 7

If you’re looking to build exceptional heat exchangers, make sure you choose the best materials. Brindley Metals would love to help. We have an incredible selection of products from some of the top manufacturers in the world. We’re always happy to share specifications and discuss key things like traceability and certifications.

So, get in touch today if you need titanium plate Grade 7 or want to compare it to other materials. We’ll give you the friendliest service every time.