LPBF Copper Heat Exchanger for Industrial Liquid Cooling Systems

Modern industrial cooling is bumping up against power density and footprint limits. If your chillers, pumps, and manifolds are already optimized, the next real gain comes from the heat exchanger itself. This is where laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) copper shines: it combines copper’s best-in-class thermal conductivity with fully 3D internal channels that conventional machining and brazing can’t produce. The result is compact, low-leakage, high-performance liquid cooling hardware that’s manufacturable at prototype and production scales through our copper 3D printing service.

Why LPBF copper for liquid cooling?

• Unbeatable heat transfer in a compact package. High-conductivity copper (~390–400 W/m·K for C110) moves heat roughly 2× compared with common aluminum alloys, enabling smaller footprints or lower ΔT at the same flow. (MatWeb)
• Geometry you can’t machine. LPBF builds fully enclosed serpentine channels, lattice pins, and multi-pass counterflow paths in a single piece—no stacked plates or lengthy braze joints.
• Reliability by design. Fewer joints and seals reduce leak paths and galvanic couples; pressure-bearing walls and ribs are integral, not assembled.
• Rapid iteration to production. Print → test → revise in days, then lock the design for recurring production under the same validated build parameters via our copper additive manufacturing service.

Materials that work: pure copper vs. CuCrZr

C110 (ETP/OFHC-equivalent)

• Thermal conductivity ~390–400 W/m·K at room temperature, excellent for heat exchangers, cold plates, and busbars. (MatWeb)
• Highest k for maximum spreading; best when structures are thick enough that absolute conductivity dominates performance.

CuCrZr (C18150/CW106C)

• Precipitation-hardenable copper alloy that retains high electrical/thermal conductivity with markedly higher strength after aging. EOS reports 88 % IACS electrical conductivity in a conductivity-optimized heat treatment, and typical build guidance for minimal wall thickness of 0.8 mm on M400 systems—useful for dense channel arrays.
• SLM Solutions reports up to ~92 % IACS after heat treatment (good proxy for thermal conduction). (SLM Solutions)

How we choose: For peak k and gentle loads, C110 wins. For pressure-bearing walls, threaded ports, or rugged duty, CuCrZr is often the better balance.

Thermal–hydraulic design: where LPBF makes the difference

Internal features that lift hA without killing ΔP

• Pin-fin carpets and trip features inside channels disrupt boundary layers, boosting convection coefficients at a controllable pressure-drop cost.
• Porous gyroid or Schwarz lattices give high surface area per volume for coolant contact.
• Counterflow and multi-pass layouts increase LMTD and uniformity across large heat sources (IGBT/SiC modules, diode stacks, high-power lasers).

Channel sizes, walls, and build rules of thumb

• Minimum wall thickness: 0.8 mm on EOS M400 CuCrZr (baseline; we’ll confirm per machine & parameter set).
• Holes & channels: Keep axis vertical when roundness matters; horizontal circular holes up to ~8 mm may be printable without supports, but expect slight ellipticity. Consider teardrop or diamond profiles to avoid supports. (Makerverse)
• Escape/cleanout: Provide at least two powder escape holes per cavity; design for brush/air/ultrasonic access. (Makerverse)

Not sure where to start? Send your envelope constraints, heat flux, allowable ΔP, and coolant spec to [email protected] and our applications team will propose a print-ready geometry through our copper 3D printing service.

Surface finish, sealing, and joining

As-built LPBF copper surfaces are textured; downskins at shallow angles show higher Ra than vertical or upskin. EOS data illustrates orientation-dependent roughness and documents conductivity after heat treatment. We typically:

1. Finish critical bores and gasket lands by machining,
2. Electropolish or abrasive flow where channel friction matters, and
3. Apply barrier coatings (electroless Ni or thin Ag) if your coolant chemistry calls for it.

Ports are integrated (NPT, BSPP, or ORB) with O-ring grooves per SAE/JIS; for manifolds, we can laser weld or braze copper printed halves if a split build reduces supports.

Coolants, corrosion & cleanliness

Copper is broadly compatible with water-glycol coolants and many inhibited aqueous chemistries. Key points:

• Use inhibitors appropriate for copper. Azoles such as benzotriazole/tolyltriazole form protective films on copper surfaces and are common in glycol systems; they significantly reduce copper attack in neutral/alkaline water. (铜协会)
• Seawater and brine exposure. In marine or chloride-rich environments, choose copper alloys judiciously and maintain inhibitor programs; CDA guidance shows corrosion behaviors and how to avoid localized attack. (铜协会)
• Deionized (DI) water. DI can be aggressive without buffering and inhibitors; use a properly formulated package and monitor pH and conductivity. (watertechusa.com)
• Mixed-metal loops. Avoid direct copper–aluminum couples or maintain inhibitor/biocide control to manage galvanic risk. (Boyd | Trusted Innovation)

Our team will review your coolant MSDS and propose metallurgy and finishing that meet your life-of-system goals.

