Metal structure, production method for same, and heat exchanger

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a metal structure that has a high-strength three-dimensional lattice structure and is capable of allowing a fluid to flow in multiple directions, and a production method for the same. [Solution] A metal structure 10 according to the present invention is a laminated body of metal protruding-and-recessed plates 1 that have a large number of through holes 6. Both surfaces of each protruding-and-recessed plate 1 comprise a plurality of protruding surface parts 2, and the protruding surface parts 2 are joined to each other.

Description

Metal Structure, Method for Producing Same, and Heat Exchanger

[0001] The present invention relates to a three-dimensional metal structure having a large number of through-holes, a method for producing the same, and a heat exchanger using the metal structure.

[0002] Three-dimensional metal structures are used in various applications, and various production methods are known. For example, metal lamination bonding, metal corrugation processing, metal 3D printing, extrusion method, porous metal plate lamination method, elution method, foaming method, and metal sintering are known as methods for producing metal structures.

[0003] The metal lamination bonding method is a production method in which metal plates each having one or more holes are partially bonded with an adhesive, and the metal plates are pulled in the lamination direction to continuously form cavities to obtain a honeycomb shape; the produced honeycomb structure is used as a construction material and an aircraft member. In metal corrugation processing, a metal plate is corrugated and then laminated to form a metal structure. If the wave height is increased to increase the surface area inside the cavities, automobile radiators, room air conditioners, refrigerators and freezers, chillers, and the like having excellent heat dissipation properties can be produced. In metal 3D printing, metal powder or filament is laminated and shaped while being melt-bonded three-dimensionally, so that a metal structure with a complex shape can be easily produced. For this reason, it is used for producing development prototypes. In the extrusion method, molten metal is extruded through a die (mold) to continuously form a honeycomb structure, and this method is particularly used when a plastic metal material such as aluminum is used. The extrusion method is suitable for producing a long continuous honeycomb structure, and is known as a method for producing carriers for automobile catalytic converters and the like.

[0004] In the metal porous plate lamination method, metal plates with numerous holes formed by pressing, electroforming, etching, expanding, etc., are laminated to produce metal structures usable for electromagnetic shielding, filters, etc. The dissolution method is a method in which a readily soluble material is mixed with a metal, and the readily soluble material is dissolved and removed in a later process to form a porous structure. Metal structures formed by the dissolution method are used in medical implants, catalyst carriers, etc. In the foam method (foamed porous body formation, foam method porous body formation), a porous structure (also called metal foam) is obtained by foaming liquid metal. The resulting structure is lightweight and has excellent shock absorption properties, and is used as a shock absorber, heat insulating material, and acoustic material. In metal sintering, porous structures are obtained mainly in sheet form by sintering metal powder, metal fibers, etc.

[0005] The aforementioned metal structure and its manufacturing method have the following problems. Specifically, in the metal lamination bonding method, lamination is performed using a resin adhesive with a low melting point, so the laminated structure breaks down at high temperatures. During stretching, a stretching force in the lamination direction is applied to the bonded portion, requiring an adhesive force greater than the bending stress of the metal plate. For this reason, it is difficult to apply to thick plates. Also, since stress is applied to the entire metal plate during stretching, in order to stretch uniformly, the bending stress of the plate must be made uniform, and the bending angle changes depending on whether or not there are porous parts in the metal plate at the corners (Figure 1, reference numeral 23), resulting in an uneven shape of the cavity (Figure 2, reference numeral 4). It is weak against compressive force in the opposite direction to the tensile direction. With metal corrugation processing alone, fluid movement perpendicular to the surface of the processed metal plate is not possible. In metal 3D printing, metal powder is mainly used as the material, but in typical laser and electron beam methods, thermal stress after fabrication and removal of metal powder are problems, making it difficult to stably form micropores of 0.2 mm or less. In the extrusion method, molten metal is passed through a die (mold) and extruded to continuously form rectangular cross-sectional structures and honeycomb structures, but fluid cannot be passed perpendicular to the voids. In the metal porous plate lamination method, the continuous pores of the laminated metal porous body become fluid channels, but fluid cannot be passed perpendicular to them (i.e., in the surface direction). In the dissolution method and foam method, the three-dimensional structure of the pores lacks regularity, making it difficult to control the pore size. In metal sintering, the porosity can be controlled to some extent, but the resulting structure lacks three-dimensional regularity.

[0006] Furthermore, Patent Document 1, a prior art invention, discloses a honeycomb panel in which face plates are fixed to the front and back surfaces of a honeycomb structure, characterized in that through holes 6 for fluid passage are provided in the walls of the cells constituting the honeycomb (Patent Document 1, Claim 1). Patent Document 1 also discloses a manufacturing method as follows: Multiple sheets of honeycomb material foil, such as aluminum foil, cut into strips are stacked and bonded together at adhesive parts provided at regular intervals to create a honeycomb block. Then, this honeycomb block is stretched laterally to obtain a honeycomb structure (Patent Document 1, Paragraph 0015).

[0007] The manufacturing method for the honeycomb structure described in Patent Document 1 involves bonding aluminum foil to a honeycomb block and then stretching the block in the lamination direction. Therefore, it is equivalent to the aforementioned metal lamination bonding method, and because adhesive is used, the laminated structure will break down at high temperatures, making it unsuitable for high-temperature applications. Furthermore, because it is stretched in the lateral direction (lamination direction), it is weak against loads and compressive forces applied in the opposite direction to the stretching direction, and cannot be used in applications requiring high strength.

[0008] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2009-2575

[0009] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a metal structure and a method for manufacturing the same in order to solve the problems of the prior art described above. Specifically, the object is to provide a metal structure having a high-strength three-dimensional lattice structure and capable of fluid flow in multiple directions, and a method for manufacturing the same. Furthermore, the object is to provide a heat exchanger using a metal structure.

[0010] The metal structure according to the present invention is a laminate of metal uneven plates 1 having a number of through holes 6, wherein each of the uneven plates 1 has a number of convex portions 2, and opposing convex portions 2 are joined together.

[0011] The metal structure 10 of the present invention has a regular three-dimensional lattice structure because it is formed by joining multiple layers of uneven plates 1 having numerous through holes 6 (including "porous" plates), ensuring fluid flow in multiple directions. Specifically, numerous holes 6 are formed that penetrate the wall surfaces forming the convex portions 2 of the uneven plates 1, making it easy for fluid to move perpendicular to the wall surfaces. Furthermore, because opposing convex portions 2 are joined together, the joining surface 12 is large, increasing the joining strength, and the multilayered metal structure 1 can be formed with high strength as a whole. In addition to strength, it also has excellent heat transfer, heat insulation, and sound insulation properties.

[0012] In this embodiment of the metal structure, the uneven plate 1 comprises a convex portion 2 that joins with other uneven plates, and a leg portion 3 that bends from the convex portion 2 and connects the convex portions 2 on both sides of the uneven plate 1. Between the uneven plates 1, there is a cavity 4 formed by the convex portions 2 and the leg portion 3. The cavity 4 has depth along the convex portions 2 and the leg portion 3. The cavity 4 has a polygonal cross-sectional shape including a square or hexagon and forms a plurality of cells. The cell width W1 of the cavity 4, which represents the length in the plane direction between the convex portions 2, is 0.30 to 30.0 mm. The thickness of the uneven plate 1 is 0.01 to 5.00 mm. The cross-sectional shape of the uneven plate 1 is trapezoidal or rectangular. The uneven plate 1 is composed of a flat plate 11 and / or a wire mesh 11', and the through holes 6 of the wire mesh 11' are voids formed by a plurality of metal wires constituting the wire mesh 11'. The uneven plate 1 is composed of a flat plate 11 and / or a wire mesh 11'. The through holes 6 in the flat plate 11 have a maximum inscribed circle diameter D that is equal to or greater than the plate thickness T, and is smaller than the short-side length W2 of the convex portion 2 or the short-side length W3 of the leg portion 3. The pitch dimensions Lx,Ly between the through holes 6 in the flat plate 11 are greater than or equal to the diameter D of the maximum inscribed circle of the through hole 6. The pitch dimensions Lx,Ly between the through holes 6 in the flat plate 11 are greater than or equal to the plate thickness T of the uneven plate 1. Two or more uneven plates 1 are stacked to form a regular three-dimensional grid structure. It is used in catalyst supports, catalyst carriers, internal temperature control frameworks for catalyst bulk, photocatalyst carrier frames, heat exchangers, heat dissipation devices, heat sinks, synthetic reactors as reaction fields, mixed reactors, chemical synthesis and mixed dispersion reactors, microchannel reactors, electrodes, electrodes for water electrolysis, electrodes for chemical reactions, discharge electrodes, discharge electrodes for electric insect killers, filters, filters for removing impurities from gases, filters for removing impurities from liquids, lightweight structural materials, structural materials for weight reduction as automotive parts, structural materials for weight reduction as aircraft parts, silencing devices, silencers, acoustic equipment, thermoacoustic systems, or sound-heat exchange devices.

