Advanced Clean Cooling: Filtration for Next Generation of Data Centers

<p class="font_8">The rapid growth of artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, and hyperscale data centers is driving unprecedented increases in computing density and cooling demand. As facilities transition from traditional air-cooled environments toward liquid and hybrid cooling architectures, effective filtration is becoming increasingly important to system reliability, efficiency, and long-term performance. </p>
<p class="font_8"><br></p>
<p class="font_8">This presentation explores the evolving role of filtration in next-generation data centers, from conventional air-side filtration to the specialized requirements of liquid-cooled technology cooling systems. Topics include contamination risks, filtration within coolant distribution units (CDUs), coarse and fine particulate filtration, multi-stage filtration strategies, real-time monitoring, and the relationship between coolant cleanliness and equipment performance. </p>
<p class="font_8"><br></p>
<p class="font_8">The presentation will also examine how continued data center growth and the adoption of liquid cooling are creating new opportunities for filtration technologies, monitoring, maintenance, and optimization. Attendees will gain a practical understanding of how filtration requirements are changing as data centers become larger, denser, and increasingly dependent on advanced cooling technologies.</p>

Speaker Bio

Mr. Matt Koukl, Past Chair, ASHRAE TC 9.9, Principal at Affiliated Engineers, Inc. (AEI), leads and manages teams on a wide range of projects supporting the data center market. Matt brings over a decade of experience providing planning and design leadership for various types of data center facilities, including modular, high-performance computing with cabinet power densities greater than 1MW, and over a million square feet of enterprise and colocation facilities. These facilities total over 3GW of power, and several have concurrently maintainable power and cooling infrastructure. In addition to his project leadership experience,

Matt is an active contributor to ASHRAE Technical Committee 9.9, which defines standards for data centers, technology spaces, and electronic equipment. Matt is also contributing to the Open Compute Project on their work on Advanced Cooling Solutions for liquid cooled data centers.

Presentation time

December 8, 2026
8:10 am - 9:20am EST

Abstract

The rapid growth of artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, and hyperscale data centers is driving unprecedented increases in computing density and cooling demand. As facilities transition from traditional air-cooled environments toward liquid and hybrid cooling architectures, effective filtration is becoming increasingly important to system reliability, efficiency, and long-term performance.

This presentation explores the evolving role of filtration in next-generation data centers, from conventional air-side filtration to the specialized requirements of liquid-cooled technology cooling systems. Topics include contamination risks, filtration within coolant distribution units (CDUs), coarse and fine particulate filtration, multi-stage filtration strategies, real-time monitoring, and the relationship between coolant cleanliness and equipment performance.

The presentation will also examine how continued data center growth and the adoption of liquid cooling are creating new opportunities for filtration technologies, monitoring, maintenance, and optimization. Attendees will gain a practical understanding of how filtration requirements are changing as data centers become larger, denser, and increasingly dependent on advanced cooling technologies.