Future Proofed DLC Piping Infrastructure

Author: Mark Bulmer, Georg Fischer (GF) Flow Solutions Collection: 2026-OCP-EMEA-Summit-Executive-Sessions

Summary

Mark Bulmer of Georg Fischer (GF) Flow Solutions presents the case for high-performance polymer piping as a future-proof DLC (direct liquid cooling) infrastructure material, challenging the default choice of stainless steel. GF, a Swiss company founded in 1802 with ~CHF 1.1B in Flow Solutions sales (2024), has served data centers in facility water applications for over 25 years and supplies the semiconductor industry (TSMC, Samsung, Intel, AMD, Texas Instruments, Micron) with ultra-pure water piping. The talk introduces "LiquidCore," GF's complete polymer piping system designed specifically for DLC secondary loops (TCS/SFN), manifolds, control valves, and prefabricated spools — adapted from semiconductor process water technology.

The core technical argument is that rising rack power densities are mechanically forcing larger piping diameter requirements. At 50 kW, DN50 branches are typical; at the 132–150 kW+ densities being deployed today and 400 kW–1 MW coming in near-future Vera Rubin-class systems, the main line piping grows significantly. As pipe diameter increases, the weight and welding complexity of stainless steel become severe liabilities while polymer (PPH — polypropylene homopolymer) remains lightweight (50% weight savings), weldable with automated QC, non-metallic (no galvanic corrosion), and capable of 25-year fluid cleanliness guarantees.

GF's LiquidCore product portfolio covers: (1) TCS/SFN secondary piping in PPH; (2) Quick Connect Valve 700 (FD-83 equivalent); (3) In-Rack Polymer Manifold (OCP-inspired design, low pressure drop — 5% differential from outlet 1 to outlet 25, 50% lighter than stainless); (4) Clever Control Valve with 5 sensors, 5-second reaction/closing time, IO-Link/BACnet/Modbus communication, measuring temperature, pressure, volumetric flow, energy, valve position; (5) Pre-fabricated spools with no threads (automated welded connections, nitrogen-purged, pressure-tested); (6) GF Engineering Support for dimensioning, flow rate, and pressure drop calculations. The presentation includes a system analysis for the NVIDIA NVL GB200 NVL72 (132 kW) showing total system pressure drop of 2.32 bar, with cold plates accounting for 52% of pressure drop. GF supplies quotations within 2 weeks and product delivery in 6–8 weeks.