[0013] The metal structure according to the present invention is an assembly of tubular structures made of metal, the tubular structures having polygonal cross-sections including rectangles, and each wall surface 2, 3 forming the tubular structure has a porous structure 6 with a diameter equal to or greater than the mesh thickness T of a wire mesh or a flat plate.

[0014] The heat exchangers 100, 110, 150, and 160 according to the present invention comprise one or more internal metal structure pipes 25 in which the metal structure 10 is disposed, or one or more metal pipes 15 through which a fluid flows, and a heat exchange metal structure 10 whose main component is the metal structure 10, wherein the one or more internal metal structure pipes 25 or metal pipes pass through the inside of the heat exchange metal structure. The heat exchangers 120, 170, and 180 according to the present invention comprise one or more internal metal structure pipes 25 in which the metal structure 10 is disposed, or one or more metal structure modules composed of the metal structure 10, and a heat source and / or cooling source 27 through which the one or more internal metal structure pipes 25 or metal structure modules pass. The heat exchangers 130 and 140 according to the present invention comprise one or more internal metal structure pipes 25 in which the metal structure 10 is disposed inside, and a heat exchange body 50 which does not have through holes 6 but has a number of cavities 4, or does not have a porous structure 6 but has a number of pipe structures 4, and the one or more internal metal structure pipes 25 pass through the inside of the heat exchange body 50.

[0015] The method for manufacturing a metal structure according to the present invention includes the steps of: forming a trapezoidal or rectangular corrugated uneven plate 1 by bending a metal plate 11 and / or wire mesh 11' after or before forming a number of through holes 6 in the plate; and joining the opposing convex portions 2 of a plurality of uneven plates 1 to form a laminate.

[0016] The embodiment of the manufacturing method for a metal structure includes a step of joining to form a laminate, which involves joining the convex portions 2 together by one or more of diffusion bonding, spot welding, metal brazing, or soldering to form a laminate. Furthermore, it includes a step of forming a number of through holes 6 with a diameter of 0.5 mm or less in a metal plate 11 and / or wire mesh 11' by pressing, electroforming, etching, or expanding. Furthermore, it includes a step of forming the through holes 6 in the wire mesh 11' with a thread spacing defined by a mesh count of 10 or more. The step of forming the uneven plate 1 includes a step of corrugating the plate 11.

[0017] The metal structure and its manufacturing method of the present invention are a three-dimensional lattice structure of uneven plates with convex surfaces joined together, resulting in a lightweight, high-strength structure with excellent impact resistance and durability. Furthermore, since the uneven plates have numerous through holes, it enables multi-directional fluid flow. For these reasons, the metal structure of the present invention can be applied to a wide range of applications in various industrial fields.

[0018] Figure 1 shows a schematic side view illustrating the uneven plate used in the present invention. Figure 1 shows a schematic side view illustrating the first embodiment of the metal structure according to the present invention, formed by laminating the uneven plates shown in Figure 1. Figure 2 shows a stereoscopic perspective view illustrating the metal structure of Figure 2. Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view illustrating the second embodiment of the metal structure according to the present invention. Figure 3 shows a partial plan view illustrating the metal structure of Figure 3A. Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view illustrating the third embodiment of the metal structure according to the present invention. Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view illustrating the fourth embodiment of the metal structure according to the present invention. Figure 5 shows a perspective view illustrating the fifth embodiment of the metal structure according to the present invention. Figure 6 shows a perspective view illustrating the sixth embodiment of the metal structure according to the present invention. Figure 7 shows a schematic side view illustrating the seventh embodiment of the metal structure according to the present invention. Figure 8 shows a schematic side view illustrating the eighth embodiment of the metal structure according to the present invention. Figure 10 shows a perspective view illustrating the metal structure of Figure 10A. Figure 9 shows a schematic side view illustrating the ninth embodiment of the metal structure according to the present invention. Figure 10 shows a schematic side view illustrating the tenth embodiment of the metal structure according to the present invention. Figure 13 shows a schematic side view illustrating the eleventh embodiment of the metal structure according to the present invention. Figure 20A shows a perspective view illustrating a metal structure. Figure 20A shows a perspective view illustrating a twelfth embodiment of the metal structure according to the present invention. Figure 20A shows a perspective view illustrating a flat plate with various through holes formed therein. Figure 30A shows a perspective view illustrating various through holes and the diameter of the largest inscribed circle. Figure 40A shows a perspective view illustrating a metal structure. Figure 50A shows a perspective view illustrating a metal structure according to the present invention. Figure 60A shows a perspective view illustrating a metal structure according to the present invention. Figure 70A shows a perspective view illustrating a heat exchanger according to the present invention. Figure 80A shows a perspective view illustrating a heat exchanger according to the present invention. Figure 25A shows a perspective view illustrating the inside of the heat exchanger. Figure 25A shows a perspective view illustrating a ninth embodiment of the heat exchanger according to the present invention. Figure 90A shows a perspective view illustrating a heat exchanger according to the present invention.

[0019] Hereinafter, embodiments of the metal structure and its manufacturing method according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 26. The following embodiments, examples, and drawings are illustrative and should not be interpreted as limiting the present invention. Also, Figures 1 to 26 are all simplified drawings to facilitate understanding of the present invention. Figure 1 schematically shows a corrugated plate 1 used in the metal structure (metal laminate, metal porous structure, metal porous body) 10 of the present invention, Figure 2 schematically shows a metal structure 10 laminated using the corrugated plate 1 of Figure 1, and Figure 3 illustrates the metal structure 10 in three dimensions. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the metal structure 10 of the present invention is a laminate having a multilayer structure of metal corrugated plates 1 (e.g., corrugated plates, etched plates) having a large number of through holes 6. The corrugated plates 1 may be laminated using only one type, or two or more types may be mixed and laminated (e.g., corrugated plates and etched plates mixed and laminated). As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the structure is a three-dimensional lattice structure in which two or more uneven plates 1 are stacked, with a minimum stacking count of two uneven plates 1. In other words, the metal structure 10 is an assembly of metal tube structures 2, 3, and 4, and each wall surface (convex portion 2 and leg portion 3) forming the tube structures 2, 3, and 4 is provided with a porous structure 6 having a diameter or maximum inscribed circle diameter D that is equal to, greater than, or less than the plate thickness (mesh thickness) T. The corrugated plate shown in Figure 1 is an example of an uneven plate 1, and is a metal plate that has been corrugated to be wavy, undulating, bumpy, or uneven. By processing a flat plate 11 and / or wire mesh (woven wire mesh) 11' into a corrugated plate 1, the mechanical strength is increased. To form a wavy shape like the corrugated plate 1, a strip-shaped metal flat plate 11 and / or wire mesh (woven wire mesh) 11' is sandwiched between gear-shaped molds that mesh and rotate opposite each other, and is plastically deformed. This allows for the transfer of a wave pattern conforming to the shape of the gear-shaped mold, forming the corrugated plate 1 shown in Figure 1. The flat plate 11 is preferably a metal plate, but can be substituted with metal foam, ceramic, resin, etc. The wire mesh 11' is preferably woven wire mesh, but can be substituted with metal nonwoven fabric, resin, etc., depending on the application. The corrugation process of the flat plate 11 and wire mesh 11' makes it possible to form curved surfaces in all X, Y, and Z directions.That is, for example, as shown in Figure 3, the metal structure 10 is made up of multiple combinations of one planar convex portion 2 and one planar leg portion 3, but the one planar convex portion 2 and the one planar leg portion 3 themselves can be processed with irregularities of various orientations, sizes, and shapes.

[0020] As shown in Figure 1, both sides of the uneven plate 1 are provided with a plurality of convex portions 2, and opposing convex portions 2 are joined together at a joining surface 12 to form a metal structure 10 with a regular structure as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The joining may be by surface, line, and / or point. Surface joining means joining surfaces together by welding, welding, crimping, bonding, or other known methods, and is carried out by laser welding, diffusion bonding, crimping, adhesive, etc. Joining may also be done by joining one or more points within the convex portions 2, in which case it may be spot welding, electric resistance welding, etc.

