Flanges for data center projects in Columbus, Ohio
Central Ohio has become one of the busiest data center regions in the US, with hyperscale campuses around New Albany. Cold winters, glycol loops and liquid-cooled halls set the flange specification. Here is how we supply it from India.
For data centers around Columbus we supply A105 flanges to ASME B16.5 Class 150 for chilled and condenser water, A350 LF2 for outdoor glycol loops whose design minimum falls below -20 °F, and 316L stainless flanges, pickled and passivated, for CDUs and technology cooling loops. Shipments come in through an East Coast port and continue by rail to central Ohio.
The Columbus, Ohio data center market
Ohio has more than 200 data centers, and 114 of them are in the Columbus area. Google, Amazon Web Services, Meta and Microsoft together own more than 5,000 acres in the region; Google's New Albany facility is rated at 250 MW, and Vantage Data Centers is building a 192 MW campus next door (WSYX, May 2026).
Power now shapes the pipeline. In July 2025 the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio approved an AEP Ohio tariff that makes new data centers pay for at least 85% of the power they forecast. AEP says requests fell from 30,000 MW to about 13,000 MW, with contracts signed for 5,342 MW (WSYX).
Climate and what it means for the piping
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Hottest day in a typical year | 95 °F (35 °C) |
| Coldest night in a typical year | -0.9 °F (-18 °C) |
| Average July high | 85.4 °F (30 °C) |
| Average January low | 22 °F (-6 °C) |
| Record high and low | 106 °F (41 °C) and -22 °F (-30 °C) |
The coldest night of a typical year at John Glenn Columbus International Airport is about -1 °F, and the record low is -22 °F, below the -20 °F lower limit of the ASME B16.5 rating for A105. Indoor chilled water and technology cooling loops are unaffected, but outdoor glycol piping that can cool to ambient during a shutdown may need A350 LF2 flanges, impact tested at -50 °F, depending on the minimum design metal temperature in your specification. Cold winters also mean long economizer seasons, so dry coolers and their glycol loops carry much of the year's heat.
Summers are warm and humid, with the hottest day of a typical year around 95 °F, and about 28 inches of snow fall in a typical winter.
Flange specification for Columbus, Ohio projects
| System | Flange | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor dry cooler and glycol loops | A350 LF2 where the design minimum is below -20 °F, otherwise A105; Class 150 RF | Gaskets rated for cold and glycol |
| Chilled water and facility water | A105, Class 150 RF; ASME B16.47 above NPS 24 | Blinds on header ends for later phases |
| Cooling towers and condenser water | A105, Class 150; flat face at cast iron and FRP | Drain connections for winter |
| CDUs and technology cooling system | 316L, Class 150, weld neck or lap joint with stub end, pickled and passivated, 100% PMI | Same grade as the pipe; no slip-ons on the TCS |
Every flange is stamped with its grade, size, class and lot number and ships with a mill test report. Send us your line list and we quote each line as specified.
Getting flanges to Columbus, Ohio
Columbus has no seaport but strong rail links. Containers from India land at an East Coast port such as Norfolk or New York-New Jersey and continue by rail to central Ohio. Norfolk Southern's double-stack Heartland Corridor links the Port of Virginia with the Midwest, and its Rickenbacker Intermodal Terminal near Columbus was upgraded as part of that route. The last leg to site is by truck.
We have no US office or warehouse: every order ships by sea from our works in Gujarat, India. Documents, origin marking, packing and US customs are covered in ordering flanges from India for a US project.
Frequently asked questions
Do Ohio data center projects need A350 LF2 flanges?
Only where the minimum design metal temperature is below -20 °F, typically outdoor glycol piping. The Columbus record low is -22 °F, so check your specification for exposed lines.
Can containers go to Columbus by rail?
Yes. Your forwarder can route them by rail from the port to a Columbus-area intermodal terminal, then by truck to site.
Can you supply phased orders for one campus?
Yes. Each phase can be quoted and shipped as its own order, with mill test reports for every heat.
Sources
- WSYX ABC 6, Ohio's data center building boom (7 May 2026)
- Norfolk Southern, Heartland Corridor (January 2012)
- NOAA 1991 to 2020 climate normals for John Glenn Columbus International Airport, as tabulated in Wikipedia's climate table
- ASME B16.5, Pipe Flanges and Flanged Fittings: pressure-temperature ratings