CDU frames and skids for data center cooling

A CDU is a coolant distribution unit. In a liquid to liquid system, it transfers heat between the technology cooling loop and the facility loop. The technology loop serves the IT equipment. The facility loop takes the heat toward the building cooling plant. A heat exchanger separates the fluids while moving heat from 1 loop to the other.

A CDU also brings pumps and controls into a defined package. The design may use a variable frequency drive, or VFD, to control pump speed. Sensors and controls help manage the specified flow, pressure and temperature. Those duties belong to the cooling equipment design. A frame fabricator needs the resulting mounting loads, component envelopes and access needs, rather than an assumed cooling duty.

The frame sets the layout for the cooling equipment. A skid can carry the pumps, heat exchanger and related assemblies. Panels close the package. Pump mounts locate rotating equipment. Manifold brackets hold the pipe assembly at the drawing locations. A drip pan can form part of the OEM leak management design.

Define the boundary on the bill of materials. Mark which parts are fabricated, which are purchased, and which arrive from the buyer. Include the fasteners and assembly notes when they are in scope. Wetted piping, valves, quick disconnects and pressure rated parts need separate approval. A fabricated bracket does not establish that a fluid connection is suitable for the coolant.

Send an assembly view that shows more than the outside dimensions. Show the space needed to remove a pump, pull a filter, open a control door and reach a fastener. Identify the removable panels and the surfaces that must stay clear. A component may fit during assembly yet be difficult to service once the CDU is in place.

Use common datums to locate the pump mounts and manifold supports. Mark the dimensions that control the relationship between them. Show any flexible connections in the equipment drawing without asking the frame to correct an uncertain pipe layout. If a control cabinet mounts to the same base, include its hole pattern and cable entry location in the released package.

Give the frame reviewer the equipment weights and the load cases used by the responsible engineer. Include lifting, transport and anchor details when they apply. Do not leave the lifting points to be inferred from a picture. A skid may need different checks while moving than it does when resting in its final position.

Call out the metal grade, weld symbols, finish, masking and surface condition. State whether a pan needs a leak test and provide the test method and acceptance limit. Stainless TIG and mild steel tank welding are part of the Florida capability set, but that fact does not qualify a new pressure boundary. Ask us about the specific process, inspection and documentation your drawing requires.

A CDU frame brings several metal parts into 1 assembly. Cutting and forming establish its panels and brackets. Machining or welding may be needed at equipment mounts and joints. Identify the dimensions that control the pump, heat exchanger and pipe interfaces. The route must address those features together, rather than treating each plate as an isolated part.

Our Florida equipment includes a Mazak laser, CNC press brakes, robotic welding, Mazak and Mori Seiki mill-turn machines and electromechanical assembly. These processes can form part of the reviewed frame route. Irving has laser cutting, forming and MIG welding. Rich confirms which operations and plant fit the actual frame, including the required joints, mounts and inspection stages.

A CDU frame must meet the mechanical requirements defined by the cooling OEM. Identify the equipment loads, mounting datums, service clearances and required weld inspections. If a drip pan or another part has a fluid related requirement, state it separately. Approval of the frame does not establish pressure performance or coolant compatibility for the complete cooling circuit.

Include the first article checks needed to prove the equipment mounts and panel interfaces. State whether your team needs material records, weld documentation or a dimensional report. Ask us about powder coat and any required AWS D1.1 welder qualification; both remain unconfirmed. The final package should let the cooling OEM assess the fabricated parts against its own approved drawings.

Use the RFQ form to send your CDU frame or skid requirement. Include the company, contact name, email, plant location, quantity and target date. Attach a PDF, DXF or STEP file up to 25 MB. A dimensioned PDF should identify the current revision and the features that control fit. Add the material grade, thickness, finish and any inspection or packing notes.

Tell us whether the first frame is needed for a fit check or for a production build. Separate that quantity from later releases and identify the cooling OEM contact who can approve interfaces. Kevin Leonard handles accounts and business development. Rich Fitzgerald reviews production and sourcing. A requested date remains a target until the frame route and schedule are confirmed.