DC Explorer: system archetype
Conventional air-cooled colocation
Servers are cooled by air. Computer room air handlers move heat into a chilled-water or refrigerant system that rejects it outdoors. Typical of multi-tenant halls with mixed, moderate rack densities.
Draft conceptual topology, not yet engineering-reviewed. It shows which systems connect, not capacities, quantities, redundancy or a design. It is not a single-line diagram or a schematic, and it does not show that any products are compatible. Updated 18 Oct 2026.
When to use it: Use it to understand the baseline most existing capacity is built on, and why air alone limits rack density.
System graph
Lines show what feeds what: electrical heat network controls and services. Select a box to jump to its entry. The 3D explorer shows the same systems.
Systems and connections
Electrical
Utility connection and substation
Brings grid supply on site at transmission or distribution voltage. A connection allocation is not commissioned IT load.
Feeds: Transformers and protection (supply)
On CoolPower Index: Switchgear & Transformers suppliers, Data centre power distribution
Transformers and protection
Steps voltage down and isolates faults. Ratings, impedance and protection settings come from the electrical design.
Fed by: Utility connection and substation (supply)
Feeds: MV and LV switchgear and distribution (stepped-down supply)
On CoolPower Index: Switchgear & Transformers suppliers, Data centre power distribution
MV and LV switchgear and distribution
Distributes power to IT, mechanical and building loads and allows sections to be isolated for maintenance.
Fed by: Transformers and protection (stepped-down supply), Standby generation (backup interface)
Feeds: UPS and batteries (critical feed), Chillers (plant supply)
On CoolPower Index: Switchgear & Transformers suppliers, Data centre power distribution
UPS and batteries
Rides through supply interruptions for selected it and critical mechanical paths. Which loads are UPS-backed is a design choice, not a default.
Fed by: MV and LV switchgear and distribution (critical feed)
Feeds: Racks and rack power (PDUs or power shelves) (UPS-backed IT supply)
On CoolPower Index: UPS & Power Distribution suppliers, Backup power and energy storage, Data centre power distribution, Cooling and power RFI checklist
Standby generation
Supplies backup power after a utility outage once started. Standby duty is not continuous prime power.
Feeds: MV and LV switchgear and distribution (backup interface)
On CoolPower Index: Gensets & On-site Power suppliers, Backup power and energy storage
Thermal
Computer room air handlers (CRAH)
Pass hall air over chilled-water coils and return cooled air to the IT equipment. Containment keeps hot and cold air apart.
Fed by: Servers and accelerators (hot air), Controls and monitoring (BMS, EPMS, DCIM) (control)
Feeds: Chilled-water loop and pumps (heat to water)
On CoolPower Index: Chillers & Precision Cooling suppliers, Cooling technology selection guide
Chilled-water loop and pumps
Carries heat from the CRAHs to the chillers. Supply and return temperatures set how much free cooling is possible.
Fed by: Computer room air handlers (CRAH) (heat to water)
Feeds: Chillers (return water)
On CoolPower Index: Warm-water cooling loops
Chillers
Move heat from the chilled-water loop to the condenser side. The condenser rejects the evaporator heat plus the compressor input.
Fed by: Chilled-water loop and pumps (return water), MV and LV switchgear and distribution (plant supply), Controls and monitoring (BMS, EPMS, DCIM) (control)
Feeds: Outdoor heat rejection (cooling towers or dry coolers) (condenser heat)
On CoolPower Index: Chillers & Precision Cooling suppliers, Heat rejection, Cooling technology selection guide
Outdoor heat rejection (cooling towers or dry coolers)
Release heat to outdoor air. Evaporative towers use water. Dry coolers do not, but depend more on ambient temperature.
Fed by: Chillers (condenser heat)
On CoolPower Index: Heat Rejection suppliers, Heat rejection
Open in 3D: Outdoor heat rejection (cooling towers or dry coolers)
IT and network
Racks and rack power (PDUs or power shelves)
Hold IT equipment and distribute power inside the rack. Rack density and weight drive floor, power and cooling requirements.
Fed by: UPS and batteries (UPS-backed IT supply)
Feeds: Servers and accelerators (rack power)
On CoolPower Index: Direct liquid cooling (direct-to-chip), 800 VDC rack power
Servers and accelerators
Turn nearly all of their electrical input into heat at the IT boundary. Power and cooling needs depend on the exact model and configuration.
Fed by: Racks and rack power (PDUs or power shelves) (rack power)
Feeds: Network switches and optics (data), Computer room air handlers (CRAH) (hot air)
On CoolPower Index: Direct liquid cooling (direct-to-chip)
Network switches and optics
Connect servers, storage and the outside world. Network power and cabling are often missed in early estimates.
Fed by: Servers and accelerators (data), Storage (data)
On CoolPower Index: No verified portal record linked yet.
Storage
Holds data for the workload. Configuration, usable capacity and power vary widely.
Feeds: Network switches and optics (data)
On CoolPower Index: No verified portal record linked yet.
No 3D model for this system yet.
Context
Controls and monitoring (BMS, EPMS, DCIM)
Coordinates plant, alarms and metering. Interfaces and sequences must be specified and commissioned.
Feeds: Computer room air handlers (CRAH) (control), Chillers (control)
On CoolPower Index: No verified portal record linked yet.
No 3D model for this system yet.
Fire safety, leak detection and water treatment
Detection, suppression, leak sensing and fluid quality management. Requirements depend on local codes and the fluids used.
On CoolPower Index: No verified portal record linked yet.
No 3D model for this system yet.
Commissioning and service access
Testing against the design intent, plus space and procedures to maintain equipment without unplanned outages.
On CoolPower Index: No verified portal record linked yet.
No 3D model for this system yet.
Size it
The archetype has no built-in numbers. Use the engineering pack to work out load, heat, rack, CDU and flow figures from your own assumptions. Both are saved in the same brief.
Sources
These references explain system functions. They do not validate this topology. NVIDIA's reference design is one specific design, not a universal pattern to scale.
- U.S. DOE FEMP, Best Practices Guide for Energy-Efficient Data Center Design (26 July 2024) (opens in a new tab) checked 18 Oct 2026
- U.S. DOE FEMP, Cooling Water Efficiency Opportunities for Federal Data Centers (opens in a new tab) checked 18 Oct 2026
- NVIDIA, DSX Facilities Infrastructure Reference Design Overview (design guide v2.0, 19 August 2026) (opens in a new tab) checked 18 Oct 2026
Other archetypes: Mixed air and direct liquid cooling, Dense AI liquid-cooled cluster, Brownfield liquid-cooling retrofit.