APC by Schneider Electric ACFC75272 47kW Roof-Mounted Evaporative Fluid Cooler
Overview
The APC by Schneider Electric ACFC75272 is a roof-mounted evaporative fluid cooler rated at 47 kW at 110°F–120°F inlet conditions — engineered for data centers and industrial facilities where rejecting heat at the mechanical or roof level is a cleaner architectural decision than floor-space cooling. At 201.4 kg (444 lbs) and 2,400 mm wide, this is a unit you plan around during construction or major retrofit, not an appliance you drop in after the fact. It runs on 460 V, 3-phase, 60 Hz power, which places it squarely in commercial and industrial electrical infrastructure rather than light commercial buildings wired for single-phase or lower-voltage three-phase.
Evaporative fluid coolers occupy a specific niche: they reject heat from a closed hydronic loop — typically chilled water or glycol — by passing that fluid through a heat exchanger while evaporating water on the exterior. The result is lower leaving-fluid temperatures than a dry cooler can achieve in the same ambient conditions, without the refrigerant circuit and compressor overhead of a mechanical chiller. For facilities operating cooling towers or fluid-cooled UPS/battery systems as part of an APC by Schneider Electric power infrastructure stack, the ACFC75272 slots directly into that loop architecture.
Key Features
- 47 kW Cooling Capacity at 110°F–120°F: The rated output is specified at a defined inlet temperature band — not a best-case ambient number. That matters because fluid cooler capacity varies with entering water temperature and wet-bulb conditions; knowing the 47 kW figure is tied to 110°F–120°F lets you size confidently against your actual loop return temperatures rather than guessing at derating curves.
- Roof-Mounted Evaporative Design: Placing the heat rejection at roof level keeps the mechanical room and data hall clear of the noise, vibration, and drift associated with ground-level cooling towers. Evaporative operation means the unit can hit lower leaving-fluid temperatures than an equivalent dry cooler in most climates, which translates directly into reduced compressor runtime on any chiller it works alongside — or elimination of the chiller entirely in economizer-eligible climates.
- 460 V / 3-Phase / 60 Hz Input: The electrical specification matches North American commercial distribution standards for large mechanical equipment. If your facility runs 208 V or 480 V three-phase, verify transformer availability before ordering — 460 V is a specific tap point that not every panel can serve without a step-up or tap adjustment.
- 2,400 mm (94.5 in) Wide Footprint: The unit's width drives structural and access requirements. At 2,400 mm across and 993 mm deep, it needs a curb or structural frame that spans that footprint with adequate load capacity for 201.4 kg of equipment weight — plus dynamic loads from fan operation and water weight during operation. Coordinate with the structural engineer before setting the curb.
- No Removable Water Tank: The ACFC75272 is plumbed to a building water supply — it is not a portable or self-contained unit with an onboard reservoir. This means permanent make-up water and drain connections are required at the roof penetration point. Plan water treatment for the evaporative section to avoid scaling and biological growth in the heat exchanger.
- 201.4 kg Shipping Weight (Packaged: 227.3 kg): At just over 444 lbs operating weight (packaged at ~501 lbs), roof crane and rigging coordination is mandatory. The package dimensions — 2,540 mm × 1,143 mm × 1,270 mm — determine crane reach and sling geometry. Build the lift plan around these numbers before the unit arrives on site.
Integration and Compatibility
The ACFC75272 integrates into closed-loop hydronic cooling systems — chilled water plants, free-cooling loops, or fluid-cooled APC by Schneider Electric UPS and power systems that include fluid-cooled battery cabinets or rectifiers. It is not a standalone data center cooling solution; it is the heat-rejection component in a larger loop that includes pumps, controls, and typically a primary cooling device (chiller or direct free-cooling coil). Sequence-of-operations design — particularly how the unit integrates with building automation or the facility's DCIM platform — is a separate engineering exercise not covered by the unit itself.
