(XD Thermal: Suzhou, China) -- XD Thermal Technology, a thermal management manufacturer, has advanced its side-cooling solutions for cylindrical cell-to-pack battery packs. Large-scale production capacity and automotive-grade process control are positioning the company as a key supplier.

In super-fast-charging cylindrical packs, the challenge is heat accumulation during high current/voltage in charging and discharging with high C-rate. XD Thermal’s side liquid-cooling concept routes serpentine tubes along the cell sidewall, increasing effective contact area vs. bottom cooling plates. The enlarged vertical contact surface well resolved the challenge of heat gradients in Z-axial direction because individual cells stay in a balanced temperature range, a positive factor to maintain a longer life for Li-ion batteries.

XD Thermal has developed a platform family of side-cooled modules and packs built around robust structures and reliable QA methods. Cooling tubes are pitched to match cylindrical cell layouts and can be combined flexibly with different manifolds, brackets, and pipelines. Validated flow-path structures and internal design rules keep heat-transfer performance predictable from prototype to mass production.

A technical engineer at XD Thermal says, “Platformized design reduces development cost and time, and supports agile development for our customers. With proven solutions of pipeline connections, electrical insulation, and geometric combinations, we helped many customers complete side-cooled battery development smoothly.”

In 2024, XD Thermal commissioned high-volume serpentine-tube lines with a daily capacity of 30,000 pieces, integrating automated forming, welding, cleaning, and 100% leak testing. Weld quality is controlled by 360° 3D-scan inspection on tubes, manifolds, and related components to verify full weld coverage.

“Ramp-up and industrialization is as important as product development,” says the head of manufacturing engineering at XD Thermal. “We provide a repeatable, scalable production system with a confirmed development road map and SOP schedule for production ramp-up and line expansion. Normally, production line and tooling preparation could be finished 6–8 weeks before PPAP.”

As cylindrical C2P packs rapidly gain share in EV batteries and other applications, XD Thermal expects demand for side-cooling solutions to grow. This demand will be captured by suppliers with ample capacity, highly automated lines, and mature design platforms.