[0021] The uneven plate 1 shown in Figure 1 comprises a convex portion 2 that joins with other uneven plates, and a leg portion 3 that bends from the convex portion 2 and connects the convex portions 2 on both sides of the uneven plate 1. One convex portion 2 and the other convex portion 2 are provided at each end of the leg portion 3. Using a virtual central plane P extending in the length and depth directions of the uneven plate 1 as a reference plane, one convex portion 2 forms a protruding surface in the stacking direction of the uneven plate 1 (Z direction in Figure 2), and the other convex portion 2 forms a protruding surface in the opposite direction to the first convex portion 2. When viewed from one convex portion 2, the other convex portion 2 is also a concave portion, but to avoid complicating the description, the concave portion is not described in this specification, and the description is consistently used as a convex portion 2. Figure 1 shows the convex portions 2,2 of one and the other, which are rotationally symmetric in position and shape with respect to the virtual midpoint C of the leg portion 3. However, the convex portions 2,2 of one and the other do not need to be rotationally symmetric in position or shape with respect to each other. Between the convex and concave plates 1, there is a cavity 4 formed by the convex portions 2 and the leg portion 3, and the cavity 4 has depth along the X-axis along the convex portions 2 and the leg portion 3. The metal structure 10 shown in Figures 2 and 3 is a so-called honeycomb shape (in a broad sense). The honeycomb shape is a honeycomb structure formed by stacking convex and concave plates 1, in which wave-shaped protrusions are formed at equal pitches by a corrugated molding machine (not shown), and joining the convex portions 2 together. The presence of the cavity 4, along with the through hole 6, contributes to the weight reduction of the metal laminate 10.

[0022] The cross-sectional shape of the cavity 4 is a quadrilateral (Figure 5), a hexagon (Figures 2, 3, etc.), or other polygon, and the cavity 4 is a cell shape in which multiple cavities are adjacent to each other. When the uneven plates 1 are stacked, the cross-section of the cavity 4 is polygonal, and if there is one corner 23, it is a quadrilateral tilted at approximately 45 degrees, for example, a rhombus, and if there are two corners 23, a quadrilateral (Figure 5) or a hexagon (Figure 2, etc.) is formed. As long as the convex portions 2 are joined at the joint surface 12, even if the area is small, the cross-section of the cavity 4 may be approximately circular, approximately elliptical, or track-shaped. In addition, the cross-section of the cavity 4 may be a polygon, circular, or curved shape in which the convex portions 2 are joined at points.

[0023] The cell width W1, which represents the length in the plane direction between the convex portions 2, is 0.30 to 30.0 mm, preferably 0.39 to 25.3 mm. As shown in Figure 2, W1 is the maximum length within the cavity 4 in the longitudinal direction (Y-axis direction) of the entire metal structure 10 (maximum cell length in the Y direction), and also the length of the diagonal in the Y-axis direction within the cavity 4 (diagonal cell length in the Y direction).

[0024] Figure 4A is a cross-sectional view illustrating a metal structure 10 (second embodiment) formed by surface-joining the convex portions 2 of a corrugated plate 1 by spot welding, and Figure 4B is a partial plan view of the metal structure 10 of Figure 4A viewed from above. As shown in Figure 4A, the opposing convex portions 2 are surface-joined at the welded portion (spot-welded portion) 12a formed by spot welding. It is preferable to weld at two or more locations in the depth direction (X-axis direction) of the metal structure 10 (three locations in Figure 4B), and it is also desirable to weld at both ends or near the ends in the depth direction of the convex portions 2. Although Figure 4 shows an embodiment of spot welding, the convex portions 2 can be similarly surface-joined using other joining means such as diffusion welding, metal brazing, and pinning.

[0025] Figure 5 illustrates a metal structure 10 (third embodiment) in which the cavity 4 has a rectangular cross-section. The metal structure 10 in Figure 5 is provided with legs 3 that extend in a direction approximately perpendicular to the convex portion 2 (Z-axis direction), i.e., in the stacking direction of the uneven plate 1, thereby forming a cell with a rectangular cross-section by the convex portion 2 and the legs 3. In Figure 5, a rectangular cross-section that is long in a direction approximately perpendicular to the convex portion 2 (Z-axis direction) is shown, but a square cross-section or a rectangular cross-section that is long in a direction approximately parallel to the convex portion 2 (Y-axis direction) may also be used.

[0026] Figure 6 shows a metal structure 10 (fourth embodiment) that has a similar shape to the metal structure 10 in Figure 4A, but in which the convex portions 2 are joined to each other by pinning (pin fixing) rather than spot welding. The metal structure 10 in Figure 6 is provided with linear or rod-shaped metal pins 42 that penetrate multiple convex portions 2 in a direction approximately perpendicular to the convex portions 2 (Z-axis direction), and the pins 42 have a retaining portion 42a at their tips. The pins 42 allow the stacked uneven plates 1 to be stacked while preventing misalignment. In this embodiment, an example of pinning alone is shown, but the uneven plates 1 may be connected and joined to each other by combining pinning with other joining means. In this embodiment of Figure 6, similar to the embodiment of Figure 4B, it is preferable to fix the metal structure 10 with pins at two or more locations in the depth direction (X-axis direction), and it is also desirable to fix the pins at both ends of the convex portions 2 in the depth direction or in their vicinity.

[0027] Figure 7 illustrates a metal structure 10 (fifth embodiment) in which the convex portions 2 are joined at only one surface joint. The metal structure 10 in Figure 7 comprises a joint surface 12 formed by joining both ends of a single concave / convex plate 1, and a through hole 1 formed by the convex portion 2 and the leg portion 3 through the surface joint.

[0028] Figure 8 illustrates a cylindrical (donut-shaped, or float-shaped) metal structure 10 (sixth embodiment). The metal structure 10 in Figure 8 is a structure in which both ends of a three-dimensional metal structure 10 in the longitudinal direction (Y-axis direction in Figure 3) are connected by a connecting part 28. As can be seen from the cavity 4 (only a part is shown for simplification), in the embodiment of Figure 8, a circle is formed on the Y-Z plane of Figure 3. Alternatively, a cylindrical metal structure 10 that is circular on the X-Y plane (with the cavity 4 appearing on the side) may be formed.

[0029] The cross-sectional shape of the uneven plate 1 is trapezoidal (Figure 1, etc.) or rectangular (Figure 5). By increasing the number of corners 23, approximately circular and approximately sinusoidal shapes can also be formed, and various wave shapes can be formed by changing the number of vertices and angles of the gear-shaped mold. When the convex portions 2 of uneven plates 1 formed by a first gear-shaped mold that mesh and rotate opposite each other are joined, the shape of the cavity 4 is mirror-symmetric with respect to the joining surface 12 (Figure 2, etc.). When the convex portions 2 of an uneven plate 1 formed by a first gear-shaped mold and an uneven plate 1 formed by a second mold gear with a different tooth size than the first gear mold are joined, the shape of the cavity 4 is not mirror-symmetric. In this way, the cavity 4 may be formed by joining the convex portions 2 of uneven plates 1 formed by each gear-shaped mold with different tooth sizes (Figures 9 to 11).

[0030] Figure 9 illustrates a metal structure 10 (seventh embodiment) in which the first convex portions 2a, 2a of stacked first convex plates 1a, 1a are joined at a joint surface 12, and on the outside there, the second convex portions 2b, 2b of second convex plates 1b, 1b, which have larger convexities (teeth) than the first convex plates 1a, 1a, are joined at a joint surface 12. The double-walled metal structure 10 shown in Figure 9 partially includes a composite joint surface 22 among the multiple joint surfaces 12, to which four convex portions, a pair of first convex portions 2a, 2a and a pair of second convex portions 2b, 2b, are joined.

[0031] Figure 10A is a schematic side view illustrating the metal structure 10 (eighth embodiment), and Figure 10B is a perspective view thereof. In the metal structure 10 according to this embodiment, as shown in the figure, two layers of first uneven plates 1a,1a and two layers of second uneven plates 1b,1b, which have smaller unevenness than the first uneven plates 1a,1a, are repeatedly and alternately stacked. The first convex portion 2a of the larger first uneven plate 1a is always joined to the second convex portion 2b of the smaller second uneven plate 1b. Some second convex portions 2b are not joined to the first convex portion 2a. The second convex portions 2b that are not joined are placed in the cavity 4 between the first uneven plates 1a,1a, and the cavity 4 is divided by the two layers of second uneven plates 1b,1b.

[0032] Figure 11 illustrates a metal structure 10 (ninth embodiment) in which the first convex portion 2a of the first uneven plate 1a and the second convex portion 2b of the second uneven plate 1b are joined at a joint surface 12, and the second convex portion 2b of the second uneven plate 1b is joined to the outside of the first uneven plate 1a at the joint surface 12. In the double-walled metal structure 10 shown in Figure 11, all of the joint surfaces 12 are composite joint surfaces 22 in which three convex portions, one first convex portion 2a and a pair of second convex portions 2b, 2b, are joined.

