Hybrid channeling of Cu-Al cold plates for thermal management devices

Cu-Al cold plates, as a novel type of cold plate that combines the high thermal conductivity of copper with the low production cost of aluminum, are among the best options for enhancing the heat dissipation capacity of battery thermal management systems. Hybrid channeling of Cu-Al cold plates was proposed for thermal management devices with the combination of friction stir welding + channeling. The highest flexural strength of the Cu-Al interfaces reached 127.5 MPa with the optimized parameters. Due to the close-row welds adjacent to the channels, high-efficiency heat dissipation was realized with the fully bonded interfaces. No leakage of coolants occurred under the pressure of 0.85 MPa during the hydrostatic tests, indicating a sound sealing performance of the channels. Compared to the conventional Al cold plates, the heat sink capacity of the Cu-Al cold plates was enhanced by 16.3%. The results indicated that hybrid channeling not only enhanced the interfacial strength of Cu-Al cold plates but also significantly improved the heat dissipation capacity, offering a new technical pathway for optimizing battery thermal management systems.