Schneider Electric launches new Motivair coolant distribution unit integrating liquid and air cooling for more flexible data center deployments
- New coolant distribution unit, the WCDU, is designed for a wide-range of configurations and optimized to meet the need for high-capacity technical corridor-based cooling architectures
- Seamless integration with air cooling configurations and multiple installation options give operators greater flexibility
- Single WCDU provides cooling capacity up to 3.5MW, with an accessible design for simplified high-density deployment in space-constrained environments
- Supports approach temperature differences as low as 2 °C to improve PUE and reduce OpEx for the entire cooling system
RUEIL-MALMAISON, France, Sept. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Schneider Electric, a global energy technology leader, today launched its WCDU, a coolant distribution unit suitable for a wide range of configurations and is designed for seamless integration with fan wall air-cooling systems to support hybrid air and liquid cooling architectures in high-density AI data centers. Designed for greater deployment flexibility, the unit allows operators to adjust the balance of liquid and air cooling without fully redesigning the data hall. This approach allows for versatility as workloads are finalized to avoid overbuilt infrastructure and stranded capacity.
The new WCDU reflects the evolution of liquid cooling and matches changing infrastructure deployments for the AI era. Large data centers operators are increasingly deploying CDUs outside of the white space in the technical corridor for easier service and maintenance. The WCDU is optimized for the technical corridor and equipped with top entry connections to reduce installation complexity and keep the white space clear, which simplifies installation and service access.
“As the only CDU that brings together both liquid and air cooling within a single solution, we’re delivering a level of flexibility the market hasn’t seen before,” said Andrew Bradner, Senior Vice President of the Cooling Business at Schneider Electric. “This approach allows operators to deploy more efficiently, support a wider range of liquid cooling infrastructure configurations, and significantly reduce time to deployment.”
The new addition complements, expands and strengthens the Motivair by Schneider Electric line of liquid cooling solutions, which includes a range of CDUs to match a broad range of row-based, corridor-based and other deployment architectures.
Additional Key Benefits of the WCDU
The WCDU’s all-in-one design, which incorporates Integrated pumps, heat exchangers and other critical CDU components into a single steel frame, simplifies deployment and provides multiple installation options through a scalable, multi-modal architecture. In addition to integrating with fan walls, the WCDU can be used as a standalone unit. As a result, operators currently using fan walls for their cooling infrastructure gain an easier path to retrofitting their facilities. The unit also maintains zero lateral clearance, enabling optimized density in existing and new data hall layouts. The WCDU also supports:
- Increased Density: The WCDU offers the single largest cooling capacity in the Motivair by Schneider Electric CDU line. A single WCDU is able to achieve capacity up to 3.5 MW at 1.5 liters per minute per kW, and 2.5 MW at 2.0 liters per minute per kW. Up to 20 WCDU units can operate together in group mode as a coordinated system, offering the scale needed to support today’s 30-40MW data halls.
- Improved efficiency: Supports warmer facility water system temperatures and approach temperature as low as 2°C. These operating conditions help improve PUE and improve the energy efficiency of the entire cooling infrastructure, which contributes to lower overall operating costs. The system incorporates hot swappable pumps, PICVs, and 25 micron filters, as well as a 15 inch touchscreen HMI to support resiliency.
- Supports resiliency: As an additional resilience option, for deployments up to 2.5 MW, the WCDU can be specified with N+1 redundancy, providing pump and valve backup to help maintain cooling availability during maintenance or an unexpected component outage.
With the addition of the WCDU, Schneider Electric’s end-to-end liquid cooling portfolio now offers CDUs ranging from 105kW to 3.5MW, meeting current and future performance requirements.
The WCDU will begin shipping in select regions in October 2026 and will be available for pre-order in the U.S. beginning in early 2027. For more information, visit Schneider Electric’s website.
Press contact: [email protected]
Related resource:
- Reference design that evaluates the deployment of the WCDU in an AI-ready data center environment using CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) analysis.
About Schneider Electric
Schneider Electric is a global energy technology leader, driving efficiency and sustainability by electrifying, automating, and digitalizing industries, businesses, and homes. Its technologies enable buildings, data centers, factories, infrastructure, and grids to operate as open, interconnected ecosystems, enhancing performance, resilience, and sustainability. The portfolio includes intelligent devices, software-defined architectures, AI-powered systems, digital services, and expert advisory. With 160,000 employees and 1 million partners in over 100 countries, Schneider Electric is consistently ranked among the world’s most sustainable companies.
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