Overview
INTUITIVE SURGICAL operates a cooling tower in Santa Clara, California, supporting its semiconductor and medical device manufacturing facilities. The plant is operational and serves the industrial sector.
INTUITIVE SURGICAL is a cooling tower facility located at 2900 SEMICONDUCTOR WAY in Santa Clara, California, United States. The plant supports industrial operations, likely for semiconductor and medical device manufacturing, as indicated by its NAICS codes. Cooling towers are critical for heat rejection in such high-tech industries, ensuring process efficiency and equipment reliability. The facility operates under U.S. environmental regulations, including the Clean Air Act and state-level refrigerant management programs. California's strict greenhouse gas reduction targets (e.g., SB 32) drive adoption of low-GWP refrigerants and energy-efficient cooling systems. The plant's capacity and specific technology are not detailed, but typical cooling towers in this region use evaporative or hybrid designs to manage heat loads. As part of the Silicon Valley industrial ecosystem, this cooling tower contributes to the operational continuity of advanced manufacturing. Its location in Santa Clara, a hub for technology and innovation, underscores the importance of reliable cooling infrastructure for maintaining production standards and supporting local economic activity.
Environmental context
Cooling towers in California must comply with state regulations on water use and refrigerant emissions. Evaporative cooling towers consume significant water, which is a concern in drought-prone regions. Air-cooled alternatives reduce water use but may have higher energy consumption. Refrigerant choice is critical; high-GWP refrigerants like R-404A are being phased down under the AIM Act, aligning with the Kigali Amendment. Efficient operation (high COP) minimizes both energy and environmental impact.
Frequently asked questions
The INTUITIVE SURGICAL cooling tower is located at 2900 SEMICONDUCTOR WAY, Santa Clara, California, United States, in Santa Clara County.
The cooling tower provides heat rejection for industrial processes, likely supporting semiconductor and medical device manufacturing at the INTUITIVE SURGICAL facility.
The facility is associated with NAICS codes 236210 (Industrial Building Construction), 332994 (Small Arms Manufacturing), 333415 (Air-Conditioning and Warm Air Heating Equipment), 337127 (Institutional Furniture Manufacturing), 339112 (Surgical and Medical Instrument Manufacturing), and 339113 (Surgical Appliance and Supplies Manufacturing).
Cooling towers in California must comply with the Clean Air Act, California's Global Warming Solutions Act (AB 32), and the AIM Act for refrigerant phase-down. State regulations also address water efficiency and reporting under the California Cooling Water Intake Structures rule.
The Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol requires phasedown of high-GWP hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) used in refrigeration and cooling. In the U.S., the AIM Act implements this phasedown, pushing cooling towers to adopt low-GWP refrigerants like R-513A or R-1234ze.
Other Cooling Tower plants in United States · 6 nearby