As you’ve probably read in the news lately, AI data centers need massive amounts of power. They also create a ton of heat. Cooling them down takes huge amounts of water and electricity.

Shumate Engineering wants to fix that problem. The firm just secured a crucial patent from the USPTO. This new utility patent protects the core operational mechanics of their Hybrid-Dry/Adiabatic-Cooling system.

Last year, the company patented the technology’s physical design. Now, they own the rights to how the system actually works.

Co-inventors R. Stephen Spinazzola and Justin Penrod built the system to handle modern tech demands. AI servers run hot, and traditional cooling methods waste millions of gallons of water. This new setup changes the math. It cuts water consumption by 93 percent and cooling energy use in half. It also drops total connected power by 15 percent.

data center
Source: Canva/Tim Girard from Tim Girard’s Images

The industry faces massive pressure from power-hungry AI workloads. Holding this patent gives them a protected blueprint for sustainable cooling.

“Securing the functionality patent is the definitive next step in our IP strategy,” said Daren Shumate, PE, Founder and Managing Principal of the Vienna, Va.-based firm. “It protects the unique, intelligent processes that allow our system to deliver these massive resource savings. As the industry grapples with the power-hungry demands of artificial intelligence and hyperscale computing, we now hold the fully protected blueprint for the future of sustainable cooling.”

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How does the system work?

It runs on a closed-loop design. The setup manages two different water temperatures simultaneously. It sends 68-degree water to support standard air-cooled computer room units. At the same time, it routes 90-degree water for direct-to-chip liquid cooling. Two pipes go out, and one common return brings the water back.

The system adapts to the weather. During cooler months, it uses outdoor air. When temperatures rise, it turns on an evaporative trim feature. This smart shift keeps things efficient without wasting water.

Spinazzola notes that protecting the operational logic secures their competitive edge. The patent covers the thermodynamic process of running a single closed loop to service two taps at different temperatures.

Penrod adds that the milestone helps operators meet strict ESG goals. It also saves billions in utility costs. For an 800-megawatt AI data center, a 15 percent reduction in total site power can save roughly $1 billion!

The timing fits a massive wave of growth. Shumate Engineering is currently working on 16 new data center projects across Texas, Missouri, and Arizona. These sites total 5.7 gigawatts of processing power.

As technology demands more energy, smart engineering makes a real difference. Innovations like this show how practical ideas can shape a more sustainable future.