Rear Door Heat Exchanger (RDHx) is a high-efficiency cooling device mounted on the rear door of a server cabinet. It removes the heat generated by servers through chilled water circulation. Unlike traditional cooling methods that rely on room-level air conditioners (CRAC or CRAH), RDHx is a cabinet-level precision cooling solution that enables source-level heat removal and localized cooling, thereby significantly reducing energy consumption.
According to the Uptime Institute 2024 Global Data Center Survey, with the continuous rise in server room power consumption in recent years, traditional CRAC and CRAH units are finding it increasingly difficult to cope. At the same time, fully retrofitting and deploying liquid-cooled facilities remains costly and complex. RDHx offers a “compromise” path toward liquid cooling, providing legacy data centers with a progressive upgrade solution. As a form of localized cooling, RDHx helps improve energy efficiency, lower PUE, and make data center infrastructure design more flexible.
Advantages of Rear Door Heat Exchanger
Technical Advantages
The greatest value of RDHx lies in cooling server exhaust air immediately at the source, removing most of the heat on the spot. This allows each cabinet to handle much higher power densities—tens of kilowatts if needed. Compared with traditional air cooling, it is less dependent on hot/cold aisle containment, and since it integrates directly with existing chilled water systems, it strikes a balance between efficiency and flexibility.
Economic Advantages
From an investment perspective, RDHx does not require extensive modifications to servers or cabinets. It is more of an “add-on” rather than a “tear-down and rebuild.” By capturing heat at the source, the burden on room-level cooling equipment is greatly reduced, lowering energy costs and driving PUE down. Over long-term operation, its benefits in energy savings and O&M costs become increasingly evident.
Application & Operations
From a practical standpoint, RDHx works well for both new data centers and retrofits of older ones. Since its water circuit is confined to the rear door and does not contact server components directly, safety is enhanced. As a progressive liquid cooling solution, RDHx enables facilities to maintain stable legacy architectures while gradually improving their capacity to support high-density compute.
Types of Rear Door Heat Exchangers
Common RDHx units fall into two categories:
Passive RDHx: Relies on server fans to drive airflow and dissipate heat through natural heat exchange. It requires no additional energy, offering high efficiency, but is best suited for medium- and low-density cabinets.
Active RDHx: Equipped with auxiliary fans inside the door to enhance airflow and cooling performance, making it suitable for higher-density applications.
Deployment Challenges with Different Cooling Systems
The cooling performance of an RDHx depends heavily on the chilled water system it connects to. During deployment, integration with the existing cooling infrastructure must be carefully planned and adjusted. Otherwise, the following issues may arise:
Chilled water temperature control: If supply water is too cold, condensation may form on the heat exchanger; if too warm, cooling will be insufficient. Water supply and return temperatures should be kept above the dew point (typically 18–20°C) and flow rates must meet design requirements.
System coordination: RDHx provides localized cooling, while CRAH/CRAC units handle room-level cooling. If their parameters are not coordinated, hot/cold air mixing or wasted energy may occur. Integration with DCIM or BMS systems is recommended for unified control and load balancing.
Space and layout planning: RDHx requires water connections at the cabinet rear. Without proper planning, this may interfere with cabling and maintenance. Pathways and access should be reserved during facility design.
Condensation and leakage risk: Overly low supply water temperature can cause condensation and leakage. Proper insulation of pipes and heat exchangers, along with leak detection systems, is essential.
Conclusion and FAQ
As a high-efficiency, flexible cabinet-level cooling solution, the Rear Door Heat Exchanger is becoming a vital option for high-density data centers. It not only boosts cooling efficiency but also supports enterprise sustainability goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can RDHx replace room air conditioning? → In some high-density zones it can, but most often it is used in tandem.
Does RDHx pose a leakage risk? → If installed properly with leak detection systems, the risk is manageable.
Is there a big difference between active and passive RDHx? → Passive units are more efficient but limited in cooling capacity, while active units suit higher-density loads.