Cool by design: how high-performance plastic pipes keep modern data centers running

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At a new co-location data center in Velbert, a value chain collaboration between NETMOUNTAINS, Rittal, Georg Fischer, and Borouge International shows how advanced cooling systems incorporating high-performance polyolefin piping can support efficient heat management in high-density computing environments.

Data centers house the IT infrastructure used to store and process digital data. As demand for cloud computing, AI, and data services grows, more processing power needs to be concentrated into smaller spaces. This increases the amount of heat within each server rack—the cabinet that holds the computing equipment—which needs to be removed in order to keep systems running reliably and safely.

Polyolefin-based piping systems distribute coolant across the data center, helping manage heat in a high-density computing environment. © Georg Fischer

In the past, this was done by cooling the surrounding air, but now operators are turning to direct liquid cooling. In these systems, liquid is circulated close to the heat source to absorb and carry heat away more efficiently. This allows higher computing densities and more stable operating conditions.

This shift places new demands on cooling infrastructure, including the materials used to transport and manage the coolant. Polyolefin-based piping systems play a key role: compared to metal systems, they reduce heat transfer to the surrounding environment, offer strong chemical resistance, and are easier to handle and install due to their low weight and jointing technology.

Efficient cooling infrastructure, designed to scale

In a new co-location data center in Velbert, Germany, NETMOUNTAINS has implemented a cooling system based on this approach. The system covers the full cooling loop, from the external cooling units through to distribution within the data hall and into the server racks. It is designed to support high-performance workloads and to scale as capacity increases.

The project brings together complementary expertise from specialist partners: Rittal acted as the complete solution provider for the data center’s IT infrastructure and Rittal’s AI enabled direct liquid cooling solutions, while Georg Fischer (GF) served as the flow solutions provider, designing and delivering the polymer-based cooling loop from the external chiller and dry-cooler through to the server rack and chip. This included design, engineering, pre-fabrication, jointing technology, project execution, and the polymer piping components and peripherals.

At Borouge International—a global polyolefins company formed from Borealis, Borouge and NOVA Chemicals—we supported this project through advanced polyolefin materials supplied to our long-term partner GF.

Compared to metal, polyolefin piping offers strong chemical resistance and reduced heat transfer, improving efficiency and durability. © Georg Fischer

Materials fit for demanding pipe applications

GF selected our BE60 grade for the pipes and fittings used throughout the system. The material is developed for pressure pipe applications and is suitable for a range of components, including fittings and other engineered components.

BE60 is a beta-nucleated polypropylene homopolymer (PP-H) with a fine-grained modified crystalline structure, which is well suited to data center cooling applications due to its combination of properties:

Excellent chemical resistance, which helps maintain coolant quality over time and reduces the risk of contamination.
High hydrostatic strength, which supports reliable performance under continuous pressure.
Strong impact resistance over a wide temperature range, which ensures durability during installation and over long-term use.

Together, these characteristics support a piping system that operates reliably over time, with low maintenance requirements.

The cooling system is designed to operate reliably under demanding conditions and scale as computing needs increase. © Georg Fischer

Collaboration across the value chain

As data centers grow in capacity and complexity, stable and efficient cooling systems are essential. Delivering these systems draws on capabilities across the full value chain, from advanced materials and engineered piping systems to system integration and data center operations.

At NETMOUNTAINS in Velbert, Rittal and GF worked together to implement the cooling infrastructure, with GF providing the engineered polymer piping solution. The polyolefin materials used by GF’s pipping solutions made from PP-H are supplied by Borouge International.

The project demonstrates how advanced polymer materials can ultimately find their way into demanding, mission-critical applications such as data center cooling. For Borouge International, it provides a tangible example of how its material technologies are used downstream in infrastructure supporting the digital economy.