Electromagnetic flowmeter variant for data centres and OEM applications in US market

As data centres adopt increasingly complex liquid‑cooling architectures driven by high‑density GPU workloads, AI clusters and expanding global capacity, operators need compact, accurate measurement at more distributed points throughout the cooling network.

Stable water quality is also essential for maintaining liquid cooling efficiency. Complementary technologies such as inline liquid analysis (e.g., pH, conductivity and turbidity) help operators prevent scaling, corrosion and fouling, further supporting uptime and thermal stability.

Now, Endress+Hauser announces a new OEM‑configured variant of the Picomag electromagnetic flowmeter for the US market.

Purpose‑built for liquid cooling applications in data centres and OEM cooling systems, this version provides customers with a factory‑configured option designed for environments where instrumentation without wireless connectivity is required.

Picomag is Endress+Hauser’s compact electromagnetic flowmeter designed for accurate measurement of conductive fluids in small‑diameter pipelines. It combines flow, temperature and conductivity measurement in a single device.

While the standard Picomag includes industry‑leading Bluetooth technology that meets rigorous global cybersecurity standards, many data centres and OEM partners operate under policies that prohibit wireless communication of any kind. The OEM variant meets this operational preference by offering a Picomag model delivered with Bluetooth deactivated from the factory, ensuring alignment with facility policies while maintaining all core Picomag performance capabilities. In this configuration, the device integrates seamlessly through IO‑Link or standard signal outputs — 4–20 mA current, pulse, switch or 210V — offering a controlled starting point ideal for secure or regulated environments.

“Data centres operate under some of the most demanding security expectations in the world,” said Nathan Hedrick, Product Marketing Group Manager at Endress+Hauser. “This OEM Picomag gives cooling system designers a compact, reliable and secure measurement option tailored for environments where wireless features are not permitted without compromising on the functionality our customers expect.”

Purpose‑built for high‑security data centre environments

The OEM Picomag variant is designed to integrate seamlessly into standardized cooling skids, secondary distribution loops and rack‑level cooling modules. Key characteristics include:

• Factory‑delivered with wireless connectivity deactivated to meet strict facility requirements
• Preconfigured display behavior, output settings and engineering units for consistent OEM deployment  
• Available in 1-in and 2-in sizes, ideal for compact rack or subsystem cooling circuits

This version retains all Picomag’s advantages, including flow, temperature and conductivity measurement, a bright and auto‑rotating display, intuitive commissioning and built‑in diagnostic capabilities.

How does liquid cooling compare to traditional air cooling in data centres?

As data centers grow in density and power consumption, many operators are shifting from traditional air-cooling systems to liquid cooling architectures. Liquid cooling offers significantly greater heat‑removal efficiency, allowing facilities to manage higher thermal loads generated by modern CPUs and GPUs.

While air cooling relies on large volumes of conditioned airflow, liquid cooling absorbs and transports heat far more effectively, supporting higher rack densities, reducing energy use and enabling more compact system designs. This shift is especially pronounced in AI, hyperscale and high‑performance computing environments where equipment demands exceed what air cooling alone can accommodate.

Liquid cooling also supports more precise thermal management at the subsystem or rack level. This creates new measurement requirements for inline flow and temperature monitoring, which is where compact, secure devices like the OEM Picomag play a key role.