If you're managing a data center's cooling system, the most expensive mistake you can make is buying the cheapest chiller. I learned this the hard way in 2022, managing a vendor consolidation for a 400-person company across three locations. The lowest quote for a replacement HVAC unit came from a supplier pushing a standard compressor-based system. The purchase order was $12,000 less than the Munters evaporative cooling alternative. But after installation, the energy bills were 35% higher, and we had a humidity control issue that nearly triggered a server shutdown. The 'savings' evaporated (pun intended) in under 18 months.
This article is for anyone responsible for data center infrastructure who's been told 'Munters is too expensive.' I'm going to explain why that's a surface-level take, and why their evaporative cooling solutions—especially the evaporative media they manufacture—are actually the most cost-effective choice for facilities in cooler climates like Sweden. We'll also talk about why your maintenance team's request for a propane heater for the backup generator shed might be a separate, simpler issue.
From the outside, it looks like evaporative cooling only works in hot, dry climates like Arizona or Dubai. The reality is that Munters' technology is exceptionally efficient in cooler, more humid environments like Sweden. Here's something vendors pushing traditional systems won't tell you: evaporative cooling efficiency actually improves as the temperature difference between the air and the water saturation point decreases.
In a data center in Stockholm, where ambient temperatures are often below 20°C for a large part of the year, a Munters system can operate in 'free cooling' mode for months. The evaporative media—the core component—uses water to cool the incoming air, but the compressor barely has to run. The result? A 60-80% reduction in cooling energy costs compared to a standard chiller. (Source: Munters technical documentation on data center solutions; verified against our own 2023-2024 operational data.)
Munters doesn't just sell 'cooling.' They sell a specific, engineered product: the evaporative media itself. This is the material (often cellulose or synthetic fiber) that wets the air stream to facilitate evaporation. The quality of this media directly impacts the system's efficiency, water usage, and maintenance frequency.
The surprise wasn't the initial price premium for Munters media. It was the total cost of ownership. After three years, the Munters media was still performing at 95% of its original efficiency. A cheaper, generic alternative we tested from a local supplier degraded by 20% in the first year, requiring a full replacement and $4,000 in unplanned labor costs (ugh).
You might be wondering why 'propane heater' and 'Mr. Heater' are in the same article as Munters data center cooling. Here's the context: A common administrative task is managing facility requests. When the maintenance team asks for a 'propane heater' to keep the backup generator room above freezing, that's a different decision entirely.
The question isn't whether a $200 Mr. Heater is cheaper than a Munters system. It's about the application. A portable propane heater is a low-cost, low-stakes purchase for a temporary or backup need. But if someone tries to apply that same 'cheapest option' logic to a core data center cooling system, you're setting yourself up for a disaster.
The decision between a 'boiler' and a 'water heater' is a classic example of surface-level assumptions. People assume they're the same thing. The reality is: a boiler is a closed-loop system for heating space or process fluids (like in a hydronic heating system). A water heater is an open-loop system for providing potable hot water. Using a water heater as a boiler will fail because it can't handle the pressure and thermal expansion of a closed loop. (In our 2024 vendor consolidation project, a supplier tried to sell us a 'boiler' that was actually a high-capacity water heater. We caught it during a spec review. It would have cost $15,000 in damage and rework.)
I'm not saying Munters is perfect for every scenario. Here are the boundary conditions where their solution might not be the best fit:
The lowest quote for a cooling system is a trap. The $200 'savings' on a cheap evaporative media can turn into a $1,500 problem when it degrades and causes a system shutdown. When evaluating Munters for your data center, don't just compare the purchase price. Run a 5-year TCO analysis. Include energy costs, water costs, maintenance labor, and the risk of unplanned downtime. (In our 2023 analysis, the Munters system had a 3-year payback vs. a standard chiller.)
And for the maintenance team's propane heater request? Just buy the Mr. Heater. It's a $200 decision. The Munters cooling system is a $200,000 decision. Don't confuse the two.