Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Shumate Engineering says its Hybrid-Dry/Adiabatic-Cooling (HD/AC) design has received U.S. Patent No. 12,426,214. The facility-scale system is designed to serve traditional air-cooled racks and direct-to-chip liquid-cooled equipment using two water-temperature flows. Shumate also claims lower power use and water consumption than conventional cooling designs, but the cited coverage does not independently validate those savings.
What Shumate’s HD/AC design is
HD/AC is an engineered data-center cooling system, not a retail product. Shumate patent counsel Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox identifies the design with U.S. Patent No. 12,426,214. The patent announcement establishes the patent number; the available source does not establish the grant date or provide detailed claim text. Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
The design addresses facilities that may need to support conventional air-cooled IT equipment alongside newer liquid-cooled servers. Shumate describes a closed loop with two water-temperature flows: 68°F for traditional computer-room air-conditioning (CRAC) systems and 90°F for direct-to-chip liquid cooling. Those are temperatures in the company’s system description, not independently reported operating measurements. Building Design + Construction
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →How the hybrid cooler is described to work
The design centers on a hybrid adiabatic cooler. It is described as operating dry in suitable outdoor conditions, with evaporative assistance available when warmer conditions call for it. Shumate says the system can use economizer mode during cooler periods and modulate that assistance as conditions change. In practical terms, the concept is to adapt the cooling approach to the weather while serving both air-cooled and direct-to-chip loads; the available descriptions do not establish how it performs at a particular site or climate. IDC Nova
What Shumate claims about power and water
In its July 2025 announcement, Shumate claimed 50% lower power consumption and 93% lower water use compared with conventional cooling designs. The announcement and related trade coverage do not provide an independent test report or a complete comparison methodology, so these figures should be read as company-reported claims, not demonstrated savings. IDC Nova Building Design + Construction
A later Building Design + Construction roundup gives different figures: 94% less water and 60% less energy than an air-cooled chiller. That comparison uses a different stated baseline, and the available sources do not explain the methodologies behind either set of numbers. The figures should not be combined or treated as a resolved estimate of expected savings. Building Design + Construction
A fair comparison would need to use the same baseline and account for cooling energy, water consumption, supply temperatures, IT loads, climate, and operating conditions. The cited coverage does not provide enough detail to make that numerical comparison.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
What is known about the project
Building Design + Construction reported on August 12, 2025, that the system was planned for the TPC Data Center in Laurel, Maryland, which was then in design. That historical report does not establish whether the facility has since been built, commissioned, or operated with HD/AC. No verified operating results are established by the cited coverage. Building Design + Construction
Rank #3
Shumate’s Director of Mechanical Engineering Justin Penrod characterized HD/AC as a “system” solution rather than a product, and said it is designed to accommodate air-cooled loads and future direct-liquid-cooled infrastructure. That distinction matters: the system is a project-scale engineering approach, not equipment a data-center operator can evaluate as a standalone consumer purchase. Justin Penrod on LinkedIn
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the patent does—and does not—establish
The patent announcement supports identifying HD/AC as a patented Shumate design. A patent by itself does not establish that the system has been deployed at scale, that claimed savings have been measured in a live facility, or that it will outperform another design in every climate or data-center configuration. The cited materials describe the concept and company claims, but do not report independent field validation.
Shumate’s Director of Mission Critical Services, R. Stephen Spinazzola, said data-center growth is constrained in part by the power and water needed to cool racks. Penrod described the patent as reflecting a commitment to “high-performance, sustainable design.” These are company perspectives on the problem and the design, rather than independent performance findings. IDC Nova
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchWindows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallQuick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
