Liquid Cooling Plate Manufacturing Process: From Materials to Precision Testing
2026-05-08
As new energy vehicles, data centers, and energy storage systems experience explosive growth, the thermal performance of liquid cooling plates directly determines equipment stability and service life. A well-designed flow channel structure significantly improves temperature uniformity of battery modules, while advanced manufacturing processes ensure optimal flow path design, pressure resistance, and cost efficiency. This article provides a comprehensive overview of mainstream fabrication technologies, key techniques, and quality control points for liquid cooling plates.
1. Material Selection & Pre-Treatment
1.1 Mainstream Materials
Aluminum Alloys: The dominant choice for EV battery cooling plates, balancing thermal conductivity, light weight, strength, processability, and cost. 3003 aluminum alloy is widely used due to its mature technology and excellent comprehensive performance.
Copper Alloys: Pure copper (thermal conductivity: 401 W/m·K) is ideal for high-power scenarios (e.g., 800V high-voltage platforms), requiring nickel plating or anodization to prevent corrosion.
Composite Materials: High-strength aluminum alloy composites (3-layer structure: core + brazing layer + sacrificial layer) are used for applications demanding superior mechanical strength.
1.2 Pre-Treatment Process
Surface Degreasing: Ultrasonic cleaning (28–80 kHz) removes oil contaminants to ensure reliable welding and passivation.
Passivation: Chromate or chromium-free passivation (e.g., titanium salt solution) forms a nano-scale protective film, achieving 1,000+ hours of salt spray resistance.
2. Flow Channel Forming Technologies
2.1 Stamping Forming: High-Volume Production Core
Process Features: Servo presses deliver 60 strokes/min high-speed stamping with flow channel depth tolerance of ±0.05 mm. Ideal for medium/small cooling plates with 70%+ material utilization.
Case: BYD Seal CTB batteries adopt stamping plate direct cooling, boosting heat exchange efficiency by 40% via large-area flow channels.
2.2 Hydroforming: Complex Flow Channel Expert
Process Steps: Aluminum blank cutting (±0.1 mm) → hydraulic expansion (30–50 MPa, 2–10 seconds hold) → water jet trimming → vacuum brazing assembly.
Advantages: High design flexibility (serpentine, branched structures) with 20% lower pressure loss than stamped plates.
Case: CATL Kirin battery uses hydroformed large plates (1,200×800×50 mm), increasing cooling area by 4×.
2.3 Extrusion Forming: Cost-Effective Standard Solution
Process: Extrusion of aluminum profiles with preformed flow channels (e.g., harmonica tubes), followed by cutting and header welding.
Limitations: 30% lower cost than stamping but restricted to straight flow channels, suitable for energy storage container cooling plates.
2.4 3D Printing: Structural Innovation Breakthrough
Technology: Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) produces monolithic cooling plates without weld seams, withstanding 6+ bar pressure.
Case: Singapore’s CoolestDC’s 3D-printed plates use oblique fins to improve cooling efficiency by 20%, deployed in NVIDIA H100 GPU cooling systems.
3. Flow Channel Machining: Core of Thermal Performance
3.1 Mainstream Methods
Embedded Tube Process: Copper tubes are pressed into milled aluminum grooves (depth/diameter ratio ≤3:1) and fixed via brazing.
Pros: Zero leakage risk (seamless tubing), mature and cost-effective.
Cons: Limited flow channel flexibility; risk of galvanic corrosion between copper and aluminum.
Applications: Server liquid cooling, industrial inverter heat sinks.
Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM): Wire cutting (±0.01 mm precision) creates micro-channels in hard alloy molds for prototyping.
Chemical Etching: Photolithography + NaOH etching produces micro-scale channels for ultra-thin plates (≤0.5 mm).
3.2 Innovative Designs
Bionic Flow Channels: Valeo’s shark fin-shaped channels enhance coolant turbulence, increasing heat transfer coefficient by 15%.
Branched Structures: Tesla 4680 battery modules use side-branched plates with 15° sub-branches to minimize temperature differentials.
4. Welding Technologies: Sealing & Strength Challenges
4.1 Vacuum Brazing: Mass Production Preferred
Principle: Aluminum-silicon brazing filler melts in a vacuum furnace, bonding flow channel plates and covers metallurgically.
Advantages: Supports complex micro-channels/fin structures (30%+ efficiency gain); lightweight aluminum construction withstands 10+ bar pressure.
Case: CATL CTP battery plates use vacuum brazing with deformation 500V).
PTFE Coating: 50–100 μm polytetrafluoroethylene layers reduce friction coefficient to 0.1, minimizing coolant flow resistance.
