Cooling Distribution Unit (CDU)
In the modern data center landscape, the exponential increase in computing power required by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and global data traffic is making traditional air cooling systems insufficient. The transition to liquid cooling is often a necessity to manage high-density thermal loads, and the Cooling Distribution Unit (CDU) is its key component.
What is a Cooling Distribution Unit?
A CDU (Cooling Distribution Unit or Coolant Distribution Unit) is the critical interface that manages and circulates the coolant between the building infrastructure (Facility Water System – FWS) and the IT equipment (Technology Cooling System – TCS), ensuring that the heat generated by high-density components like CPUs and GPUs is removed efficiently and safely.
How a CDU Works: Precision and Isolation
Cooling Distribution Units perform three vital functions for system integrity:
Thermal isolation: thanks to an internal heat exchanger, the CDU keeps the two circuits (primary and secondary) separate, protecting sensitive hardware from any contaminants present in the building water.
Precision control: the system constantly regulates the temperature, pressure, and flow rate of the coolant. This prevents condensation formation by keeping the fluid always above the dew point.
Optimized distribution: it ensures uniform distribution of the coolant to cold plates or rear-door heat exchangers.
Installation Type
Liquid-to-Liquid. This is the most performant solution for high loads (AI, HPC), which transfers heat directly to the building’s chilled water system.
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