[0033] Figure 12 illustrates a metal structure 10 (10th embodiment) in which the convex portion 2 of the uneven plate 1 and the flat plate 11 are joined at a joining surface 12, and the convex portion 2 of the uneven plate 1 is further joined to the flat plate 11 at the joining surface 12. In the embodiment shown in Figure 12, the entire joining surface 12 is a composite joining surface 22 in which the three surfaces of the pair of convex portions 2,2 and the flat plate 11 are joined. In addition, a cavity 4 is formed by the flat plate 11.

[0034] Figures 13A and 13B illustrate a metal structure 10 (11th embodiment) in which the convex portion 2 of the uneven plate 1 and the flat plate 11 are joined at a joint surface 12, and the convex portion 2 of the uneven plate 1 is further joined to the flat plate 11 at the joint surface 12. In other words, the metal structure 10 of this embodiment has a structure in which two layers of uneven plates 1,1 having through holes 6 (not shown) and one or more flat plates 11 having or not having through holes 6 are alternately stacked. In the embodiments of Figures 13A and 13B, among the multiple joint surfaces 12, there is a composite joint surface 22 in which at least three surfaces of a pair of convex portions 2,2 and the flat plate 11 are joined. Also, a cavity 4 is formed divided by the flat plate 11.

[0035] In other embodiments, although not shown, the cross-sectional shape of the cavity 4 can be freely determined by joining irregularly shaped uneven plates 1, such as joining the convex portions 2 of a rectangular corrugated uneven plate 1 and a substantially semicircular uneven plate 1. Figures 9 to 11 show embodiments of a double-walled metal structure 10, but a triple-walled or more walled structure may also be used.

[0036] Figure 14 is similar to the metal structure 10 in Figure 2, but illustrates a metal structure 10 (12th embodiment) that has a projection (or recess) 33 extending from the leg portion 3 in a direction substantially perpendicular to its main surface. By providing the projection or recess 33, the surface area of ​​the leg portion 3 is increased. In Figure 14, the projection or recess 33 is provided only on the leg portion 3, but the projection or recess 33 may be provided on both the leg portion 3 and the convex portion 2, or only on the convex portion 2. The shape of the projection 33 is not particularly limited, and the tip may be acute, obtuse, polygonal, curved, rounded, etc. The projection or recess 33 is formed when forming the uneven plate 1, or before or after its formation.

[0037] In the first to twelfth embodiments described above, different types of textured plates 1 may be laminated onto a single metal structure 10. For example, different types of textured plates 1 formed from woven wire mesh 11' and etched plates 11 may be mixed and laminated in a regular or random manner. Alternatively, through holes 6 may not be provided in part or all of the textured plates 1.

[0038] Figure 15 illustrates a flat portion of a flat plate 11 or a corrugated plate 1 with through holes 6 of various shapes formed therein. The thickness T of the flat plate 11 and the corrugated plate 1 are approximately equal (the thickness T does not change significantly due to corrugation), and the thickness T of the corrugated plate 1 (flat plate 11) is 0.01 to 5.00 mm, preferably 0.03 to 1.00 mm, in order to maintain the cell structure. The usable thickness T range is determined by the durability of the gear-shaped molds that mesh and rotate opposite each other and the reproducibility of the corrugated shape. The gear-shaped molds that form the corrugations are adjusted so that the gap or backlash due to wear on the apex and wear on the gear parts is within a control range, and the reproducibility of the corrugated shape falls within the desired design value. The thickness T of the corrugated plate 1 affects its functionality. If the amount of metal per unit volume occupied by the metal structure 10 is large, functional aspects such as strength and heat capacity are improved, but at the same time the mass increases, so the thickness T should be set appropriately according to the application.

[0039] The pitch dimension between the through holes 6 shown in Figure 15 is such that both the length Lx in the longitudinal direction (Y direction) of the entire metal structure 10 and the length Ly in the direction approximately perpendicular thereto are greater than or equal to the thickness T of the uneven plate 1 (flat plate 11). The pitch dimensions Lx and Ly indicate the shortest distance between the through holes 6, not between the centers of the through holes 6. The through holes 6 are pre-drilled in the flat plate 11, which is the base material of the uneven plate 1. Hole processing by machining is applied when the thickness T of the uneven plate 1 to be processed is relatively thick (2.0 mm or more). When the plate thickness is thin (1.0 mm or less), the machining time is relatively shortened and the wear of the machining tools is minimal, but it becomes necessary to maintain the reduced machining accuracy, the fixing jig for the uneven plate 1 becomes more precise, and the running costs increase due to increased maintenance frequency, etc. Other problems that arise when processing thin sheets in press working suitable for drilling multiple holes include a decrease in dimensional accuracy due to bending (sagging) caused by plastic deformation at the cut edge during cutting, a decrease in processing quality due to burrs, and poor linearity of the shear surface. The sheet thickness T suitable for machining is 0.01 to 5.0 mm, preferably 0.5 mm to 5.0 mm, and more preferably 2.0 to 5.0 mm. The pitch dimension (distance between through holes) Lx,Ly is 10% or more of the diameter D of the maximum inscribed circle of the through hole 6, preferably a length equal to or greater than the diameter D. Also, the pitch dimension (distance between through holes) Lx,Ly is 10% or more of the sheet thickness T of the uneven sheet 1, preferably a length equal to or greater than the sheet thickness T.

[0040] The through holes 6 can be formed by punching, pressing, electroforming, etching, expanding, cutting, drilling, laser cutting, electrical discharge machining, wire processing, or other known methods. When the plate thickness T of the flat plate 11 is relatively thin (1.0 mm or less), it is desirable to create the through holes 6 by photoetching (hereinafter referred to as "etching"), but if the corrugated plate 1 is a woven wire mesh 11' with 10 mesh (mesh count 10) or more, the gaps can also be considered as through holes 6. Hole processing by etching can be performed by processing the flat plate 11 for corrugation processing under known process conditions. In this specification, "mesh count" refers to a numerical value that represents the fineness of the mesh, defined by the number of warp or weft threads per inch. For example, "woven wire mesh with 10 mesh or more" means "mesh count 10 or more," and refers to a wire mesh in which either the warp or weft threads are 10 or more per inch. Furthermore, the thread spacing refers to the mesh opening of the wire mesh, and is the distance between the inner ends of the threads, determined by the thread diameter. A typical etching process involves degreasing the substrate, applying photoresist, pre-baking, exposure of the hole-punching pattern, development, etching, photoresist removal, cleaning, and drying. By preparing a photomask for exposure in advance for each hole-punching pattern, various shapes of through-holes 6 can be obtained, as shown in Figures 15 and 16. Procuring photomasks for etching metal plates is generally cheaper than, for example, hole-punching press dies, making it a suitable hole-punching method for both small-batch, high-mix production and mass production. The etching solution is selected according to the type of metal used for the substrate. For example, ferric chloride-based etching solutions are suitable for etching stainless steel, copper, and copper alloys. Other suitable solutions include hydrofluoric acid-based, nitric acid-based, and hydrogen peroxide-based solutions for titanium. Hydrochloric acid-based and ferric chloride-based solutions are suitable for aluminum.

[0041] Figure 16 shows various through-holes (thin lines) 6 and the diameter D of the maximum inscribed circle (thick line) of the through-hole 6. If the diameter D of the maximum inscribed circle (thick line) differs depending on the shape and dimensions of the through-hole, the diameter D that represents the smallest diameter D is used. The diameter D of the maximum inscribed circle of the through-hole 6 is equal to or greater than the plate thickness T, preferably about 1.5 times the plate thickness T, and is smaller than the short-side length W2 of the convex portion 2 or the short-side length W3 of the leg portion 3 shown in Figure 2. Wet etching using ferric chloride generally exhibits isotropic corrosion and dissolution. That is, corrosion and dissolution proceed uniformly in the depth and lateral directions of the substrate, making it difficult to drill narrow and deep holes. Although the etching spray pressure, liquid temperature, etc. are adjusted to obtain the desired hole diameter, the diameter D of the maximum inscribed circle of the through-hole 6 is equal to or greater than the plate thickness T, preferably about 1.5 times the plate thickness T. When the plate thickness T is 0.01 mm, D is 0.01 mm or greater.

[0042] Etching allows processing from one or both sides of the substrate to be etched. For finer and more precise hole dimensions, photoresist patterns can be applied to both sides, and the substrate can be etched from both sides. The cross-sectional shape of the through-etched material can be adjusted by the processing method, such as vertical, tapered, or an intermediate shape. For example, the opening on the first side can be made larger, and the opening on the opposing second side can be made smaller than that of the first side. The planar shape of the through-etched material can be freely set by the photomask pattern, and not only a single shape can be arranged, but multiple different shapes can also be arranged. Through-etching can create through-holes 6 with cross-sections of circular holes, polygonal holes, needle-shaped, comb-shaped, or other arbitrary pointed ends. Furthermore, the center of the opening hole pattern on the first side and the center of the opening hole pattern on the second side can be offset. This allows for an angle to be set in the through-hole 6, and the flow direction of the material passing through it can be changed or controlled.

