The three constructions
| Type | How the channel is made | Strength | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tube-embedded | A copper tube is pressed into a groove machined in an aluminum plate | Coolant stays inside one continuous tube; low tooling cost; layout is easy to change | Heat must cross the joint between plate and tube, so it suits low and medium heat flux |
| Vacuum brazed | Plates and internal fins are brazed together in a furnace | Large internal surface, very good and even cooling | Higher cost; sealing depends on the brazed joints |
| Friction stir welded | Channels are machined in a plate and closed with a cover welded by friction stir welding | Strong joints, free channel shapes, good for large plates | More machining; cost between the other two or above |
When a tube-embedded plate is the right choice
- The heat sources are discrete devices, such as IGBT modules, that can sit directly over the tube.
- Leak risk near live parts matters more than the last degree of temperature.
- Volumes are small or medium and the design may still change.
- The budget does not allow brazed or welded plates.
When to look at the other two
Very high heat flux, a need for an even temperature across a large surface, or strict limits on pressure drop usually point to a brazed or friction stir welded plate. A good supplier will tell you when your numbers are outside what a tube-embedded plate can do.
What the factory needs from you
- Heat load in watts and where the hot devices sit
- Maximum allowed surface or case temperature
- Coolant, flow rate and inlet temperature
- Footprint, thickness limit and mounting holes
- Fitting type and position
Lemosun makes tube-embedded liquid cold plates with a 6061-T6 aluminum base, high-purity copper tube and a hard anodized finish of 15 to 25 µm, to customer drawings.