HF Sinclair's lubricants brand Innovate has launched DTC25, a pre-mixed propylene glycol-based direct-to-chip cooling fluid for data centers, the company announced this week. The product is formulated to meet the Open Compute Project's Base Specification for PG25 heat transfer fluids.

The launch extends Innovate beyond immersion cooling — a segment the company entered in 2024 — into direct-to-chip cold-plate loops used in high-density server racks.

What does DTC25 contain?

DTC25 ships as a ready-to-use mix of propylene glycol and high-purity deionized water. The formulation incorporates Organic Acid Technology (OAT) inhibitors for long-term corrosion protection across five common data center metals:

• Copper
• Steel
• Brass
• Cast iron
• Aluminum

A biostatic additive helps maintain fluid integrity over the product's extended service life. The fluid carries freeze protection for sub-zero conditions and includes a fluorescent blue dye for early leak detection. Innovate states DTC25 is free of nitrite, amine, phosphate, and silicate, and meets OCP PG25 materials compatibility requirements.

Because the fluid arrives pre-mixed, operators can skip on-site blending and lock in consistent composition at install, which simplifies commissioning and ongoing fluid management.

Who is behind the product?

Alex Buczek, director of new business development at HF Sinclair lubricants and specialties, framed the launch as an extension of the company's OEM fluid heritage. "Innovate DTC25 fluid draws on decades of experience formulating high-performance fluids for demanding OEM applications and applies that expertise to the next generation of data center cooling," Buczek said. He added: "Expanding into direct-to-chip cooling is a natural extension of the expertise and relationships we have built across the liquid cooling ecosystem."

How crowded is the coolant market?

Direct-to-chip has drawn entries from major petrochemical and chemical suppliers in recent years. Shell added a direct-to-chip cooling fluid to its portfolio in 2024. Other suppliers now serving data center cooling include Castrol, ExxonMobil, ENEOS, Gulf Oil, Petronas, Perstorp, SK Enmove, US food group Cargill, and chemical firm Chemours.

Where does HF Sinclair sit?

HF Sinclair is a Texas-based, NYSE-listed refiner producing gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, renewable diesel, and specialty products. The company operates refineries in Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Wyoming, Washington, and Utah.

The corporate lineage runs from Sinclair Oil Corporation, founded in 1916, through Holly Corporation (originally General Appliance Corporation, founded in 1947), HollyFrontier after the 2011 Frontier Oil acquisition, and the current name following the 2021 acquisition of Sinclair Oil.