For facilities evaluating data center power and cooling infrastructure in parallel, the ACFC75272 pairs with APC's InRow and room cooling products where those products use a fluid-side connection. Confirm hydronic compatibility (flow rates, pressure drop, glycol concentration limits) with APC application engineering before finalizing the design.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What cooling capacity does the ACFC75272 deliver, and under what conditions?
A: The ACFC75272 is rated at 47 kW at entering fluid temperatures of 110°F to 120°F. Actual output will vary with ambient wet-bulb temperature and fluid flow rate — confirm derating curves with APC for your specific climate and loop conditions.
Q: What electrical supply does the ACFC75272 require?
A: The unit requires 460 V, 3-phase, 60 Hz power. This is a commercial/industrial voltage level. Verify your facility's electrical distribution can supply this tap before ordering.
Q: Does the ACFC75272 include an onboard water tank?
A: No. The ACFC75272 does not have a removable or integral water tank. It requires a permanent make-up water connection and drain at the installation point. Water treatment for the evaporative section is the facility's responsibility.
Q: What are the structural requirements for roof installation?
A: The unit weighs 201.4 kg (approximately 444 lbs) operating and ships at 227.3 kg. The footprint is 2,400 mm wide × 993 mm deep. The roof structure must support this static load plus dynamic loads from fan operation. Engage a structural engineer to verify the curb design and roof capacity before installation.
Q: Is the ACFC75272 suitable for indoor installation?
A: No. The ACFC75272 is specified as a roof-mounted evaporative unit. It is designed for outdoor installation on a rooftop curb, where it can reject heat to the atmosphere and receive make-up water from building supply lines.
Q: What is the packaged size of the ACFC75272 for freight and rigging planning?
A: The packaged dimensions are 2,540 mm wide × 1,143 mm deep × 1,270 mm tall, with a packaged weight of 227.3 kg. Use these figures for crane reach calculations, sling geometry, and freight carrier selection.
The ACFC75272 is a unit that earns its place in a specific scenario: you have a fluid-cooled load — chilled water loop, glycol circuit, or fluid-side UPS infrastructure — and you need to reject 47 kW of heat at the roof without a compressor-based refrigerant circuit in the loop. At 460 V three-phase and 201.4 kg, this is not a plug-and-play appliance; it is a planned infrastructure component that belongs in the MEP drawings from day one.
Technical Highlights:
- 47 kW at 110°F–120°F Inlet: Unlike dry coolers rated at ambient conditions, the 47 kW figure is tied to a specific entering-fluid temperature band. That makes the capacity number usable for actual loop design — you know what you are getting at the temperatures your loop will return, not under idealized conditions.
- Evaporative vs. Dry Cooling: Evaporative operation consistently achieves lower leaving-fluid temperatures than dry coolers in the same ambient, because the wet-bulb temperature is the relevant limit, not dry-bulb. In most North American climates, that difference unlocks more hours of compressor-free economizer operation annually — a real operational cost reduction over the life of the system.
- 2,400 mm × 993 mm Footprint, 201.4 kg: The physical envelope drives the entire rigging and structural plan. At nearly 2.4 meters wide, this unit needs a structural curb engineered for both the static weight and the dynamic loads of fan and water mass. Do not assume a standard 48-inch curb is sufficient without engineering sign-off.
Deployment Considerations:
- Permanent make-up water and drain connections are required at the roof level — this unit has no onboard reservoir. Factor in water treatment (scale inhibitor, biocide program) as an operating cost; evaporative heat exchangers foul quickly on untreated municipal water in hard-water regions.
- The 460 V specification is not universal in older commercial buildings. Confirm the facility's electrical distribution panel has a 460 V tap or transformer capacity before procurement; a voltage mismatch discovered after delivery is an expensive problem.
The ACFC75272 is the right specification for a new data center build or major mechanical retrofit where the cooling architecture already includes a closed hydronic loop and the electrical infrastructure supports 460 V three-phase — specifically facilities in the 40–60 kW heat rejection range that want evaporative efficiency without the complexity of a full cooling tower with open sump and drift eliminators.
