Next Generation HXU: Doubling Cooling Power for the AI Era
AI is rewriting the rules of computing, and datacenter cooling is no exception. As workloads grow hotter and more dense, traditional air cooling simply can’t keep up. Enter our next generation Heat Exchanger Unit (HXU), designed to deliver 2X the cooling capacity in the same footprint while boosting reliability for mission-critical AI deployments.
Enabling Liquid-Cooling for AI Systems in Air-Cooled Datacenters
Hyperscale datacenters are at the heart of the AI revolution, but they face a critical challenge: power density. Modern AI accelerators can push racks beyond 200 kW, far exceeding the limits of legacy air-cooled infrastructure. Retrofitting entire facilities for liquid cooling is costly and disruptive, leaving operators searching for solutions that balance performance, efficiency, and compatibility.
Delivering A New Standard In Cooling and Reliability For AI Infrastructure
By doubling the cooling capacity, it achieves twice the thermal performance of our first-generation HXU—without increasing the physical footprint. This leap in efficiency ensures that even the most demanding workloads remain optimized.
Reliability and availability are at the core of our next generation HXU. With redundant pumps, fans, and power feeds, each unit is designed to offer >99.9% uptime, safeguarding critical AI operations against unexpected disruptions.
Looking ahead, our next generation HXU is built to scale with the future of AI. Supporting rack densities greater than 240 kW, it enables next-generation AI accelerators without requiring major facility overhauls. In short, our next generation HXU combines performance, resilience, and scalability to power the AI era.
Compact, Powerful Design
- Form Factor: Same two-tile width as our last generation HXU for seamless deployment in existing aisles.
- Cooling Capacity: Greater than 240 kW per rack in existing air-cooled datacenters.
- Architecture:
- Modular design for pumps, fans, and filters.
- Quick-disconnect couplings and segmented manifolds for flexible configurations.
- Leak detection and drip pans for enhanced coolant management.
Reliability & Security
- Redundancy: Multi-pump and dual-power configurations for high availability.
- Cybersecurity: Secure boot, NIST SP 800-53, CIS controls and ISO/IEC 27001 compliance for firmware integrity.
- Telemetry: Predictive analytics for proactive maintenance.
Paving The Path Forward on High-Density Cooling
The next-generation HXU marks a major leap forward in sustainable, high-density cooling for AI datacenters. By doubling cooling capacity and improving reliability—all within the same footprint—Microsoft is enabling the next wave of AI innovation without compromising efficiency or uptime.
Join the conversation: Explore our open-source design contributions through the Open Compute Project Foundation and help shape the future of datacenter cooling.
Microsoft