Liquid Cooling Strategy
ASHRAE Zone 6B climate, 98% free cooling hours, and water-side economization.
Target PUE
1.10-1.15
Free Cooling
98%
Technology Stack & Feasibility
Cooling Technology Comparison
Air Cooled (Chillers)
Water Cooled (Evaporative)
Liquid Cooling (Direct-to-Chip/DLC)
RECOMMENDEDRack Density Requirements
Power per Rack (kW) - AI workloads demand 4-6x higher rack density than legacy infrastructure
CapEx Premium Analysis
Construction Cost per MW ($M)
Climate Profile: ASHRAE Zone 6B
Kalispell sits in ASHRAE Zone 6B (Cool/Dry), a dramatic contrast to San Antonio's Zone 2A. Annual Cooling Degree Days (CDD): ~147 (Base 65°F). Compare to San Antonio's ~3,187 CDD—a 95% reduction in cooling load.
Free Cooling Analysis
With water-side economizers or dry coolers, you can run compressor-free for 8,500+ hours/year—approximately 98% of annual operating hours. This eliminates mechanical cooling requirements for the vast majority of the year.
Efficiency Impact
Target PUE: 1.10-1.15, among the best achievable in North America. Using adiabatic cooling in this climate consumes significantly less water than evaporative towers in Texas due to lower wet-bulb temperatures.
Water-Side Economization
The cool/dry climate enables highly efficient water-side economizers. Heat rejection potential includes district heating integration—selling waste heat is viable in Kalispell's cold winters, unlike San Antonio.
Density Support
Direct Liquid Cooling (DLC) supports 100+ kW per rack, mandatory for modern AI architectures. DLC captures 70-80% of heat generated, with the remaining load easily handled by ambient air in this climate.
Zero-Water Option
For sites where water permitting proves difficult, air-cooled chillers paired with DLC remain highly efficient in this climate. Unlike Texas where this would push PUE to 1.35+, Montana's cool ambient temperatures keep PUE near 1.20 even without evaporative cooling.