A cold plate is a metal object that connects to soda fountains, bar guns, and other dispensing systems to chill beverages as they dispense. The plate is cooled by submerging it in ice, and the beverage is chilled as it passes through the plate. Each plate has a specific number of circuits, or "passes," that indicate how many separate connections it can support, and each connection includes an inlet and an outlet. Therefore, a cold plate with seven circuits can cool seven separate beverage lines, and it will feature seven inlets and seven outlets.