[0043] Furthermore, by forming a plurality of second opening patterns included within the range of the first opening pattern, a finer porous shape can be obtained. If there is no opening on the second surface corresponding to the opening range on the first surface, the base material is etched from the first surface to form a shape called half etching, and the plate thickness can be partially changed. When there is no opening on the second surface corresponding to the opening range on the first surface, and photoresist is arranged in an island shape within the opening range on the first surface and etching is performed, island-shaped projections can be obtained. The island-shaped projections have a substantially conical shape with a wide bottom surface and a narrow top surface. By minimizing the top surface of the island-shaped projections, substantially point-shaped projections can be formed. Desired surface shapes can be appropriately formed by making the top surface of island-shaped projections point-shaped, planar, linear, providing a recess in the top surface, or further combining these shapes.

[0044] In addition, a large number of projections and recesses formed by the half etching can be arranged to increase the specific surface area. Furthermore, the entire concave-convex plate 1 can be soft-etched to change the density of surface roughness. When the overall surface roughness becomes higher, the specific surface area increases, and the shear stress with flowing fluid such as gas or liquid increases. When the overall surface roughness is lower, the specific surface area decreases, and the shear stress with flowing fluid such as gas or liquid decreases. For example, the cavities 4 of the three-dimensional structure using the concave-convex plate 1 provided with these structures can be used as microchannels and various reaction fields.

[0045] Hereinafter, application examples to which the metal structure 10 according to the present invention can be applied will be described. <Heat Exchanger> The present invention can be applied to members through which a cooling liquid of a heat exchanger passes, heat exchange surfaces, and exhaust fans. It can cope with the increase of surface area and higher density of the heat generating part and / or the cooling part, and realizes high-efficiency cooling, heating, increase of heat exchange interface area, and maintenance of heat supply amount to the heat exchange interface by the metal honeycomb. <Electrolysis> The present invention can be applied to the electrode itself, and is applicable to electrolytic solutions (for example, KOH aqueous solution, NaOH aqueous solution, H ２ SO ４ aqueous solution, HCl aqueous solution, NaCl aqueous solution, CaCl ２The metal structure 10 can be placed in an aqueous solution or the like and used as a component of a power supply device. This can achieve improvement of hydrogen generation efficiency, reduction of electrode area, improvement of limiting current density (CCD), further improvement of hydrogen generation efficiency, etc. In addition, a pointed shape is provided in advance on the corrugated base material (flat plate 11) to form the pointed shape on the electrode shape or surface, which promotes charge concentration and can improve electrolysis efficiency.

[0046] <Carrier for catalyst and functional material> When the metal structure 10 is used as a catalyst carrier for catalyst components (Pt, Pd, Rh, etc.), the contact probability between exhaust gas and the catalyst components can be increased, thereby achieving efficiency improvement of catalytic reaction and exhaust gas purification. The metal structure 10 can be used as a carrier for three-way catalysts of automobiles and motorcycles. <Support for catalyst and functional material> Dispersing and fixing catalyst components as a catalyst carrier can achieve efficiency improvement of catalytic reaction, increase of catalyst surface area, improvement of catalyst activity, averaging of catalyst distribution inside catalyst bulk, and homogenization of temperature control inside catalyst bulk. <Skeleton for internal temperature control of catalyst and functional material bulk> When the metal structure 10 is applied to a heat exchanger carrying catalyst components, it functions as a coolant, and can achieve heat generation control during catalytic reaction, stabilization of reaction temperature, extension of catalyst life, averaging of catalyst distribution inside catalyst bulk, and homogenization of temperature control inside catalyst bulk. <Carrier frame for photocatalyst> When the metal structure 10 is applied to a catalyst carrier carrying a photocatalyst material, the fixation of the photocatalyst and light irradiation efficiency are excellent, and increase of reaction area and improvement of photocatalytic efficiency can be achieved. In addition, when water is decomposed by sunlight combined with a photocatalyst, forming a cell skeleton in consideration of light transmittance can reduce efficiency decrease caused by the irradiation direction of sunlight.

[0047] <Heat Dissipation Devices> Applying the metal structure 10 to the heat dissipation device of a heat exchanger can increase the heat density of electronic equipment, enable ultra-high heat flux heat removal, and improve heat diffusion. Filling the heat exchange field with this honeycomb significantly increases the heat exchange interface area and improves heat exchange efficiency. <Heat Sinks> Applying the metal structure 10 to the cooling fins of a heat sink can cool processors and electronic equipment, and achieve lightweight and highly efficient heat dissipation. Conventionally, the fluidity of the heat receiving medium was limited, but applying the metal structure 10 to the corrugated fins of a heat sink ensures the fluidity of the heat receiving medium in multiple directions, improving heat dissipation efficiency. <Synthetic Reactors as Reaction Fields> Applying the metal structure 10 as a flow channel + reaction vessel can improve the reaction efficiency of reactants, improve catalyst efficiency, increase the reaction area, and improve the reaction rate. When chemically reacting two or more raw materials, the contact area for reaction can be significantly increased. <Mixing Reactor> By applying the metal structure 10 as a flow channel + reaction vessel, uniform mixing and reaction of reactants and catalysts, improved reaction efficiency, and control of selectivity can be achieved. When chemically reacting two or more raw materials, the contact area for reaction can be greatly increased. <Microchannel Reactor> By applying the metal structure 10 as a flow channel + reaction vessel, reaction control in a microspace, improved reaction efficiency and selectivity, and provision of two or more chemical reaction fields with honeycomb cell dimensions of 1 mm or less can be achieved for reactants and catalysts. Reaction efficiency becomes very high in a microfield.

[0048] <Electrodes> By applying the metal structure 10 to the electrode itself, it is possible to improve the electrochemically effective surface area of ​​the electrode, improve water electrolysis performance, and improve hydrogen production efficiency. Furthermore, the electrode surface area can be increased while uniformly distributing the electrode reaction surface within a unit volume. <Electrodes for water electrolysis> By applying the metal structure 10 to the electrode itself, it is possible to improve hydrogen production efficiency, promote gas-liquid circulation on the electrode surface, and improve the operating limit of water electrolysis. Pointed shapes are formed in advance on the substrate (flat plate 11, Figure 15) before the uneven processing, and pointed shapes (Figure 14) are formed on the electrode shape or surface during the uneven processing to promote charge concentration and increase electrolysis efficiency. <Electrodes for chemical reactions> By applying the metal structure 10 to the electrode itself, it is possible to increase the electrode surface area, improve reaction efficiency, and control selectivity. Pointed shapes are formed in advance on the corrugated substrate (flat plate 11), and pointed shapes are formed on the electrode shape or surface to promote charge concentration and increase electrolysis efficiency. <Discharge Electrode> By applying the metal structure 10 to the electrode itself, uniform discharge, efficient discharge, and extended lifespan can be achieved. By uniformly arranging electrodes in a unit volume space, the probability of discharge against foreign matter mixed into the electrode space is increased. <Discharge Electrode for Electric Insect Killer> By applying the metal structure 10 to the electrode itself, uniform discharge distribution, efficient insecticidal effect, and low power consumption can be achieved. By uniformly arranging electrodes in a unit volume space, the probability of discharge against foreign matter mixed into the electrode space is increased.

[0049] <Filter> By using the metal structure 10 coated with adsorbent material as the filter part, filter material, and fan, efficient removal of impurities, high collection efficiency, and low pressure loss can be achieved. It can function as both a physical filter or a filter coated with adsorbent material and an electrode for electrical dust collection and removal. <Filter for removing impurities from gases> By using the metal structure 10 as the filter part, fan, and filter holder, harmful substances in exhaust gas can be removed, high purification efficiency, and low pressure loss can be achieved. It can function as both a physical filter and an electrode for electrical dust collection and removal. <Filter for removing impurities from liquids> By using the metal structure 10 coated with adsorbent material as the filter part, pump, and filter holder, impurities in liquids can be removed, high collection efficiency, and flow rate can be ensured. It can function as both a physical filter or a filter coated with adsorbent material and an electrode for electrical dust collection and removal. <Grease Filter> When a photocatalyst is supported on the filter portion of the honeycomb filter of the metal structure 10, oil can be removed from the filter, making filter cleaning easy, and adsorbed oil can be easily removed by irradiation with light (especially ultraviolet light) (applying the superhydrophilicity of the photocatalyst).