5.2 Full-Process Testing
Leak Detection:
Helium mass spectrometry (1×10⁻⁹ mbar·L/s): EV battery plates, leakage rate ≤0.1 sccm.
Hydrostatic testing (1.5× working pressure, 30 min hold): Energy storage plates.
Internal Quality:
Ultrasonic C-SAM (50–200 MHz): Detects brazing defects (voids >5%) with 50 μm resolution.
CMM (±0.002 mm): Verifies channel dimensions and cell contact accuracy.
Conclusion
Liquid cooling plate manufacturing integrates material science, precision machining, and advanced welding technologies. From 3003 aluminum substrate preparation to helium leak testing, every process directly impacts cooling performance and reliability. As high-density thermal management demands grow, innovations like 3D-printed bionic channels and FSW monolithic structures will further enhance efficiency while reducing costs.
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Battery Pack Side Cooling or Bottom Cooling, Which Is Better?
2026-04-27
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Thermal management is a critical cornerstone of battery pack performance, safety, and service life, especially as electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage systems (ESS) continue to develop towards higher power density, faster charging speeds, and more diverse operating scenarios. The efficient dissipation of heat generated by battery cells during charging and discharging directly determines the stability of energy output, the risk of thermal runaway, and the long-term reliability of the entire battery system. Among the various thermal management technologies currently in practical application, side cooling and bottom cooling are two mature and widely adopted solutions, each with distinct working principles, performance characteristics, and applicable scenarios. This article will systematically compare the two methods in terms of principle, advantages, disadvantages, and application scope, providing a clear reference for the selection of battery pack thermal management solutions.
1. Side Cooling
Principle:
Liquid cooling plates or heat conduction structures are installed on the sides of the battery pack. Coolant or heat-conducting materials transfer heat generated by cells from the sides, expanding the heat dissipation area and improving cooling efficiency.
Advantages:
It provides a large heat dissipation area and effectively reduces cell surface temperature, making it highly suitable for high-power and high-rate charging and discharging scenarios such as ultra-fast charging battery packs.
It optimizes internal temperature uniformity of the battery pack, minimizes temperature differences between cells, and reduces the risk of thermal runaway.
For both cylindrical and prismatic cells, side cooling enables better coverage of core heat-generating areas.
Disadvantages:
The structure is relatively complex, requiring strict consideration of liquid cooling plate installation, sealing and close contact with cells, resulting in higher costs.
It occupies lateral space inside the pack, restricting the overall layout design when the battery pack dimension is limited.
Application Scenarios:
Widely adopted in high-end electric vehicles, energy storage systems and other high-power applications, represented by CATL Qilin Battery and some Tesla models.
2. Bottom Cooling
Principle:
A liquid cooling plate or heat-conducting base plate is arranged at the bottom of the battery pack. Heat is conducted outwards through direct contact between the bottom structure and cooling media.
Advantages:
It features a simple structure and lower cost, facilitating mass production and standardized manufacturing.
It meets basic heat dissipation demands for low-power and low-rate operating conditions with minimal space occupation.
Disadvantages:
The limited heat exchange area leads to low cooling efficiency, failing to support high-power operation and high-rate fast charging.
It easily causes uneven internal temperature distribution; the bottom remains cool while heat accumulates at the top, impairing overall battery performance and service life.
Application Scenarios:
Applied to low-power devices, entry-level electric vehicles and battery packs with low heat dissipation requirements, including cost-effective EVs and general energy storage battery modules.
Summary
Side cooling delivers high cooling efficiency and superior temperature consistency, ideal for high-power and high-rate working conditions at a higher structural cost. Bottom cooling boasts a simple structure and cost advantages, which is applicable to low-power and low-demand scenarios. In practical engineering, hybrid solutions combining side cooling and bottom cooling are commonly adopted to achieve comprehensive thermal management performance.
In the global transition towards green energy and carbon neutrality, electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage systems (ESS) have become the core driving forces of the new energy revolution. Among the key components that determine the performance, safety, and lifespan of EV battery packs and ESS modules, thermal management systems stand out as a critical technology—directly affecting charging efficiency, battery cycle life, and even preventing thermal runaway risks. Trumony Aluminum Limited (referred to as "Trumony"), founded in 2017 and headquartered in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China, has emerged as a fast-growing, innovative manufacturer and one-stop solution provider specializing in high-performance battery thermal management systems, liquid cooling solutions, and aluminum heat exchangers, dedicated to supporting the global new energy industry with reliable, cost-effective, and customized thermal management technologies.
