CHANGSHA, China, Oct. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As AI data centers move toward high-density computing architectures, liquid cooling is becoming an increasingly important part of data center infrastructure. At the same time, the speed of AI infrastructure deployment is placing new demands on commissioning, testing, monitoring and handover processes. Rika Sensor is supporting this shift with water quality sensor solutions designed to bring coolant monitoring into the commissioning process earlier and simplify deployment from installation through operation.

AI Data Centers Put New Pressure on Commissioning

The shift toward high-density GPU infrastructure is changing the role of commissioning in data center projects. Rather than treating commissioning as a final-stage verification process, operators and project teams need earlier access to reliable operating data to identify issues, validate system performance and support a smoother transition into operations.

This is particularly relevant to data center liquid cooling. Technology cooling systems involve multiple interconnected components, including cooling loops, CDUs, cold plates and associated monitoring and control infrastructure. During construction and startup, these systems may be tested and adjusted while other project activities are still underway.

The AI Data Center Energy Performance Framework, jointly released by PNNL, ASHRAE, and NEMA, notes that AI data center deployment is occurring at an unprecedented pace, placing pressure on traditional project delivery and commissioning models. It recommends earlier attention to monitoring and control systems to accelerate data capture and analysis during commissioning while maintaining quality.

Against this backdrop, Rika Sensor is positioning coolant monitoring as part of the commissioning workflow rather than a monitoring task added only after a cooling system becomes operational. Its liquid cooling sensor solutions can monitor key parameters including pH, electrical conductivity, ORP and turbidity, while supporting communication and integration with existing data center infrastructure.

Commissioning Requires Earlier Monitoring

For liquid-cooled facilities, monitoring requirements extend beyond measurement accuracy. Monitoring equipment must also be prepared for installation within tight construction schedules, configured for the target communication architecture and capable of providing usable data as commissioning progresses.

Rika Sensor's Dubai hyperscale cloud center project illustrates this requirement. The first phase of the facility included 2,000 high-density cabinets using cold plate liquid cooling with a propylene glycol-water coolant. Because the cooling system and monitoring infrastructure were commissioned simultaneously, Rika Sensor supplied 86 monitoring units that were pre-calibrated and factory-configured with communication addresses and basic alarm thresholds. Field calibration was not required, enabling installation in less than 15 minutes per monitoring point.

The monitoring data was collected through RS485 and transmitted via Ethernet to a temporary management platform used during commissioning. The monitoring units were wall-mounted to reduce interference with pipe pressure testing and avoid additional welding work. After handover, system access was transferred to the customer's O&M team while historical monitoring data was retained, allowing the transition from commissioning to routine operation without starting the monitoring process again.

The Capabilities Behind Faster Commissioning

Fast commissioning is not simply a matter of shortening installation time on site. For liquid cooling monitoring suppliers, it also depends on how much preparation can be completed before monitoring equipment reaches the data center, including factory calibration, device configuration, communication setup and application-specific planning.

Rika Sensor brings these preparations into the manufacturing stage, supporting the deployment of pH sensors, EC sensors, ORP sensors and turbidity sensors for liquid cooling applications. Monitoring solutions can be configured according to different cooling architectures, monitoring-point layouts and system integration requirements, while multiple communication options, including RS485, Ethernet and 4–20 mA, support connection with different data center management infrastructures.

This factory-to-site deployment model 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 connectivity, and data verification during deployment.

In a Tier IV data center in Bavaria, Rika Sensor installed 24 monitoring units across 12 racks and connected the system to the existing BMS through 4–20 mA signals. During commissioning, two monitoring points produced abnormal readings. Engineering investigation found that the water quality sensors were positioned too close to chemical injection ports, so the points were relocated to improve measurement representativeness.

"Faster commissioning does not mean reducing the necessary validation steps," said Michael, the GM of Rika Sensor. "It means completing more of the preparation in advance. From factory calibration and configuration to on-site deployment and system integration, each stage needs to align with the commissioning schedule."

As AI data centers move toward higher-density infrastructure and faster deployment cycles, commissioning is placing greater emphasis on early preparation, phased validation and coordination across systems. For liquid cooling monitoring suppliers, this means that project delivery increasingly depends not only on sensor measurement capabilities, 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 specializing in the R&D 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, EC sensors, turbidity sensors, dissolved oxygen sensors, pyranometers, 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 more than 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
Rm104, Building B1, Changsha Island，877 Huijin Road, Yuhua District, Changsha, Hunan Pro. 410116, China
Email: info@rikasensor.com
Tel: +86 13367318895
www.rikasensor.com