[0050] <Lightweight structural material> Applying metal structural material 10 to a structure makes it possible to achieve both strength and lightness, weight reduction, and strength maintenance. <Structural material for lightweighting reinforcing materials for houses and buildings> Applying metal structural material 10 to a structure makes it possible to achieve both strength and lightness, weight reduction, and strength maintenance. <Structural material for lightweighting as automobile parts> Applying metal structural material 10 to a structure makes it possible to lighten the vehicle, improve fuel efficiency, and maintain strength. <Structural material for lightweighting as train parts> Applying metal structural material 10 to a structure makes it possible to lighten the vehicle, improve fuel efficiency, and maintain strength. <Structural material for lightweighting as aircraft parts> Applying metal structural material 10 to a structure makes it possible to lighten the aircraft, improve fuel efficiency, and maintain strength. It is already in practical use, but further weight reduction is possible. <Structural material for lightweighting as parts used for transporting goods such as trolleys> Applying metal structural material 10 to a structure makes it possible to lighten the vehicle, improve fuel efficiency, and maintain strength.

[0051] <Sound-absorbing devices> Applying the metal structure 10 to sound-absorbing material can reduce noise and achieve efficient sound wave absorption. It absorbs sound wave energy and converts it into heat, and because the base material is metal, it has high efficiency in propagating the absorbed heat. <Silencers> Applying the metal structure 10 to sound-absorbing material can reduce exhaust noise, achieve efficient sound dampening, and achieve low pressure loss. It absorbs sound wave energy and converts it into heat, and because the base material is metal, it has high efficiency in propagating the absorbed heat. <Acoustic equipment> Applying the metal structure 10 to sound-absorbing material can achieve control of acoustic characteristics, improvement of sound quality, and control of reverberation. <Thermoacoustic systems> Applying the metal structure 10 to conversion elements can improve the conversion efficiency of heat and sound, and improve energy conversion efficiency. It is possible to construct a thermal-sound conversion system using powerless sound-heat. Because it is a metal material, the conversion efficiency is high. <Sound-heat exchange devices> Applying the metal structure 10 to conversion elements can improve heat exchange efficiency by sound waves, improve heat exchange efficiency, and enable miniaturization. A thermal-sound conversion system can be constructed using sound and heat without the need for power. Due to the metal material, the conversion efficiency is high. When the metal structure 10 is applied to the gas stove flame regulator, it can be connected to a tool that collects the flame of the gas stove, enabling the recovery of radiant flame heat from the heat source, adjustment of heat dissipation, and adjustment of heat dissipation from the flame inflow. The flame of the gas stove can be efficiently radiated vertically.

[0052] Depending on the application, a combination of a metal structure 10, a metal pipe 15 (described later), and / or an internal metal pipe 25 (described later) may be required with a resin casing, housing, or body. For example, when applying an electric potential to the metal structure 10, an insulator is always necessary. As an insulator, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene (PE), polyamide (PA), polypropylene (PP), polyacetal (POM), polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), perfluoroalkoxyalkane (PFA), cycloolefin polymer (COP), cycloolefin copolymer (COC), liquid crystal polymer (LPC), polyimide (PI), polyetherimide (PEI), other crystalline resins, amorphous resins, silicone rubber, various elastomers, etc. can be used.

[0053] Hereinafter, embodiments in which the metal structure 10 is applied to the heat exchangers 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170, and 180 of the present invention are illustrated in Figures 17 to 19 and 21 to 26. Specifically, the heat exchangers 100 and 110 of the present invention shown in Figures 17 and 18 comprise a heat exchange metal structure 10 whose main component is the metal structure, and one or more metal pipes 15 through which a fluid flows. The one or more metal pipes 15 penetrate the heat exchange metal structure 10 at approximately right angles or approximately parallel to the depth direction (X direction) of the cavity 4 of the heat exchange metal structure 10.

[0054] The fluid may include gases, liquids, powders, multiphase fluids (mixtures thereof), non-Newtonian fluids, etc. The metal tube 15 is a flow path for various fluids such as refrigerants, and can be curved or bent to obtain the flow path length, allowing it to repeatedly pass through the inside of the heat exchange metal structure 10. The direction of passage for the multiple metal tubes 15 can be either approximately perpendicular (Figure 17) or approximately parallel (Figure 18) to the depth direction (X direction) of the cavity 4.

[0055] In the heat exchanger 100 shown in Figure 17, a heat transfer medium or cooling medium passes through the metal tube 15, and a gas or liquid to be heat exchanged passes through the hexahedral heat exchange metal structure 10. Of the six faces of the heat exchange metal structure 10, a pair of two faces are openings for cavities 4, and the other four faces are openings for numerous through holes 6 (for example, an etched mesh is formed). Therefore, the heat to be exchanged can enter and exit from all six faces of the heat exchange metal structure 10. In addition, since all of the multiple uneven plates 1 constituting the heat exchange metal structure 10 are provided with numerous through holes 6, the heat to be exchanged does not stagnate inside the heat exchange metal structure 10 but flows in multiple directions and comes into contact with the metal tube 15, enabling efficient heat exchange. In this specification, "etched mesh" refers to a porous plate obtained by etching (wet or dry) a metal plate to form multiple openings (through holes) that penetrate in the thickness direction of the plate. An etched porous plate is different from a wire mesh (woven wire mesh) formed by weaving or knitting.

[0056] The heat exchanger 110 shown in Figure 18 has a different orientation of the heat exchange metal structure 10 than that shown in Figure 17. Specifically, multiple metal tubes 15 are arranged approximately parallel (in the X direction) to the depth direction of the cavity 4. Similar to the heat exchanger 100 in Figure 1, the heat exchanger 110 in Figure 17 allows the heat exchange material to enter and exit from all six sides of the heat exchange metal structure 10, enabling efficient heat exchange through multi-directional flow of the heat exchange material inside the heat exchange metal structure 10.

[0057] In the embodiments shown in Figures 17 and 18, multiple metal tubes 15 are arranged oriented in only one direction. However, one or more metal tubes 15 may be mixed in directions that are approximately perpendicular and approximately parallel to the depth direction (X direction) of the cavity 4. Furthermore, one or more metal tubes 15 that are inclined at an arbitrary angle, or that are curved or bent may be included. The metal tubes 15 may be curved or bent at an arbitrary angle not only inside the heat exchange metal structure 10 but also outside it. In addition to passing through the heat exchange metal structure 10, the metal tubes 15 may also abut and / or be attached along the outer circumference without passing through the inside, so as not to interfere with the use of the heat exchange metal structure 10. The cross-sectional shape of the metal tubes 15 is not limited to a circle. It may be elliptical, polygonal (rectangle, triangle, hexagon, etc.), and multiple metal tubes 15 such as single tubes, double tubes, or parallel tubes may be bundled together and arranged.

[0058] The heat exchanger 120 shown in Figure 19 comprises one or more internal metal structure tubes 25 in which a cylindrical metal structure 10 is arranged, and a heat source and / or cooling source 27 through which the one or more internal metal structure tubes 25 pass. In the heat exchanger 120, a heat transfer medium or a cooling medium passes through the internal metal structure tubes 25. Inside the internal metal structure tubes 25, two surfaces (the two bottom surfaces of the cylindrical metal structure 10) are opening surfaces of cavities 4, and the other surfaces form an open curved surface (e.g., an etched mesh) with numerous through holes 6 that face and / or abut against the inner wall of the internal metal structure tubes 25. The reverse is also possible, that is, the two bottom surfaces of the cylindrical metal structure 10 are opening surfaces of through holes 6, and the other surfaces are open curved surfaces with numerous cavities 4. Since all of the multiple uneven plates 1 constituting the metal structure 10 are provided with numerous through holes 6, the heat exchange target flows in multiple directions inside the metal structure 10 and comes into contact with the internal metal structure pipes 25, enabling efficient heat exchange. In Figure 19, the internal metal structure pipes 25 are arranged oriented in only one direction, but internal metal structure pipes 25 oriented in various directions may be mixed, and one or more internal metal structure pipes 25 that are tilted, curved, or bent at an arbitrary angle may also be included. The internal metal structure pipes 25 may be curved or bent at an arbitrary angle not only inside the heat source and / or cooling source 27, but also outside. The cross-sectional shape of the internal metal structure pipes 25 is not limited to circular. It may be elliptical, polygonal (rectangle, triangle, hexagon, etc.), and multiple internal metal structure pipes 25 such as single pipes, double pipes, or parallel pipes may be bundled together and arranged. In Figure 19, five internal metal structure pipes 25 are shown as an example, but there may be one to four or six or more. The configuration, modifications, and operation of the internal metal structure pipe 25 described above can also be applied to the internal metal structure pipe 25 shown in Figures 21 to 24.