Whether you are an EV OEM, battery manufacturer, ESS integrator, or enterprise in need of high-quality battery thermal management solutions, Trumony is your reliable long-term partner. We are committed to strengthening cooperation with global partners, jointly promoting the development of the new energy industry, and achieving win-win results. If you are interested in our side cooling, bottom cooling, or integrated liquid cooling solutions, want to customize thermal management products for your specific needs, or have any questions about our products and services, please do not hesitate to contact us immediately—our professional team will respond to you promptly and provide you with tailored solutions.
Headquarters Address: Jindi Weixin Wuzhong Intelligent Manufacturing Park, Wuzhong District, Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province, China
Factory Address: Suqian Economic & Technological Development Zone, Jiangsu Province, China
Email:sales4@trumony.com
Contact Trumony today, and let us work together to create a greener, more sustainable future with advanced battery thermal management technology!
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7 Common Liquid Cooling Plate Processes: Principles & Key Characteristics
2026-04-24
7 Common Liquid Cooling Plate Processes: Principles & Key Characteristics
1. Stamping + Brazing Process
Principle: Aluminum or copper plates are stamped into components with flow channel grooves using stamping dies, and then hermetically connected with fins, cover plates and other components through brazing (such as vacuum brazing or controlled atmosphere brazing).
Characteristics: Suitable for mass production with low cost and flexible flow channel design. Fins can be integrated to enhance heat transfer, but the die cost is high and the complexity of flow channels is limited.
2. Machining + Welding Process
Principle: CNC machine tools are used to mill, drill and process flow channels on aluminum or copper base plates, and then the cover plates are sealed by welding (such as friction stir welding, brazing) to form closed flow channels.
Characteristics: The shape and depth of the flow channel can be freely designed, which is suitable for complex heat source layout and space-constrained scenarios, but the processing efficiency is low and the material utilization rate is low.
3. Extrusion Molding + Welding Process
Principle: Aluminum alloy billets are heated and extruded through extrusion dies to form profiles with internal flow channels, which are then cut, machined and welded with headers or cover plates to complete sealing.
Characteristics: High production efficiency and low cost, suitable for mass production, but the flow channels are usually regular in shape, and the design of complex flow channels is limited.
4. Die Casting + Welding Process
Principle: Molten aluminum alloy is injected into the mold at high pressure to die-cast the body with flow channel grooves, and then the cover plate is sealed by welding (such as friction stir welding, brazing).
Characteristics: Suitable for complex integrated structures with high production efficiency, but the die cost is high. Die castings may have pores, impurities and other problems, which require subsequent treatment.
5. Fin Cutting + Brazing Process
Principle: Dense fins are processed on the aluminum or copper base plate through the fin cutting process to form microchannels, which are then hermetically sealed with the cover plate and water inlet and outlet nozzles through brazing.
Characteristics: High heat transfer efficiency and small volume, suitable for high heat flux scenarios, but the flow resistance is large, requiring a powerful pump drive and high cost.
6. Friction Stir Welding (FSW) Process
Principle: A high-speed rotating stirring head is used to generate frictional heat on the contact surface of the workpiece, so that the metal enters a plastic state and fuses to achieve solid-state connection. It is often used to seal cover plates or connect complex flow channel structures.
Characteristics: High weld strength, good sealing performance, no fusion welding defects, suitable for large-size and mass production, but high requirements for tooling and slightly poor weld appearance.
7. 3D Printing (Additive Manufacturing) Process
Principle: Metal 3D printing technology (such as selective laser melting) is used to stack metal powder layer by layer to directly manufacture liquid cooling plates with complex topological structures, and the flow channels can be designed conformally.
Characteristics: Extremely high design freedom, able to realize complex flow channels that cannot be processed by traditional processes, and excellent heat dissipation performance, but high cost and low production efficiency, suitable for prototype development or high-end customization.
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Why Liquid Cooling Instead of Air Cooling — How Liquid Cold Plates Work?
2026-04-23
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Why Liquid Cooling Instead of Air Cooling — How Liquid Cold Plates Work?
The core working principle of a liquid cooling plate is to efficiently transfer heat from solid surfaces through forced convective heat transfer, utilizing the high specific heat capacity and convective heat transfer characteristics of cooling fluids. The detailed process is as follows:
1. Heat Conduction via Thermal Interface
Heat-generating components are tightly attached to one or more surfaces of the liquid cooling plate (commonly known as the mounting surface or base plate) using thermal interface materials such as thermal grease, thermal pads, solder, and other thermally conductive media. Heat is transferred from the heat source to the solid wall of the liquid cooling plate through thermal conduction.
