Tokyo, Japan: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has demonstrated a new cooling optimization approach for operational data centers that significantly improves energy efficiency without disrupting existing operations. The company said the system-level technology reduced cooling energy consumption by up to 7.6% in a multi-vendor environment while improving overall Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE).
Tokyo-based MHI carried out the demonstration at the Fujitsu AKASHI Data Center, where it applied its proprietary cooling optimization technology across a facility operating with equipment supplied by multiple manufacturers. Unlike conventional methods that focus on optimizing individual cooling devices, the project adopted a holistic strategy by coordinating the entire cooling infrastructure, including cooling towers, pumps, chillers and air conditioning systems.
According to the company, operational data centers face increasing pressure to reduce energy consumption while maintaining uninterrupted services. Many existing facilities also rely on diverse cooling equipment from multiple vendors, making conventional optimization methods less effective. MHI said its system-wide approach addresses these challenges by optimizing the performance of the entire cooling network rather than isolated components.
During the demonstration, the technology managed air-conditioning operations to improve temperature distribution inside server rooms by approximately 2°C. This allowed the cooling systems to operate more efficiently while maintaining stable conditions required for data center operations.
The project recorded a 2.3% reduction in energy consumption within the tested cooling system. Based on further simulations, MHI estimates that applying the same optimization method across all server rooms in the facility could increase cooling energy savings to 7.6%. The company also reported that the site’s Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) improved by more than 1.2 points, indicating higher overall energy efficiency.
MHI stated that the demonstration was completed without interrupting normal data center operations, highlighting the practicality of deploying the technology in active facilities. The company believes the approach offers a scalable solution for existing data centers seeking to reduce energy use without replacing major infrastructure.
Looking ahead, MHI plans to further develop the technology by combining it with decarbonized energy systems, resilient power infrastructure, high-efficiency cooling equipment and advanced digital solutions. The company said these efforts are intended to support sustainable and reliable data center operations as global demand for computing infrastructure continues to grow.
Source: This article is based on an official press release issued by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
MHI Demonstrates Energy Efficiency Improvements through Cooling Optimization in Operational Data Center | Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
