Schneider Electric said on Jan. 22 it launched a 2.5-megawatt coolant distribution unit (CDU), the MCDU-70, which supports expansion beyond 10 megawatts. It said the MCDU-70 has the highest capacity in Schneider Electric MotiveAir's CDU portfolio and is designed to meet requirements for next-generation GPUs and gigawatt-class AI factories.

A CDU is a coolant distribution unit. GPUs powering AI factories generate 20 to 50 times more heat than conventional CPUs. Data centres face environments where power density per rack reaches 1 megawatt or more. Heat management has limits with conventional air cooling alone.

Schneider Electric said the MCDU-70 addresses next-generation high-performance computing, AI and accelerated computing workloads. It said it is optimised for facilities targeting large-scale expansion of more than 10 megawatts. Applying six MCDU-70 units allows a 4+2 redundancy configuration. It said the design specifications can support Nvidia's next-generation GPU roadmap for a significant period in the future.

The MCDU-70 is designed with a modular building-block approach. It allows operators to flexibly choose the optimal model in line with each stage of AI deployment. The company said it secured reliability through performance tests reflecting actual operating environments, digital-twin simulations and maximum-load pump drive tests at the final stage of the production line. Schneider Electric's global network of experts supports the entire process, from design through operation and maintenance.

Schneider Electric said the launch of the MCDU-70 completes its CDU capacity portfolio from 105 kilowatts to 2.5 megawatts. It said all products are designed to be scalable, supporting interoperability and integration with EcoStruxure.

Rich Whitmore (리치 휘트모어), CEO of Schneider Electric MotiveAir, said Schneider Electric's solutions aim to deliver the best performance at the moments it is most needed, in line with the rapidly changing pace of AI development. He said data centres' competitiveness now depends on securing efficient and scalable infrastructure optimised for building next-generation AI factories. He added that the company will actively respond to customers' demanding requirements through proven liquid cooling solutions.