2. Heat Conduction Within the Solid Structure
Heat travels within the metallic structure of the liquid cooling plate (typically aluminum, copper, or other high-conductivity alloys) by means of thermal conduction, moving from the high-temperature mounting surface in contact with the heat source to the low-temperature inner walls of the internal flow channels that interact with the coolant. Higher thermal conductivity of the material and thinner wall thickness reduce thermal resistance and improve heat conduction efficiency.
3. Convective Heat Transfer
This is the most critical stage. The coolant, usually deionized water, aqueous glycol solution, or specialized industrial coolant, flows through the sealed internal channels of the liquid cooling plate at a controlled velocity driven by an external pump. As it passes over the high-temperature inner channel walls, the coolant absorbs heat from the wall surfaces.
Heat transfer relies primarily on forced convection: the flow of the coolant, especially in a turbulent state, disrupts the laminar boundary layer near the wall surfaces, enabling more efficient mixing and heat exchange between the core cold fluid and the hot wall. A higher convective heat transfer coefficient corresponds to stronger heat exchange performance.
The design of the flow channels, including shape, dimensions, and surface enhancements such as fins or pin fins, directly affects the flow regime (laminar or turbulent), heat exchange area, and convective heat transfer coefficient, ultimately determining the overall heat dissipation efficiency.
4. Heat Removal by the Coolant
After absorbing heat, the temperature of the coolant increases, and it exits the liquid cooling plate through the outlet port.
5. External Circulation and Heat Rejection
The heat-carrying high-temperature coolant is pumped to an external heat exchanger within the system, such as an air-cooled radiator, water-cooled condenser, or secondary cooling plate. Inside the heat exchanger, heat from the coolant is ultimately dissipated into the ambient environment through air or water cooling. The cooled low-temperature coolant is then recirculated back to the inlet of the liquid cooling plate, completing the closed-loop cycle.
Key Summary
High-Efficiency Heat Transfer Medium: Liquids possess a significantly higher specific heat capacity than air (water’s specific heat capacity is approximately four times that of air), allowing far greater heat absorption per unit volume. The convective heat transfer coefficient of liquids, especially water, is also dozens to hundreds of times higher than air, resulting in much faster heat transfer rates under the same temperature difference.
Low Thermal Resistance Path: The liquid cooling plate provides a low-resistance thermal pathway from the heat source to the coolant, supported by high-thermal-conductivity materials and optimized structural engineering.
Enhanced Heat Transfer via Forced Convection: Pump-driven forced flow and optimized channel designs that generate turbulence and expand heat exchange area greatly strengthen heat transfer between the fluid and solid walls.
Improved Temperature Uniformity: Well-designed channel layouts, such as serpentine or multi-branch configurations, improve temperature uniformity across the liquid cooling plate surface and prevent localized overheating.
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314 Cooling Plate: High-Performance Thermal Management for Extreme Environments
2026-04-16
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Superior Material for High-Temperature Stability
The 314 cooling plate, primarily manufactured from AISI 314 stainless steel, is engineered for demanding high-temperature and corrosive environments. With a composition rich in chromium (23–26%), nickel (19–22%), and silicon (1.5–3.0%), this austenitic alloy delivers outstanding heat resistance, oxidation resistance, and mechanical stability, maintaining performance at temperatures up to 1150°C.
Efficient Heat Exchange Design
The internal structure of the 314 cooling plate features optimized serpentine or parallel flow channels, enabling efficient heat transfer through circulating coolants such as water or glycol. This design ensures uniform temperature distribution and effective dissipation of concentrated heat loads.
Enhanced Corrosion and Oxidation Resistance
The elevated silicon content promotes the formation of a protective SiO₂ layer on the surface, significantly improving resistance to sulfidation and scaling. This makes the 314 cooling plate particularly suitable for harsh operating conditions found in petrochemical processing, metallurgy, and waste incineration industries.
Improved Strength Under Thermal Stress
Compared to conventional 304 and 316 stainless steel cooling plates, the 314 variant offers superior creep strength and structural integrity under prolonged high-temperature exposure. This ensures long-term reliability and reduces the risk of deformation or failure in extreme applications.
Reliable Manufacturing and Wide Applications
Manufactured באמצעות precision welding or brazing processes, 314 cooling plates provide leak-proof performance and consistent thermal conductivity. They are widely used in furnace heat exchangers, radiant tubes, and high-temperature battery thermal management systems.
Conclusion: Durability Meets Efficiency
In modern industrial applications, the 314 cooling plate achieves an optimal balance between durability and thermal efficiency, making it a critical component for reliable and long-lasting thermal management in extreme operating conditions.
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