CHANGSHA, China, Oct. 13, 2026 / PRNewswire / -- As AI data centers evolve towards higher-density computing architectures, liquid cooling is becoming an increasingly important part of data center infrastructure. At the same time, the accelerated deployment speed of AI infrastructure also poses new requirements for debugging, testing, monitoring, and delivery processes. Rika Sensor indicates that the company is supporting this change through water quality sensor solutions, incorporating coolant monitoring earlier into the debugging process, and helping to simplify the deployment process from installation to operation.

AI Data centers bring new pressures to debugging

The transition towards high-density GPU infrastructure is changing the roles involved in data center projects. Operators and project teams no longer view debugging merely as a verification process in the final stages; instead, they need to obtain reliable operational data earlier on to identify issues, verify system performance, and support a smoother transition to the operational phase.

This is particularly important for data center liquid cooling. Technical cooling systems usually involve multiple interconnected components, including cooling circuits, CDU, cold plates, as well as related monitoring and control infrastructure. During construction and startup, these systems may be tested and adjusted while other project activities are still underway.

PNNL, ASHRAE and NEMA jointly released AI Data Center Energy Performance Framework indicate that the deployment of AI data centers is advancing at an unprecedented speed, which is putting pressure on traditional project delivery and debugging methods. The framework suggests paying more attention to monitoring and control systems earlier on, in order to accelerate data collection and analysis during the debugging process while maintaining quality.

In this context, Rika Sensor positions coolant monitoring as part of the debugging workflow, rather than an additional monitoring task that is only added after the cooling system is put into operation. Its liquid cooling sensor solution can monitor key parameters such as pH values, conductivity, ORP, and turbidity, while also supporting communication and integration with existing data center infrastructure.

Debugging requires earlier monitoring.

For liquid cooling facilities, monitoring requirements are not limited to measurement accuracy alone. Monitoring equipment must also be able to be installed within a tight construction schedule, configured according to the target communication architecture, and provide usable data throughout the debugging process.

Rika Sensor demonstrated this requirement in a large-scale cloud data center project in Dubai. The first phase of this facility includes 2,000 high-density cabinets that use cold plate liquid cooling, with the coolant being a mixture of propylene glycol and water. Due to the simultaneous debugging of the cooling system and monitoring infrastructure, Rika Sensor provided 86 monitoring units. These devices have been pre-calibrated and pre-configured with communication addresses and basic alarm thresholds in the factory. No on-site calibration is required, which reduces the installation time for each monitoring point to less than 15 minutes.

The monitoring data is collected via RS485 and uploaded to the temporary management platform used during the debugging period over Ethernet. The monitoring units are installed in a wall-mounted fashion to minimize interference with pipeline pressure testing and to avoid additional welding work. After delivery, the system access rights are transferred to the customer's operations and maintenance team, while historical monitoring data is retained, ensuring that the transition from debugging to regular operation does not require restarting the monitoring process.

The capabilities behind faster debugging

Rapid debugging is not just about shortening the on-site installation time. For liquid cooling monitoring suppliers, it also depends on how much preparatory work can be completed before the monitoring equipment arrives at the data center, including factory calibration, device configuration, communication settings, and planning for specific applications.

Rika Sensor moves these preparatory tasks forward to the manufacturing phase, supporting the deployment of pH sensors, conductivity (EC) sensors, ORP sensors, and turbidity sensors in liquid cooling scenarios. Monitoring solutions can be configured according to different cooling architectures, monitoring point layouts, and system integration requirements, while various communication methods such as RS485, Ethernet, and 4–20 mA support connection with different data center management infrastructures.

This deployment model from factory to site also requires suppliers to have continuous R&D, manufacturing, and technical support capabilities. For different coolant systems, monitoring locations, and system integration requirements, the technical team needs to complete the corresponding configurations before project implementation and handle issues such as monitoring point setup, communication connections, and data verification during the deployment process.

In a Tier IV data center in Bavaria, Rika Sensor installed 24 monitoring units in 12 cabinets and connected the system to the existing BMS using 4–20 mA signals. During the debugging period, two monitoring points showed abnormal readings. An engineering investigation found that the location of the water quality sensors was too close to the chemical injection points; therefore, these points were repositioned to improve the representativeness of the measurements.

Rika Sensor General Manager Michael stated: "Faster debugging does not mean reducing necessary verification steps. It means completing more preparatory work in advance. From factory calibration and configuration to on-site deployment and system integration, each stage needs to be aligned with the debugging schedule."

As the AI data center evolves towards higher-density infrastructure and faster deployment cycles, debugging increasingly emphasizes preliminary preparation, phased verification, and cross-system collaboration. For liquid cooling monitoring suppliers, this means that project delivery depends not only on the measurement capabilities of sensors but also on the ability to integrate manufacturing, engineering, and technical support into an efficient deployment process.

About Rika Sensor

Rika Sensor is a high-tech enterprise dedicated to the research, development, and manufacturing of environmental monitoring sensors and solutions. Its products are widely used in liquid cooling systems, environmental monitoring, smart agriculture, new energy, and industrial automation, including coolant quality sensors, pH sensors, conductivity sensors, turbidity sensors, dissolved oxygen sensors, radiometers, wind speed sensors, and automatic weather stations. The company has obtained ISO9001, TUV, and SGS certifications, complies with CE and RoHS standards, and serves customers in over 120 countries and regions. With more than 20 independently authorized patents, Rika Sensor provides OEM / ODM and system integration services for international projects.

Media contact:

Hunan Rika Electronic Tech Co, Ltd

SOURCE Rika Sensor