In this paper we explore the use of vascular design that provides cooling and mechanical strength at the same time. We illustrate the concept with a circular plate vascularized with embedded channels. The cooling fluid enters to the plate from the center or from the rim, and leaves after it cools the plate down to an allowable temperature level. The vascular cooling channels also affect the mechanical strength of the plate. We simulated numerically the thermofluid and mechanical behavior for three different structures; radial, dendrites with one pairing level and dendrites with two pairing levels. We found that for a given set of conditions (applied pressure difference, coolant inlet position, and number of the cooling channels) there is one configuration that is best; however, there is no single configuration that is best for all conditions. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.