Summary
- The CDU range offers 400kW to 2.5MW of thermal capacity per unit, with control of up to ten units operating in parallel.
- Redundant pumps, duplicated sensors, leak detection, and front-access maintenance support critical cooling applications.
- Orders open on 1 November 2027, while the iDCM platform is being extended to data hall equipment.
Daikin has introduced a coolant distribution unit (CDU) range for liquid-cooled data centres, offering heat transfer capacities from 400kW to 2.5MW per unit and coordinated operation of up to ten units.
The equipment is designed to connect the facility water system with the technology cooling system serving high-density computing hardware. Orders are scheduled to open on 1 November 2027, making the development a product introduction rather than an immediately available installation.
Daikin is also expanding its Intelligent Data Centre Manager (iDCM) platform to monitor and coordinate cooling equipment within the data hall. The wider software scope includes CDUs, computer room air handlers, air handling units, and fan wall systems.
Liquid-cooled AI systems place different demands on building services from conventional air-cooled computing racks. Heat generated by processors and other components is transferred into a circulating coolant, which must then reject that heat through equipment connected to the facility’s wider cooling infrastructure.
The CDU manages the interface between those circuits. Heat passes from the technology cooling system to the facility water system without requiring the two circuits to share the same fluid. Pumps, valves, heat exchangers, sensors, and controls maintain the temperature, pressure, and flow conditions required by the IT equipment.
Daikin’s range incorporates variable-speed pumps and measurements of temperature, pressure, and flow. A modulating valve on the facility water side controls heat exchange and helps maintain the required technology cooling system outlet temperature as operating conditions change.
These functions become particularly important where computing loads fluctuate. Changes in processor utilisation can alter the heat transferred into the cooling circuit, requiring the system to respond while remaining within the equipment manufacturer’s operating limits.
The units feature redundant pumps, duplicated temperature and pressure sensors, integrated leak detection, and alarm management. Options for maintaining electrical supply are also included in the proposed architecture.
Such provisions can help protect against individual equipment failures, although the overall resilience of an installation still depends on the complete cooling design. Shared electrical supplies, facility water interruptions, or upstream plant faults can affect multiple CDUs regardless of the redundancy built into individual units.
Installation and maintenance
Daikin has specified AISI 316L stainless steel for the hydraulic circuit and grooved mechanical couplings in place of welded joints. The arrangement is intended to simplify installation and servicing while providing corrosion resistance within the circuit.
Maintenance access is concentrated at the front of each unit. Sliding rails allow pumps to be removed without requiring access behind the equipment, reducing the service space needed in congested technical areas.
Multiple units can operate under a common controller, with preassembled skid configurations available for larger installations. Group control provides a means of coordinating temperature and pressure across several CDUs, although the operating capacity available during maintenance will depend on how many units are installed and the redundancy specified for the application.
The modular arrangement also supports phased capacity deployment. A data centre introducing liquid-cooled racks in stages can add CDU capacity alongside its computing equipment, provided the facility water system and heat rejection plant have sufficient capacity for the additional load.
The thermal ratings should not be confused with electrical IT capacity. A 2.5MW CDU describes its rated heat transfer capability under specified operating conditions, while the power consumed by computing equipment and the wider facility depends on equipment configuration and cooling overheads.
Bringing cooling systems into one view
Alongside the new hardware, Daikin is extending iDCM beyond chilled water plant management into the data hall. The platform is designed to display temperatures, equipment status, and alarms through a central interface, with access to selected operating parameters and diagnostic information.
The software can also connect with existing building management systems, allowing cooling information to be incorporated into broader facility monitoring arrangements.
Mixed cooling environments create a particular integration challenge. Established air-cooled racks may remain in operation while liquid-cooled computing equipment is introduced, leaving different mechanical systems responsible for removing heat from the same facility.
Coordinated monitoring can help engineering teams identify interactions between those systems, but control priorities, hydraulic compatibility, and fault responses still require site-specific commissioning.
Daikin’s latest range extends its equipment portfolio into the interface between computing hardware and central cooling plant. Its first commercial applications will depend on customers specifying the units ahead of their planned ordering availability in November 2027.
