Definition
CRAH (Computer Room Air Handler) is a data center cooling unit that uses chilled water to remove heat from the air inside a data center. Unlike CRAC units that rely on refrigerant-based cooling, CRAH systems use chilled water supplied by a central cooling plant.
CRAH units are commonly deployed in large-scale data centers where centralized chilled water cooling infrastructure is available.
How CRAH Works
A CRAH system operates by:
- Receiving chilled water from a central chiller system.
- Passing warm return air through cooling coils.
- Transferring heat from air into chilled water.
- Delivering cooled air back into the data center.
CRAH vs CRAC
| CRAC | CRAH | |
|---|---|---|
| Cooling Method | Refrigerant-based cooling | Chilled water cooling |
| Infrastructure | Local cooling system | Central cooling plant |
| Common Usage | Small and medium data centers | Large enterprise and hyperscale facilities |
| Scalability | Limited | Higher scalability |
Related Terms
ATTOM Solutions
ATTOM provides advanced data center cooling solutions designed to support modern infrastructure requirements, including high-density computing, AI workloads, and next-generation data center deployments.
By integrating efficient cooling technologies and intelligent thermal management strategies, ATTOM helps organizations build reliable and scalable data center environments.
