The 2.5MW Coolant Distribution Unit (CDU)/HANDOUT Motivair by Schneider Electric has unveiled a new high-capacity coolant distribution unit designed to meet the growing cooling demands of next-generation artificial intelligence data centres, as the industry grapples with rising heat output from advanced computing systems.
In a statement issued on January 21, 2026, the company announced the launch of the MCDU-70, a 2.5-megawatt coolant distribution unit that it says is capable of supporting AI factories and high-performance computing environments at scale.
The company said the new unit can be deployed as part of a centralised system that scales to 10 megawatts and beyond.
Motivair said the development responds to a major shift in data centre requirements driven by artificial intelligence workloads.
According to the company, the graphics processing units used in AI factories generate between 20 and 50 times more heat than traditional central processing units, making liquid cooling a necessity rather than an option.
The company said organisations deploying large AI clusters are facing extreme rack power densities that are projected to reach one megawatt and higher.
Motivair said its expanded CDU portfolio is intended to help operators manage these demands while maintaining reliability and efficiency.
The MCDU-70 is the highest-capacity CDU currently offered by Motivair and forms part of Schneider Electric’s wider liquid cooling portfolio.
The company said individual CDU capacities across the portfolio now range from 105 kilowatts to 2.5 megawatts, giving data centre operators greater flexibility to match cooling capacity with workload requirements.
Motivair said the new unit is designed to support large-scale facilities targeting gigawatt-scale deployments.
It cited use cases such as NVIDIA Omniverse DSX Blueprint, where designs aim to reach 10 megawatts as a stepping stone toward much larger AI factory installations. According to the company, six MCDU-70 units can be deployed in a 4+2 redundancy configuration for such environments.
The company said the MCDU-70 operates using Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure software platform, allowing multiple CDUs to function as a centralised system. This, it said, enables data centres to meet current cooling requirements while retaining the ability to scale as computing demands increase.
“AI isn’t slowing down. Our solutions are designed to keep pace with chip and silicon evolution—delivering next-gen performance when it matters most,” said Rich Whitmore, chief executive officer of Motivair by Schneider Electric.
“Data center success now hinges on delivering scalable, reliable, efficient infrastructure solutions that match the next generation of AI Factory deployments. We’re meeting that moment with proven liquid cooling solutions that scale with our customers’ needs.”
Motivair said the MCDU-70 has been engineered to deliver high cooling capacity within a compact footprint, providing higher available pressure while maintaining full flow performance.
The unit features dual heat exchangers that enable parallel filtration with minimal system pressure drop, while maintaining the industry target of 1.5 litres per minute per kilowatt.
The company said all its CDU models undergo testing under real-world conditions, including digital twin simulations and end-of-line testing where pumps operate at full load during the final stage of production.
Motivair said this approach is intended to ensure performance and reliability as systems are deployed in high-density environments.
According to the firm, the MCDU-70 is available globally through Schneider Electric’s manufacturing hubs in North America, Europe and Asia.
Motivair said customers are supported by Schneider Electric’s global network of experts, with services spanning system design through to maintenance.
The company said the new unit is part of a modular, building-block approach to liquid cooling, allowing operators to select CDU models that align with their specific AI deployment goals.
Motivair said its full range of CDUs supports advanced thermal management strategies through precise flow control, real-time monitoring and adaptive load balancing..
Motivair said the expansion of its CDU portfolio reflects its focus on supporting the next phase of AI-driven data centre growth, as computing infrastructure continues to evolve to meet the demands of increasingly powerful chips and accelerated workloads.
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