When heat exchangers first gained popularity as efficient electrical thermal management solutions, the most common types were ambient cooling units that utilized air-to-air heat transfer methods to eliminate waste heat. The process is one that costs significantly less in both money and energy when compared to previous solutions that used more conventional HVAC methods. Today, air-to-air heat exchangers are still popular, but for many applications, the advanced liquid cooling capabilities of custom cold plates are often a more ideal solution. By creating flow paths within custom cold plates and circulating eco-friendly cooling fluid (such as water) through them, such solutions bring the high-performance thermal management of liquid cooling to a much broader range of applications.
Why liquid cooling is preferable
Liquid cooling means utilizing a cooling fluid with a high heat capacity to continuously transfer and dissipate electrical waste heat. It has long been a preferable cooling option for applications that produce high levels of waste heat, such as electronic equipment, large manufacturing machinery, and more. Yet, traditionally, implementing a liquid cooling solution for any given application required custom-designing every aspect of the thermal management system, often with costly components that companies couldn’t easily afford. To simplify the process, companies can now turn to custom-designed cold plates, which contain the cooling fluid and provide precise flow paths for it to transfer heat through.
How cold plates utilize it
Cold plates are metal plates that have unique flow paths machined into them. They utilize a combination of heat transfer methods, including conduction, to absorb waste heat across large surfaces. The plates absorb heat on one and transfers it to the fluid, which then carries the heat to a cooler heat dissipation area where it can safely release it. Because cold plates and their flow paths are often custom-designed, they can be made to fit into the physical limitations of most applications while providing optimal liquid cooling at a lower cost than traditional methods.
Customized solutions for most applications
As electronics and other technologies have continued to grow more powerful and compact, custom thermal solutions such as cold plates have become increasingly more important. Their ability to transfer large amounts of waste heat within limited spaces and with minimal energy make them ideal for applications that don’t provide a lot of space for more complicated thermal management machinery. They’re also preferable for helping technology designers keep the costs of their designs low and their effectiveness high, as well as for helping companies significantly lower their costs of operating advanced equipment.
For more information about customized liquid cooling with cold plates, call Noren Thermal Solutions in Taylor, TX, at 866-936-6736.