October 2025
Chris Jewell, Senior Product Manager Mooney Regulators and Becker Control Valves
It's no secret - AI is the hottest trend on the market. From the way we conduct business to the images we see to how we make restaurant reservations, AI is quickly becoming part of our everyday lives. (AI did not, however, assist in writing this article – any “em” dashes you see in this article were put there by a real person!)
The revolution in AI and cloud computing sweeping our planet has led to unprecedented demand for energy. While we often think of "the cloud" as something that exists outside of any physical space, the true backbone of AI and cloud computing is vast data centers humming with servers exchanging terabytes of information every second. The energy demand of these massive servers often exceeds the ability of the existing electrical grids. With current regulatory structures and construction requirements, upgrading electrical grids may take years of permitting and impact studies, not to mention the time, effort, and capital needed to build the physical grid infrastructure. The pace of growth in the industry means that data center operators cannot afford to wait for the grid to catch up with their needs. They must look to other sources to meet this almost insatiable energy demand.
Natural gas presents an affordable and efficient alternative to traditional electrical grids. Many data center operators are turning to natural gas to fuel on-site electrical generators, giving them control over their own energy needs. Using natural gas to generate electricity is obviously nothing new; indeed, natural gas is already the largest energy source for electricity generation in the United States, accounting for 43.1% of all utility-scale power generation in the country as of 2023[i]. While there are similarities between large, utility-scale power generation and natural gas supply for data centers, small-scale, industrial power generation applications such as data centers come with a unique set of challenges.
Key considerations for gas supply in power generation applications include: fast speed of response, tight control, large pressure cuts, high turndown, stable steady-state control, bubble tight valve shutoff, reliable control systems, simple controls and back surge resistance.
In terms of capacity, generating stations for data centers are comparable to “peak-load” plants in traditional power generation, commonly generating up to about 200 MW of electricity. To convert this to gas delivery terms, natural gas turbines typically operate in a range of 9000-11500 BTU/kWh[ii]. For natural gas at 1036 BTU per standard cubic foot[iii], this means that natural gas must be supplied at approximately 10 standard cubic feet per hour (SCFH) per kilowatt of electricity generated, or about 2000 MSCFH for a 200 MW generating station.
Where traditional “peaker” plants typically generate that electricity using only one or two turbines, some data centers may operate on a similar principle while other data centers may use a large array of smaller turbines, each generating only a few megawatts each. This distributed model gives data center operators the advantage of being able to manage continuous changes in load requirements by bringing multiple turbines online or offline to respond.
A NovaLT™5-1 turbine from Baker Hughes. This type of turbine would be typical for data center power generation applications.
The flow and pressure requirements, as well as many of the other key considerations for these small-scale power generators make these well suited to pressure regulator stations. Flexible element regulators such as the Mooney™ Flowgrid™ and Model 900TE regulators are ideally suited to the demanding conditions of these power plant applications.
Mooney Flowgrid Regulator
Mooney Model 900TE Regulator
Fast Speed of Response
In all power plant applications, fast speed of response is critical for success. Power plants must be able to respond to sudden changes in electrical demand, which result in sudden changes to gas needs. In no case is this truer than in data center generating stations. AI data centers can experience massive variations in computational requirements, resulting in large changes in electrical demand, sometimes happening in milliseconds. In array systems with many small generators, the individual generators are brought from idle to full capacity in seconds to supply the demand. Even the most responsive control valves may be challenged to keep up with these rapid swings in flow. Similarly, regulators with large, bulky control elements such as sliding pistons may struggle to keep up with the sudden variations required by data center power generators. With their singular emphasis on pressure regulation and the ability of the flexible element to morph to momentary changes in requirements, flexible element regulators have a speed advantage over other control solutions.
Tight Control
Natural gas-fed generating turbines require a very narrow window of pressure control to operate at peak efficiency. Many include both high- and low-pressure trip settings that will take the generator offline if pressure cannot be maintained within this tight range of control. With the constant demand, data center operators cannot afford the down time that could be caused by a generator going offline due to an emergency pressure trip. For the most sensitive applications, Baker Hughes pairs Mooney regulators with Flexible Element Pilots (FEPs). With over four times the freedom of movement of the standard pilot, FEPs allow precise control with minute movements of the diaphragm to maintain accuracy within the strict windows of control required by data center applications.
A Flexible Element Pilot (FEP), recommended for high-precision applications with Mooney regulators.
Large Pressure Cuts
Due to the volume of gas required to keep their generators running, data centers often draw their gas directly from medium- to high-pressure distribution lines, typically in the ANSI 300 to 600 range. In many applications, the primary regulator station will supply gas directly to the turbines, and even in cases where a secondary regulation cut will reduce the pressure in an additional step to feed a smaller set of turbines in the array, most of the pressure drop occurs at the primary regulating station. Mooney Flowgrid regulators are typically rated for up to 800 psi of pressure differential, with Mooney Model 900TE regulators able to work with continuous pressure differentials of up to 1200 psi. When configured as working monitor sets, Model 900TE regulators can be used in applications as high as the maximum possible differential of 1480 psi for ANSI 600 class pressure systems. The robust design of these regulators allows them to continue to operate in the most demanding pressure conditions like those found in many power generation applications.
