What is a Cold Plate?
Also known as a holdover plate or a holding plate, a cold plate is a metal box that is filled with a eutectic solution that can absorb a lot of heat. Since any solution that changes state expands and contracts, the metal must be strong enough to withstand any buildup of internal pressure. Inside the box, immersed in the solution, is tubing through which the refrigerant gas flows. The compressor unit condenses the refrigerant gas to a liquid, and releases the energy (heat) that it had absorbed to convert it from a liquid to a gas. As the refrigerant passes through the tubing in the cold plate, it expands, absorbing energy (heat) from the solution around it. As the energy (heat) is removed from the solution, it will freeze to a solid. The cold-plate takes longer to freeze down than a frosted evaporator when first powered on, typically 12-24 hours. After the initial freeze-down period, you will have a mass of frozen eutectic solution that will thaw at a very slow rate, requiring only a sm
