LG Electronics Unveils Oil-Free Turbine Chiller for AI Data Centers

On September 20, LG Electronics announced the launch of a new air-cooled, oil-free variable-speed turbine chiller designed specifically for AI data centers, aiming to reduce electricity costs and support flexible capacity expansion.

The unit features LG's self-developed oil-free magnetic bearing technology, which suspends the rotating shaft electromagnetically to eliminate mechanical friction loss, remove the need for oil circulation pumps and related piping, and prevent cooling efficiency degradation caused by oil film buildup in heat exchangers. It also adopts a natural refrigerant pre-cooling technology that allows cooling without the compressor in winter conditions, as the compressor—which accounts for more than 80% of total power consumption—can be shut down while refrigerant condensed at low indoor temperatures circulates to remove heat.

Compared with traditional pre-cooling methods, the system can reduce annual power consumption in data centers by 30% and improve power usage effectiveness. The chiller uses R-513A refrigerant, which offers a more than 50% improvement in global warming potential (GWP) over R-134a, helping customers meet ESG requirements.

Additionally, the equipment incorporates machine learning-based anomaly detection to identify early signs of malfunction and prevent unexpected shutdowns. After power restoration, its ultra-fast restart technology can restore 100% rated cooling capacity within 180 seconds, ensuring reliable operation for AI servers.