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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsStart with the server manufacturer’s requirements, then assess the complete heat path from facility water to the chips—not just a cooling distribution unit’s (CDU’s) headline capacity. The right system must match the IT equipment’s coolant, inlet temperature, flow and pressure needs while fitting the facility’s heat-rejection, reliability and operating plans.
1. Get the server requirements before comparing CDUs
Ask the server or rack manufacturer for the supported coolant and water-quality specification, permitted inlet-temperature range, required flow, pressure drop or differential pressure, and the amount of heat the liquid loop is expected to remove. Confirm which components are liquid-cooled: a design that serves CPUs and GPUs may not also serve memory or other equipment.
These limits are configuration-specific. ASHRAE’s ASHRAE Handbook—HVAC Applications (2023, Chapter 20, “Data Centers and Telecommunication Facilities”) notes that manufacturers provide flow and pressure-differential requirements based on facility-water temperature and rack heat dissipation. Do not assume another server model can use the same settings.
2. Map the heat path and define the CDU boundary
Facility loop and technology loop
A common arrangement sends facility water through a CDU heat exchanger. The CDU supplies a separate technology cooling system (TCS) loop connected to the IT equipment. That separation can isolate facility water from the server-side coolant and give the operator a way to control fluid quality, temperature and pressure.
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Depending on the design, the TCS may connect through row- or rack-level distribution or directly to equipment. The full path can include manifolds, server loops, hoses, valves, quick disconnects, sensors and controllers. Ask vendors to mark which components they supply, which are by others, and where the facility-side and IT-side responsibility changes.
Approach temperature affects delivered coolant
A CDU commonly contains a heat exchanger, pumps, valves, monitoring for temperature, pressure and flow, and control software. Its approach temperature—the temperature difference across the heat exchanger under specified conditions—helps determine how close the technology-loop supply can get to the facility-water temperature. Facility supply temperature alone therefore does not tell you the liquid temperature delivered to the servers.
Use the IT equipment’s requirements as the constraint. ASHRAE’s 2023 handbook states that the supply-water temperatures in its table are requirements to be met by the IT equipment; they are not a blanket operating recommendation for every facility.
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3. Compare capacity only at comparable design conditions
Ask each supplier to state CDU capacity at your project’s facility-side and technology-side supply and return temperatures, flow rates and approach temperature. Request performance at both the initial load and planned growth load. A capacity figure without those conditions is not enough to establish that two offers are equivalent.
| Published example | Stated capacity and condition | How to interpret it |
|---|---|---|
| Illustrative cold-plate configuration — ASHRAE, 2021 | 750 kW nominal CDU serving eight racks; approach temperature not stated in the cited example. | An illustrative configuration, not a universal design target or current market benchmark. |
| Eaton ROL4000 — manufacturer product page, accessed 2026 | Up to 2 MW at a 3°C approach temperature. | A manufacturer-published claim; compare only against offers with sufficiently similar operating conditions. |
| Trane CDU 2.X — manufacturer product page, accessed 2026 | Up to 2.5 MW at a 4°C approach temperature. | A manufacturer-published claim, not an independent comparative test. |
These examples do not establish which product will perform better at a particular site. Request a project-specific submittal and verify that the stated point matches the server and facility design.
4. Choose a facility-water temperature strategy that the IT can support
ASHRAE’s 2023 handbook lists these facility supply-water temperature ranges by water class:
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| ASHRAE water class | Facility supply-water range |
|---|---|
| W1 | 2–17°C |
| W2 | 2–27°C |
| W3 | 2–32°C |
| W4 | 2–45°C |
| W5 | Above 45°C |
These classes describe facility supply-water ranges; the selected IT equipment still has to support the operating conditions. The handbook notes that W32/W40-class facilities may avoid chillers in many locations and that W45/W+-class facilities are designed for chiller-less operation. Whether that is suitable depends on the climate, facility design and supported IT equipment.
Warm-water operation can create opportunities to reject heat without mechanical chilling in suitable designs. ASHRAE’s AI Data Center Energy Performance Framework describes a reference architecture using 45°C facility supply water and elevated return temperatures. Treat that as an architecture-specific example, not a guarantee of lower energy use, water savings or equivalent performance at your site.
5. Specify coolant, water quality and materials
Get written requirements for coolant chemistry, water quality, filtration and corrosion control, and check every wetted material against the proposed fluid. Include hoses, seals, fittings and server components in the compatibility review, not just the CDU.
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Where a CDU is not used, identify how the design will provide the protections it would otherwise support, including loop isolation, pressure management, temperature control and condensation prevention. Do not treat “water-cooled” as a complete fluid specification.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.6. Make reliability and failure response part of the design
ASHRAE’s data-center guidance treats redundancy as vital for liquid-cooling systems. Ask the vendor and design team to document the following for the actual installation:
- Pump and power redundancy, including what happens when one pump or power feed is unavailable.
- Isolation and bypass arrangements for servicing equipment without an unplanned interruption.
- Sensor and alarm coverage for temperature, pressure, flow and leaks, plus the monitoring system that receives alerts.
- Failure responses for a CDU, facility loop, sensor or control fault, including the effect on IT load and the procedure operators should follow.
- Service access, preventive maintenance, spare-parts support, warranty terms and commissioning responsibilities.
Also confirm how controls prevent condensation when coolant could be below room dew point. The design should account for expected environmental conditions and operating transitions, not just steady-state operation.
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- Efficient, Low-Noise Pump: Keeps your coolant circulating at a high flow rate while generating a whisper-quiet 20 dBA
- Convex Cold Plate with Pre-Applied Thermal Paste: The slightly convex shape ensures maximum contact with your CPU’s integrated heat spreader, with thermal paste applied in an optimised pattern to speed up installation
- RS120 ARGB Fans: RS ARGB fans create strong airflow and high static pressure, with easy ARGB control via a compatible motherboard. CORSAIR AirGuide technology and Magnetic Dome bearings ensure great cooling performance and low noise
- Easy Daisy-Chained Connections: Reduce the wiring in your system by daisy-chaining your RS ARGB fans and connecting them to just one 4-pin PWM fan header and one +5V ARGB header
7. Include the room and the rest of the facility
Direct-to-chip cooling does not automatically remove the need for room air cooling. Some equipment remains air-cooled, and residual rack heat still has to be managed. Include the CDU footprint and service clearances, facility piping, rack manifolds, heat-rejection equipment, power, controls and commissioning in the project scope.
ASHRAE’s AI Data Center Energy Performance Framework, under “Integrated Design Principles,” says power and cooling should be designed as a unified system from the outset. In procurement terms, evaluate the combined IT and facility design rather than treating a CDU as a standalone appliance.
8. Use a project-specific supplier checklist
Before selecting an offer, ask for a written response covering each of these decision points:
- Does the proposed system meet the chosen servers’ coolant, temperature, flow and pressure requirements?
- What capacity does the supplier guarantee at the project’s stated supply and return temperatures, flow and approach temperature?
- What does the supplier provide on each side of the CDU, and where does the facility-to-TCS boundary sit?
- How are fluid quality, filtration, materials compatibility, pressure control and condensation prevention addressed?
- What redundancy is included, what failures can the system tolerate, and what happens to IT equipment during each failure?
- What are the footprint, service-clearance, integration and expansion requirements for the room and site?
- What documentation, commissioning support, maintenance procedures, warranty and spare-parts support are included?
There is no universally best vendor or universal rack-density cutoff established by these design references, and the cited product examples do not provide independently comparable system-efficiency figures. Make the decision against the server specification, the facility design point and documented supplier performance.
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