Guides / Choosing a Supplier
Choosing a Cold Plate: Tube-in-Plate or Machined Channels
November 1, 2026
A liquid cold plate moves heat from components into coolant. How the coolant path is built decides how much heat it can move, how much it costs and how it can fail.
Tube-in-plate
A copper or stainless tube is bent to a path and pressed or bonded into grooves in an aluminum plate. The coolant only touches the tube.
- No internal joints to leak
- Copper tube works with water, aluminum plate keeps weight down
- Tube bend radius limits how closely the path can follow hot spots
Machined channels
Channels are milled into the base plate and closed with a cover. The cover is sealed with an O-ring and screws, friction stir welded or brazed.
- Channels go exactly where the heat is
- More wetted area, fins can be added
- Every joint must be designed and tested
Side by side
| Tube-in-plate | Machined channels | |
|---|---|---|
| Thermal performance | Moderate | High |
| Pressure drop | Low to moderate | Design dependent |
| Leak risk | Very low | Depends on sealing |
| Price | Lower | Higher |
| Best for | Spread, moderate loads | Concentrated, high heat flux |
How to choose
Start with the heat flux under the hottest component. If the tube path can pass under it and keep the case temperature in range, tube-in-plate is usually the cheaper and safer choice. If not, machined channels with a sealed cover are the next step.
Send the component layout with heat loads, the coolant and the flow rate, and the comparison can be made on numbers instead of guesses.
Frequently asked questions
Which type is cheaper?
Tube-in-plate in most cases, because the tube carries the coolant and there is no internal joint to seal.
Which type handles higher heat flux?
Machined channels, because they can run directly under each hot spot with more wetted area and fins if needed.
Have a heat load to remove?
Send the heat load map, footprint and coolant. We reply within 24 business hours.
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