[0059] The heat exchangers 130 and 140 of the present invention shown in Figures 21 and 22 comprise one or more internal metal structure pipes 25 in which a cylindrical metal structure 10 is arranged, and a heat exchange body 50 which is an assembly of numerous pipe structures (cavities) 4 that do not have through holes (porous structures) 6, and through which one or more internal metal structure pipes 25 pass. That is, the heat exchange body 50 is a structure made of a metal plate without holes. The heat exchange body 50 has the same structure as the metal structure or the heat exchange metal structure 10, except that the uneven plate 1 does not have through holes (porous structures) 6. In the heat exchanger 130 of Figure 21, multiple internal metal structural pipes 25 penetrate the heat exchanger 50 so as to extend in a direction approximately parallel to the depth (length) direction of the cavity 4 of the heat exchanger 50 (the left-right direction in Figure 21), and in the heat exchanger 140 of Figure 22, multiple internal metal structural pipes 25 penetrate the heat exchanger 50 so as to extend in a direction approximately perpendicular to the depth (length) direction of the cavity 4 of the heat exchanger 50 (the up-down direction in Figure 22). As a modification, the internal metal structural pipes 25 may be replaced with metal pipes 15.

[0060] The heat exchangers 150 and 160 of the present invention shown in Figures 23 and 24 comprise one or more internal metal structure pipes 25 in which a cylindrical metal structure 10 is disposed inside, and a heat exchange metal structure 10 whose main component is the metal structure 10, with one or more internal metal structure pipes 25 passing through the inside of the heat exchange metal structure 10. In the heat exchanger 150 of Figure 23, multiple internal metal structure pipes 25 penetrate the heat exchange metal structure 10 so as to extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the depth (length) direction of the cavity 4 of the heat exchange metal structure 10 (up and down direction in Figure 23), and in the heat exchanger 160 of Figure 24, multiple internal metal structure pipes 25 penetrate the heat exchange metal structure 10 so as to extend in a direction substantially parallel to the depth (length) direction of the cavity 4 of the heat exchange metal structure 10 (left and right direction in Figure 24).

[0061] In the embodiments shown in Figures 17, 18 and 21 to 24, a heat or cooling medium passes through the metal pipe 15 or the internal pipe 25 of the metal structure, and the object to be heat-exchanged passes through the heat-exchange metal structure 10 or the heat-exchange body 50. However, the object to be heat-exchanged may pass through the metal pipe 15 or the internal pipe 25 of the metal structure, or the heat or cooling medium may pass through the heat-exchange metal structure 10 or the heat-exchange body 50.

[0062] The heat exchangers 170 and 180 of the present invention, shown in Figures 25 and 26, comprise one or more metal structure modules (heat exchange metal structures) 10 composed of a metal structure 10, and a heat source and / or cooling source 27 in which one or more metal structure modules 10 are arranged. Figure 25A shows the external appearance of the heat exchanger 170, and Figure 25B shows a transparent view of the inside of the heat exchanger 170. As shown in Figures 25A and 25B, the heat exchanger 170 has a single rectangular metal structure module 10 arranged inside a box-shaped heat source and / or cooling source 27, and the metal structure module 10 has a pair of surfaces with openings of cavities 4 (or through holes 6) that are exposed from a corresponding pair of surfaces of the heat source and / or cooling source 27. The exposed surfaces are, for example, honeycomb-shaped surfaces as shown in Figure 2. As a result, as shown by the arrows in Figures 25A and 25B, the heat exchange target enters the heat source and / or cooling source 27 from one of the pair of faces of the metal structure module 10, undergoes heat exchange, and exits to the outside from the other face.

[0063] In the heat exchanger 180 of Figure 26, the box-shaped heat source and / or cooling source 27 comprises, in particular as shown in the central front perspective view (internal front view), one or more partition walls 29 arranged in the internal space, one or more gas or liquid flow paths (arrow 31 in Figure 26) formed by the partition walls 29, and inlets 33 and outlets 35 provided on each side wall of the heat source and / or cooling source 27. In Figure 26, the inlets 33 and outlets 35 are provided on each side wall, but they may be provided on any of the other four surfaces. One or more metal structural modules 10 are arranged to fill part or all of the flow path 31. The flow path 31 is formed linearly as shown in Figure 26, and is folded back to increase the flow length and to increase the contact area with the inner wall of the heat source and / or cooling source 27 and the partition walls 29. Alternatively, the flow path 31 may be provided in a curved shape, although this is not shown.

[0064] In conventional heat exchangers, improving heat exchange efficiency has always been a challenge. In contrast, the heat exchangers 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170, and 180 of the present invention, illustrated in Figures 17 to 19 and Figures 21 to 26, use a metal structure 10 having numerous through holes or porous structures 6. This causes turbulence, disrupting the boundary layer between high-temperature and low-temperature areas, leading to strong mixing and forced heat diffusion, thereby improving heat exchange efficiency. Furthermore, because the heat exchange metal structure, metal structure module, or metal structure 10 is in contact with the inner walls of the metal pipes 15 and internal metal structure pipes 25 or the heat source and / or cooling source 27, heat transfer from the metal pipes 15 and heat source and / or cooling source 27 to the heat exchange metal structure etc. 10 is rapid, and heat exchange also occurs on the surface of the heat exchange metal structure etc. 10, dramatically increasing the surface area of ​​the heat exchange field inside the heat exchanger and improving heat exchange efficiency.

[0065] The manufacturing method of the metal structure 10 of the present invention will be described in detail below. First, a number of through holes 6 are formed in a metal plate 11. The plate 11 can be made of iron, nickel, copper, or any of these alloys. In addition, aluminum and aluminum alloys can be used due to their ease of processing, and titanium and titanium alloys can be used due to their acid and chemical resistance. For electrode applications, titanium + Pt plating can be used, and for electromagnetic wave (low frequency) shielding applications, materials with high magnetic permeability such as permalloy and silicon steel sheets can be used. In forming the through holes 6, a number of through holes 6 of 0.5 mm or less are formed in the metal plate 11 by pressing (punching), electroforming, etching (wet, dry), expanding (thin sheets can also be manufactured according to JIS G3351), or laser (micro-holes of 0.2 mm or less can also be formed). Etching is preferred, but a plate 11 having a number of through holes 6 may be formed by electroforming without etching and used as a base material. Electroforming allows for the formation of through-holes 6 with a diameter equal to or less than the plate thickness T, as well as micro-holes and holes with a high aspect ratio. Electroforming is possible with metals such as nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), and Invar (Fe-Ni). Furthermore, by adjusting the hole shape and diameter of the through-holes 6 in the uneven plate 1, as well as the shape and dimensions of the uneven plate 1, a regular grid structure can be fabricated, and the opening ratio of the through-holes 6 can be designed and adjusted for elevation angles in each direction. In addition, the flat plate 11 can be substituted with a woven wire mesh 11' of 10 mesh or more.

[0066] Next, a metal flat plate 11 having numerous through holes 6 is bent to form a trapezoidal (Figure 1) or rectangular corrugated plate 1 (corrugated processing). Not limited to corrugated processing, embossing may also be used, in which a pattern of bumps and dips is pressed onto the surface of the flat plate 11 using a mold or roll. The minimum dimensions of the length, width, and depth of the formed corrugated plate 10 are 0.03 mm. In this embodiment, the corrugated plate 1 is formed by bending the flat plate 11 after the through holes 6 are formed, but as an alternative method, the corrugated plate 1 may be formed before or while the through holes 6 are formed.

[0067] Furthermore, the opposing convex portions 2 of multiple uneven plates 1 are joined together at the joining surface 12 to form a laminate, thereby obtaining, for example, the metal structure 10 of the present invention shown in Figure 2. The metal structure 10 is obtained by periodically stacking two or more types of uneven plates 1 having the same or different shapes, sizes, and aperture ratios of through holes 6. The step of joining to form a laminate involves welding, welding, crimping, or bonding the convex portions 2 together. Specifically, the laminate is formed by joining using one or more of the following methods: laser welding, electric resistance welding, diffusion bonding, spot welding (welding), metal brazing with gold solder, silver solder, etc., soldering, crimping, use of adhesive (cyanoacrylate, epoxy resin, acrylic resin, etc.), or use of double-sided tape. In addition to joining surfaces together (laser welding, diffusion bonding, crimping, use of adhesive, etc.), joining of the convex portions 2 together may also be done by joining one or more points (spot welding, electric resistance welding, etc.).

