Airedale by Modine has expanded its liquid cooling portfolio with the release of a modular, skid-mounted coolant distribution unit (CDU) for high-density data centers. Designed for capacities of 2MW and above, the new CDU targets increased spatial flexibility and operational resilience in hybrid and liquid-cooled environments.
The skid-based design joins two other standard CDU footprints in Airedale’s range, offering scalable capacities from 400kW to over 2MW at a 4K approach. Units are equipped with stainless steel pipework, 25-micron filtration, and active harmonic filtration. According to the company, the system is engineered for durability, with a lifecycle potentially exceeding 15 years under appropriate conditions.
Airedale notes a growing trend among data center operators to place CDUs in ‘grey space’ such as corridors and plant rooms, rather than adjacent to racks. While in-row units remain in demand, the open architecture of skid-based CDUs is becoming increasingly attractive for its higher component density and easier maintenance access.
“We’re seeing operators rethink traditional layouts to unlock greater efficiency and resilience,” said Richard Burcher, Product Manager at Airedale by Modine. “By relocating CDUs to less congested areas of the data center, they’re not only improving accessibility for maintenance but also future-proofing their infrastructure with scalable, high-redundancy solutions.”
The new CDU integrates intelligent controls for seamless networking of up to eight units. The system supports site-wide building management system (BMS) integration via the Redfish protocol, enabling early fault detection and coordinated handover during switchover events. A dedicated maintenance mode allows for filter cleaning and pump servicing without disrupting operations when safety procedures are observed.
The units are customizable to support the operational demands of hyperscale, colocation, and neo-cloud applications, with configurable options for redundancy, materials, flow control, and temperature management.
