A liquid cold plate is not a standard component. Different applications have different requirements for cooling performance, temperature uniformity, flow resistance, weight, reliability, and installation space. As a result, the structure and flow-channel design of the cold plate can vary significantly.
Energy storage systems place greater emphasis on temperature uniformity, long service life, and low maintenance, while power batteries focus more on high heat dissipation, lightweight design, and vibration resistance.
Understanding these differences helps determine a more suitable cold plate structure, flow-channel design, and manufacturing approach during the selection and development stage.
1. Liquid Cold Plates for Energy Storage Containers
Key requirements: Temperature uniformity, long service life, and low maintenance
Energy storage containers are typically installed outdoors and contain multiple battery packs. During long-term operation, significant temperature differences between different areas can affect the available capacity and operating stability of the system.
Therefore, for liquid cold plates used in energy storage systems, flow-field uniformity is an important design consideration.
Typical design features:
· Large size (800–2000 mm in length, 400–1000 mm in width)
· Wide flow channels to reduce flow resistance and support low-power pump operation
· Corrosion protection (salt spray test ≥480 hours)
· Design life of 15–20 years
2. Liquid Cold Plates for Power Batteries
Key requirements: High heat dissipation, lightweight design, and vibration resistance
During vehicle operation, power batteries can generate a high instantaneous heat load, making rapid heat dissipation essential. At the same time, vehicle weight is a major consideration, making lightweight design an important requirement.
In addition, vehicles are exposed to continuous vibration and shock during operation, so the structural reliability of the liquid cold plate also needs to be considered.
Typical design features:
· Medium size (300–800 mm in length, 150–400 mm in width)
· Microchannel or serpentine flow-channel design to improve heat dissipation per unit volume
· Lightweight design as a priority, with plate thickness as thin as 1–1.5 mm
· Required to pass automotive-grade vibration testing
3.Key Parameter Comparison Between the Two Types of Liquid Cold Plates
| Parameter |
Energy Storage Container |
Power Battery |
| Typical Size |
800–2000 mm |
300–800 mm |
| Design Pressure |
0.3–0.5 MPa |
0.5–1 MPa |
| Temperature Difference Target |
≤5°C |
≤8°C |
| Corrosion Protection |
Required (Outdoor) |
Optional |
| Lightweight Requirement |
Medium |
High |
| Vibration Requirement |
Low |
High (Automotive Grade) |
| Design Life |
15–20 years |
8–10 years |
| Common Material |
6061 Aluminum Alloy |
6061 Aluminum Alloy |
Selection Considerations
Different applications place different priorities on sealing performance, temperature uniformity, pressure resistance, corrosion resistance, and other factors. When selecting or developing a liquid cold plate, the following parameters should be clarified first:
1. Design Pressure and Flow Rate
The design pressure determines the working pressure that the liquid cold plate needs to withstand, while coolant flow rate directly affects heat transfer performance and flow resistance. These parameters further influence the flow-channel cross-section, flow-channel structure, and plate design.
2. Operating Environment
Indoor, outdoor, and vehicle applications have different requirements for liquid cold plates. Outdoor energy storage systems need particular attention to corrosion protection and long-term operation, while vehicle applications require further consideration of vibration, shock, and installation space.
3. Temperature Difference Target
Different applications have different requirements for temperature uniformity. Defining the target temperature difference helps determine the flow-channel layout, coolant distribution, and heat transfer area.
4. Sealing and Leak Testing Requirements
A liquid cold plate contains internal coolant channels, so sealing performance is directly related to reliable operation. During the selection and design stage, the allowable leak rate and leak testing method should be clearly defined. For applications with high sealing requirements, helium mass spectrometer leak testing can be used for leak detection.
5. Installation Space and Interfaces
The length, width, thickness, mounting holes, and inlet and outlet positions of the liquid cold plate need to match the actual battery pack structure. Defining these dimensions in advance can help prevent installation interference or interface mismatch at later stages.
Conclusion
Although both energy storage systems and power batteries use liquid cooling, their requirements for liquid cold plate design are not the same. A suitable liquid cold plate needs to be designed based on multiple factors, including heat load, flow rate, pressure, temperature difference, installation space, and reliability, rather than simply selecting a standard size.
GUCHEN provides customized liquid cold plate development services, including flow-channel design, structural optimization, and manufacturing process selection based on the requirements of different applications.