[0068] As described above, in the present invention, a metal structure 10 is obtained by corrugating a corrugated plate 1 in which through holes 6 are formed by pressing, electroforming, etching, expanding, etc., and thus it has a regular three-dimensional lattice structure, ensuring fluid flow in multiple directions. Furthermore, the metal structure 10 obtained by the manufacturing method of the present invention is made of a multilayer structure of corrugated plates 1 made of metal having numerous through holes 66, for example, by diffusion bonding, spot welding, metal brazing, and soldering, so it can be used in high-temperature environments. Moreover, the obtained metal structure 10 has strong bonding strength because the upper and lower surfaces of the corrugated plates 1 are directly joined between metals by diffusion bonding, spot welding, or by soldering and metal brazing so that the plates 1 can be stacked substantially perpendicular to the plates 1 (in the stacking direction of the plates 1), resulting in high overall strength, durability, and impact resistance. In other words, the metal structure 10 is a multilayer structure in which metal plates 1 are joined together by soldering and metal brazing, so it has high heat resistance and can permeate high-temperature fluids.

[0069] As a subsequent process, the obtained metal structure 10 is cut to an appropriate size according to the application using means such as wire cutting, laser cutting, or water jet cutting. As for other processing, after the completion of the metal structure 10, the surface of the uneven plate 1 of the metal structure 10 may be plated with nickel, gold, zinc, platinum, etc., when it is in the state of a flat plate 11 or an uneven plate 1. Alternatively, the surface of the uneven plate 1 may be coated with a functional material such as a photocatalyst, thermal sprayed with a functional material such as a photocatalyst, ceramic surface coating (thermal spraying), nickel and / or gold surface coating (vapor deposition), etc. Surface patterning (rolling process) in which a pattern is transferred to the metal surface using a patterned roll, surface roughening (blasting process) in which sand or fine particles are blown to form a pattern, chemical vapor deposition (CVD) in which a thin film is formed on the surface by evaporating the metal, surface treatment (acid / alkali treatment, heat processing, functional coating, etc.), ring processing by welding or crimping (Figure 8), formation of a hybrid structure with a resin casing or body, etc. by resin molding (insert molding, outsert molding), etc.

[0070] In the embodiment of the above manufacturing method, a flat plate 11 was used as the raw material, but a woven wire mesh (wire mesh) 11' shown in Figure 20 may be used instead of the flat plate 11. Figure 20A illustrates a perspective view of the woven wire mesh 11', and Figure 20B illustrates a plan view of the woven wire mesh 11', as well as cross-sectional views along a-a and b-b in Figure 20A. The woven wire mesh 11' can be formed by weaving vertical and horizontal wires of metal wire using a loom, or by knitting using a knitting machine. In this case, gaps, i.e., through holes 6, are formed in the wire mesh 11' between the vertical and horizontal wires, between the vertical wires, and / or between the horizontal wires. Plain weave is preferred, but is not particularly limited. The process of forming the uneven plate 1 after the formation of the woven wire mesh 11' is the same as the method for the flat plate 11.

[0071] The present invention can be widely applied to various industrial fields. For example, the metal structure 10 and its manufacturing method can be applied to heat exchangers, electrolysis devices, catalysts and functional material carriers, catalyst and functional material supports, frameworks for controlling the internal temperature of catalyst and functional material bulks, photocatalyst carrier frames, heat dissipation devices, heat sinks, synthetic reactors as reaction fields, mixed reactors, microchannel reactors, electrodes, electrodes for water electrolysis, electrodes for chemical reactions, discharge electrodes, discharge electrodes for electric insect killers, filters, filters for removing impurities from gases, filters for removing impurities from liquids, grease filters, lightweight structural materials, structural materials for reducing the weight of reinforcing materials for houses and buildings, structural materials for reducing the weight of automobile parts, structural materials for reducing the weight of train parts, structural materials for reducing the weight of aircraft parts, structural materials for reducing the weight of parts used for transporting goods such as trolleys, sound silencers, sound equipment, thermoacoustic systems, sound-heat exchange devices, and regulators that collect the flame of a gas stove and dissipate heat in a vertical direction.

[0072] 1...Uneven plate, 3...Legs, 2...Convex surface, 4...Cavity, 6...Through hole, 10...Metal structure (heat exchange metal structure, metal structure module), 11...Flat plate, 11'...Wire mesh (woven wire mesh), 15...Metal pipe, 25...Internal pipe of metal structure, 100,110,120,130,140,150,160,170,180...Heat exchanger, D...Diameter of maximum inscribed circle, T...Plate thickness, W1...Cell width, W2...Short side length of convex surface, W3...Short side length of leg,

Claims

1. A metal structure comprising a laminate of metal plates with numerous through holes, wherein each of the plates has multiple convex surfaces, and opposing convex surfaces are joined together.

2. The metal structure according to claim 1, wherein the uneven plate comprises a convex portion that joins with other uneven plates, and a leg portion that bends from the convex portion and connects the convex portions on both sides of the uneven plate, and a cavity is provided between the uneven plates, formed by the convex portion and the leg portion, and the cavity has depth along the convex portion and the leg portion.

3. The metal structure according to claim 2, wherein the cavity has a polygonal cross-sectional shape including a quadrilateral or hexagon and forms a plurality of cells.

4. The metal structure according to claim 3, wherein the cell width of the cavity representing the planar length between the convex portions is 0.30 to 30.0 mm.

5. The metal structure according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the uneven plate is 0.01 to 5.00 mm.

6. The metal structure according to claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional shape of the uneven plate is trapezoidal or rectangular.

7. The metal structure according to claim 1, wherein the uneven plate is composed of a flat plate and / or wire mesh, and the through holes in the wire mesh are gaps formed by a plurality of metal wires constituting the wire mesh.

8. The metal structure according to claim 1, wherein the uneven plate is composed of a flat plate and / or wire mesh, and the through-holes in the flat plate have a maximum inscribed circle diameter equal to or greater than the plate thickness, and are smaller than the short-side length of the convex portion or the short-side length of the leg portion.

9. The metal structure according to claim 8, wherein the pitch dimension between through holes in the flat plate is greater than or equal to the diameter of the maximum inscribed circle of the through hole.

10. The metal structure according to claim 1, wherein the pitch dimension between through holes in the flat plate is greater than or equal to the thickness of the uneven plate.

11. The metal structure according to claim 1, wherein two or more uneven plates are stacked to form a regular three-dimensional lattice structure.

12. The metal structure according to claim 1, used in catalyst supports, catalyst carriers, internal temperature control frameworks for catalyst bulk, photocatalyst carrier frames, heat exchangers, heat dissipation devices, heat sinks, synthesis reactors as reaction fields, mixing reactors, chemical synthesis and mixed dispersion reactors, microchannel reactors, electrodes, electrodes for water electrolysis, electrodes for chemical reactions, discharge electrodes, discharge electrodes for electric insect killers, filters, filters for removing impurities from gases, filters for removing impurities from liquids, lightweight structural materials, structural materials for weight reduction as automobile parts, structural materials for weight reduction as aircraft parts, silencing devices, silencers, acoustic equipment, thermoacoustic systems, or sound-heat exchange devices.

13. A metal structure characterized by being an assembly of tubular structures made of metal, wherein the tubular structures have polygonal cross-sections including rectangles, and each wall surface forming the tubular structure has a porous structure with a diameter equal to or greater than the mesh thickness of wire mesh or the plate thickness of a flat plate.

14. A heat exchanger comprising one or more internal metal structure pipes or one or more metal pipes through which a fluid flows, in which a metal structure according to claim 1 or 13 is disposed inside, wherein one or more internal metal structure pipes or metal pipes pass inside the heat exchange metal structure.

15. A heat exchanger comprising one or more internal metal structure pipes or one or more metal structure modules composed of metal structures, in which the metal structure described in claim 1 or 13 is disposed, and a heat source and / or cooling source through which the one or more internal metal structure pipes or metal structure modules pass.

16. A heat exchanger comprising one or more internal metal structure pipes having a metal structure according to claim 2 or 13 disposed inside, and a heat exchanger having a number of cavities but no through holes, or having a number of tube structures but no porous structure, wherein one or more internal metal structure pipes pass through the inside of the heat exchanger.

17. A method for manufacturing a metal structure, comprising the steps of: bending a metal plate and / or wire mesh to form a trapezoidal or rectangular corrugated plate after or before forming a number of through holes in the plate; and joining the opposing convex portions of a plurality of corrugated plates to form a laminate.

18. The method for manufacturing a metal structure according to claim 17, comprising the step of joining together to form a laminate, wherein the convex portions are joined together by one or more of the following: diffusion bonding, spot welding, metal brazing, and soldering, to form a laminate.

19. The method for manufacturing a metal structure according to claim 17, further comprising the step of forming a number of through holes with a diameter of 0.5 mm or less in a metal plate and / or wire mesh by pressing, electroforming, etching, or expanding.

20. The method for manufacturing a metal structure according to claim 17, further comprising the step of forming through holes in the wire mesh with a distance between threads defined by a mesh count of 10 or more.

21. The method for manufacturing a metal structure according to claim 17, wherein the step of forming the uneven plate includes the step of corrugating a flat plate.

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