High Turndown
The wide range of flow rate requirements seen in data centers and other small-scale power generation applications mean that the regulators must be highly tolerant of changes in flow rate. Turndown or rangeability is a measure of a valve’s ability to control at both high and low flow rates relative to the valve’s rated capacity. Typical control valve applications recommend sizing the valves so that the flow rate will not exceed 80% of the valve’s rated capacity at maximum flow, and so that the flow rate will not be less than about 20% of the valve’s rated capacity at minimum flow. Regulators expand on this capability in a variety of ways, with many featuring turndown capabilities of 100:1 (operation down to 1% of the regulators rated capacity) or even greater. Flexible element regulators are able to control at very low flow rates due to their ability to shift and change the shape of the regulating element to respond to demand. Where traditional plug-and-stem or piston-operated regulators have only one degree of freedom of movement (the regulating element can move only in the vertical direction), flexible element regulators provide a second or even a third degree of freedom in the movement of the control element. In the case of the Mooney Flowgrid regulator, three-dimensional diaphragm movement can be combined with staggered hole sizes in the throttle plate to allow nearly infinite options for turndown and exceptional low-flow performance.
Stable Steady State Control
Combustion turbine efficiency is highly sensitive to variations in flow and pressure. In addition to the sudden, frequent changes in demand that may be experienced by a data center generating station, the supply of gas must be consistent at steady state to maintain the efficiency of each operating turbine. With a significant portion of the data center’s operating cost being dedicated to power generation, a drop in efficiency can result in increased costs for the operator.
Mooney regulators have earned a reputation throughout the natural gas industry for their “set it and forget it” reliability. This stability translates to peak efficiency for data centers and other natural gas-powered electrical generators.
“Bubble Tight” Valve Shutoff
Data centers and other power generating stations typically operate as single-point users, rather than as part of a wide distribution grid. These are typically short systems, so any leakage from the pressure regulators may quickly lead to overpressure conditions. It is critical that the regulators be able to maintain “bubble tight” shutoff, allowing no leakage when the regulator is in the closed position. The rubber seals and wide sealing surface of Mooney flexible element regulators such as the Flowgrid and Model 900TE regulators give these regulators exemplary shutoff performance. The resilient seals may be able to tolerate scratches or other damage to sealing surfaces, or seal around bits of debris from the gas stream, allowing long-term durability and ability to maintain leak-free operation.
Cut-away view of a Flowgrid regulator highlighting the flexible diaphragm.
Back Surge Resistance
The sudden variations in demand, often with high pressure cuts involved, mean that data centers and other small power generation applications are prone to pressure surges when demand suddenly changes. Pressure regulators used in these applications must be inherently resistant to these surges to avoid damage when they occur. These surges have been known to bend or even buckle the stems of more traditional regulators, but the pliable control elements of flexible element regulators allow these regulators to absorb pressure spikes and backlash from downstream due to sudden demand changes without causing damage to the regulator. This allows for greater resilience and reliability in challenging operations.
Reliable Control System
In all power generating applications, reliability of the gas supply is the cornerstone of effective operation. This is especially true in data center applications, and while power generation is a key driver of their business, their business is not power generation itself. Concerns about whether the regulating station will be able to supply their generators reliably cannot occupy more than a small portion of the data center operator’s attention. Reliable operation is a given for these applications.
Simple Controls
In the same vein, small-scale generating stations such as those at data centers may not have access to digital control rooms or other comprehensive control systems where each variable is carefully measured and controlled, nor would many be interested in such a system if they were available. Like reliability, the control system for a data center regulating station must be simple enough not to occupy more than a small amount of the operator’s attention.
Pilot systems for Mooney regulators offer simple, reliable control of the entire regulating system. The control system has one job – to deliver gas at a consistent, constant pressure. Once set, these robust pilots offer worry-free operation with no further input required.
Growth in AI and cloud computing shows no signs of slowing down. If anything, this trend appears to be set to continue accelerating as new avenues are found to integrate digital processes into simplifying our lives. While this trend continues and even beyond, dependable delivery of natural gas will remain a key infrastructure challenge. Robust pressure regulators with precision control will be a critical tool in fueling the ongoing revolution for generations to come. If you'd like more information about Mooney regulators, find a local channel partner near you.
[i] US. Energy Information Administration
[ii] “Natural Gas – Efficiency and Reliability in Power Generation”, Woodway Energy, April 26, 2024
[iii] “Units and calculators explained”, US Energy Information Administration
About Baker Hughes
Baker Hughes (NASDAQ: BKR) is an energy technology company that provides solutions for energy and industrial customers worldwide. Built on a century of experience and with operations in over 120 countries, our innovative technologies and services are taking energy forward – making it safer, cleaner and more efficient for people and the planet. Visit us at bakerhughes.com.