Typical manufacturing & QA flow (production-ready)

1. DFAM co-design (thermal + flow model, manifolds, serviceability).
2. LPBF build in Cu or CuCrZr with validated parameters and in-process monitoring.
3. Heat treatment (conductivity- or strength-optimized aging profiles per datasheet).
4. HIP (optional) for porosity-sensitive parts.
5. CNC finishing (ports, gasket lands, flatness, datum features).
6. Cleaning & passivation tuned to your coolant.
7. Pressure & leak testing to spec; flow curve validation against CFD.
8. Documentation: material certs, dimensional and NDT reports on request.

Application snapshots

• High-power electronics (SiC/IGBT, rectifiers): Shorter thermal paths into the coolant and uniform junction temperatures.
• Industrial lasers & optics: Fine channel networks under diode bars or slabs improve stability and lifetime.
• Data center & power conversion: Dense cold plates and manifold blocks that bolt straight into skids.
• Tooling & die casting: Conformal cooling near hotspots for cycle-time reduction and longer die life.

Quick-start spec checklist for your RFQ

When you email [email protected], include:

• Heat load & interface: heat flux map, mounting pattern, flatness plan.
• Coolant & limits: chemistry, temperature window, max ΔP, target flow.
• Envelope: keep-out zones, port standards (NPT/BSPP/ORB), orientation.
• Test criteria: burst, proof, helium leak, cleanliness levels, traceability.
• Finish choices: machined faces, coatings (EN, Ag), Ra targets, CT scan need.

We’ll respond with DFAM notes and a quote from our copper 3D printing service—often with a first-pass geometry proposal and an estimate of thermal–hydraulic performance.

LPBF copper vs. brazed plate construction

• Leak risk: Single-piece LPBF body = minimal joints vs. dozens of braze seams.
• Geometry: True 3D channel networks vs. 2.5D milled grooves & covers.
• Scalability: Fast design spins and low tooling cost; cost cross-over improves at moderate complexity volumes.
• Performance: Higher hA per volume at similar ΔP due to topology-optimized internal features.

Design notes from the datasheets (what we actually reference)

• CuCrZr heat treatments: Conductivity-optimized aging at 550 °C (3 h) yields 88 % IACS; strength-optimized at 490 °C (1 h) trades some conductivity for higher UTS. Minimal wall thickness guideline: 0.8 mm on EOS M400. Surface roughness improves with build angle.
• CuCrZr conductivity window: Other LPBF parameter sets (SLM Solutions) report up to ~92 % IACS after aging—helpful when you need both strength and heat flow. (SLM Solutions)
• Base copper performance: C110 copper thermal conductivity ~390–400 W/m·K at 20 °C. (MatWeb)

Work with us

Whether you need a single experimental cold plate or a production run of integrated heat exchangers, our copper 3D printing service covers design, build, finish, and validation. Send CAD (STEP/Parasolid) and your operating envelope to [email protected].

Frequently asked questions (fast answers)

References (selected)

• EOS GmbH. EOS CopperAlloy CuCrZr — Material Data Sheet (05/2025). (heat treatments, IACS, wall/roughness).
• SLM Solutions. CuCr1Zr Material Data Sheet (2024). (IACS after aging). (SLM Solutions)
• HyperPhysics, Georgia State University. Thermal Conductivity Table. (typical k values for copper/aluminum). (hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu)
• MatWeb. C110 Copper Properties. (k ≈ 383–391 W/m·K). (MatWeb)
• Copper Development Association. Benzotriazole as a corrosion inhibitor for copper. (coolant inhibitors). (铜协会)
• Copper Development Association. Copper Alloys in Seawater—Avoidance of Corrosion. (marine/chloride guidance). (铜协会)
• MakerVerse. The L-PBF Design Guide (2024). (holes/orientation, escape/cleanout). (Makerverse)

Contact: [email protected]

Disclaimer: If you choose to implement any of the examples described in this article in your own projects, please conduct a careful evaluation first. This site assumes no responsibility for any losses resulting from implementations made without prior evaluation.