As Australia’s mining sector continues to invest in electrification, automation, and decentralised energy systems, reliable thermal management is becoming critical to maintaining operational uptime and asset longevity.
Across mineral processing sites, battery energy storage systems (BESS), mobile substations, and remote IT infrastructure, cooling systems must now deliver more than capacity; they must perform reliably in harsh conditions, operate efficiently, and integrate flexibly within varied site layouts.
To address these evolving demands, Rittal has expanded its Blue e+ Chiller platform, introducing two new variants that support external deployment and free-cooling capability. These additions make the range more adaptable to remote, decentralised, and environmentally exposed installations, while maintaining the energy efficiency and precision control required in continuous operations.
Chillers designed for industrial and remote site challenges
At the core of the range is the Blue e+ Chiller, now available in five output classes ranging from 1.5 to 7 kilowatts (kW). This model is well-suited to cooling control cabinets, drives, and automation systems within processing plants. Featuring inverter-driven components and microchannel heat exchangers, it offers up to 70 per cent energy savings and ±0.5 K temperature accuracy, while reducing refrigerant volumes by up to 55 per cent.
The newly introduced Blue e+ Outdoor Chiller offers cooling capacities of 4 to 7kW and is purpose-built for exposed environments. With a weather-resistant aluminium housing, UV protection, and integrated heater, it delivers stable operation in ambient conditions ranging from –20 °C to +43 °C. It is ideal for installation alongside external switchrooms, BESS containers, substations, or energy skids.
For IT and edge applications, the Blue e+ Hybrid IT Chiller features an integrated free-cooling function that switches to passive cooling when ambient conditions permit, achieving up to 90 per cent energy savings. It supports IT loads up to 30kW and is optimised for containerised data centres and remote control systems.
A system-based approach to cooling
All models support IoT integration, multi-voltage operation, and local service availability across Australia and New Zealand. Combined, the Blue e+ Chiller range offers a scalable, energy-efficient cooling solution tailored to the environmental realities of modern mining.
