• Hitachi and SPACECOOL began trials on 15 September to test passive radiative cooling on equipment used in power systems and data centres
  • The trial will measure cooling performance alongside installation and maintenance requirements in operating environments

The fact

Hitachi and SPACECOOL said on 15 September that they had begun trials of a passive radiative-cooling material for infrastructure equipment. The companies are testing applications around power systems and data centres, particularly equipment exposed to direct sunlight or installed where adding powered cooling is difficult.

SPACECOOL's material is designed to reflect sunlight while releasing heat as infrared radiation. The company says this can lower the temperature of an exposed surface without requiring electricity to operate the cooling material.

The trial will examine temperature performance, equipment characteristics, installation conditions and maintenance requirements. SPACECOOL already sells the technology in products for buildings and outdoor infrastructure, including a magnetic sheet launched in 2023. Hitachi and SPACECOOL have not yet published measured results from the new joint trial.

The assessment

The important measurement is inside the equipment. A cooler outer surface is useful only if it keeps the components behind it within their operating temperature limits. That makes passive cooling most relevant where sunlight is adding heat from outside, such as an exposed cabinet or power unit. It is a different problem from removing the heat produced inside a densely packed server system. The trial therefore should not be read as evidence that the material can replace a data centre's main cooling system.

For BTW readers, maintenance will matter too. A sheet or coating that performs well when new still has to survive weather, cleaning and repeated access to the equipment. Hitachi's test can show whether the temperature reduction lasts long enough, and with little enough extra work, to make the material useful in day-to-day infrastructure operations.

What to watch

Look for results showing both surface and internal equipment temperatures under comparable weather and operating conditions. Installation time, maintenance requirements and performance after prolonged outdoor exposure will help show whether passive cooling can reduce heat-related problems on specific types of infrastructure equipment.