Carrier has introduced a new Coolant Distribution Unit (CDU) designed to help UK data centres meet growing cooling demands while improving energy performance, system uptime and space utilisation. The CDU is part of Carrier’s QuantumLeap portfolio of purpose-built data centre solutions and supports the expansion of liquid-cooled IT environments.
The new CDU enables scalable deployment of liquid cooling, helping operators reduce Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) through energy savings and improved system control. Its advanced controls manage secondary coolant loops, aiming to reduce pumping energy and optimise heat-removal performance across varying load conditions.
Carrier states that the CDU’s modular heat exchangers can achieve approach temperatures as low as 2°C, compared to the more typical 4°C. This enhanced thermal performance may contribute to chiller energy savings of up to 15%, allowing more electrical capacity to be allocated to IT loads.
The unit is designed for mission-critical reliability, featuring redundant pumps and power supplies to ensure uninterrupted cooling. Intelligent controls regulate fluid temperatures and flow rates in real time, supporting optimal conditions for high-density servers while lowering energy use.
Multiple CDU sizes are available, ranging from 1.3 to 5MW, providing flexibility for both direct-to-chip and mixed cooling environments. The system is engineered for simplified integration into existing facilities and stable operation under fluctuating workloads and high ambient temperatures.
“Data centre leaders across the UK are focused on increasing capacity without increasing risk,” said Oliver Sanders, Data Centre Commercial Director UK&I, Carrier HVAC. “This new Carrier CDU supports that goal by giving operators greater thermal stability, more flexibility in system design and better visibility of cooling performance.”
The CDU also integrates with Carrier’s controls ecosystem for centralised monitoring and performance optimisation, enabling energy-management insights and capacity planning.
