Vacuum Brazed Copper Cold Plate for IGBT, Inverters & High-Power Electronics
When power devices continue to operate under high loads, removing heat efficiently becomes one of the biggest challenges in thermal management. In applications such as IGBT modules, photovoltaic inverters, energy storage systems and industrial power supplies, heat is usually concentrated in a relatively small area. If the heat cannot be transferred into the coolant quickly enough, the operating temperature continues to rise, affecting both efficiency and component lifetime.
This copper cold plate was developed for applications that require stable cooling under continuous thermal loads. Instead of using a simple machined flow channel, it combines folded fins and offset fins inside a fully brazed copper structure to increase the contact area between coolant and copper. The coolant follows a controlled flow path, allowing more heat to be absorbed before leaving the outlet.
The cold plate measures 100 × 100 × 15.4 mm and is manufactured entirely from pure copper, including the housing and all internal fin structures. Every unit is assembled by vacuum brazing using a 72Ag28Cu silver-copper brazing alloy, followed by a 6 Bar pressure holding test for 10 minutes before shipment.
Why Use Pure Copper Instead of Aluminum?
Many standard liquid cooling plates are manufactured from aluminum because it is lightweight and relatively easy to machine. However, for high-power electronic equipment, thermal conductivity often becomes more important than weight.
Pure copper transfers heat much faster from the mounting surface into the coolant channel. This helps reduce local hot spots, especially when the heat source is concentrated beneath IGBT modules or power semiconductors. For equipment operating continuously under high loads, a copper cold plate can maintain a more stable temperature distribution than many conventional aluminum designs.
Why Is the Cooling Channel Divided into Two Fin Structures?
Instead of allowing coolant to pass through a straight channel, this cold plate guides the liquid through two different fin structures, each performing a different function during heat transfer.
The coolant first enters the folded fin section. Because the inlet is positioned in the middle of the folded fins, the coolant spreads toward both sides before entering the second stage. This helps distribute the flow more evenly across the cooling surface instead of concentrating it in one direction.
Once the coolant reaches the offset fin section, the fin density becomes much higher. The increased flow resistance creates stronger turbulence inside the channel, allowing the coolant to remain in contact with the copper surface for a longer period. More heat is therefore transferred into the liquid before it reaches the outlet.
After leaving the offset fins, the coolant passes through another folded fin section and exits the cold plate, carrying the absorbed heat away from the heat source.
Why We Use Vacuum Brazing
The internal cooling channel contains several copper components that cannot be produced as a single machined part. To assemble these layers while maintaining a completely sealed flow path, the cold plate is manufactured using a vacuum brazing process.
During brazing, all copper parts are heated inside a vacuum furnace, where oxidation is greatly reduced. The 72Ag28Cu silver-copper brazing alloy melts and flows between each contact surface, creating a strong metallurgical bond after cooling.
Compared with conventional welding methods, vacuum brazing provides a cleaner internal structure, lower thermal contact resistance and better long-term sealing reliability, making it well suited for liquid cooling applications that operate continuously.
Every cold plate is pressure tested after brazing.
The test conditions include:
Test Pressure: 6 Bar
Holding Time: 10 Minutes
Only products without leakage or permanent deformation proceed to final inspection.
Instead of only offering one standard model, AWIND manufactures custom vacuum brazed copper cold plates according to customer requirements, including:
* Plate dimensions
* Internal cooling channel design
* Connector type
* Mounting holes
* CNC machining
* Surface finishing
* Thermal simulation
* Prototype development
* Mass production
FAQ
1. Can this copper cold plate be customized?
Yes. We manufacture copper cold plates according to customer drawings or thermal requirements. Customization options include overall dimensions, cooling channel layout, inlet and outlet positions, connector types, mounting holes, surface machining and sealing structure. If thermal performance targets are available, our engineering team can also assist with thermal simulation and design optimization before production.
2. What industries commonly use this type of copper cold plate?
This design is widely used in applications where high heat loads need to be removed continuously. Typical applications include photovoltaic inverters, energy storage systems, EV power electronics, industrial power supplies, IGBT modules, wind power converters and other high-power electronic equipment.
3. Do you provide prototype manufacturing before mass production?
Yes. Prototype samples can be produced for performance verification before volume production. This allows customers to evaluate installation, cooling performance and system compatibility before final approval.
4. What quality inspections are performed before shipment?
Every cold plate undergoes dimensional inspection, appearance inspection and pressure leak testing after vacuum brazing. Products that do not meet the required sealing performance are not released for shipment. Additional inspections can also be arranged according to customer requirements.
5. Can AWIND assist with thermal design instead of only manufacturing?
Yes. Besides manufacturing copper cold plates, we also provide thermal simulation and cooling solution support. If you only have the heat source information or system requirements, our engineering team can help develop an appropriate cooling structure before production begins.
Related Technical Articles
>>>Why We Use Silver-Copper Brazing for High-Power Copper Cold Plates
>>>Copper Cold Plate Flow Path Design: Folded Fin + Offset Fin
>>>Vacuum Brazed Copper Cold Plates for IGBT Cooling
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