Additive Manufacturing Monolithic Heat Exchanger

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for manufacturing compact heat exchangers are costly and inefficient due to complex assembly processes like brazing, soldering, or welding, and they struggle to incorporate complex geometries, leading to high production costs and low efficiency.

Innovation Solution

The method employs additive manufacturing techniques, specifically stereolithography and shape metal deposition, to grow heat exchangers in a single piece, eliminating the need for assembly operations and allowing for more complex geometries like tapered fins and alternating airfoil cross-sections, using high thermal conductivity materials.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If complex assembly operations like brazing, soldering, or welding are used to manufacture heat exchangers, then the structural integrity and connectivity of components is achieved, but the manufacturing cost increases and manufacturing efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidmanufacturing efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple separate heat exchanger components (cores, exterior, flanges, fins, manifolds) into a single monolithic structure manufactured through additive manufacturing. This eliminates the need for separate assembly operations like brazing, soldering, or welding, thereby maintaining structural integrity while dramatically improving manufacturing efficiency and reducing costs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical assembly processes (brazing, soldering, welding) with an additive manufacturing process that builds the heat exchanger layer by layer. This substitution eliminates the need for post-manufacturing assembly operations while achieving equivalent or superior structural integrity through the additive process itself.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Shape

If traditional manufacturing methods are used to produce heat exchangers, then the production process is simpler, but the ability to incorporate complex geometries like tapered fins and alternating airfoil cross-sections is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegeometric complexityVSAvoidmanufacturing simplicity

Core Design Contradiction:

ShapeVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent utilizes additive manufacturing technology that allows for continuous variation of geometric parameters during the manufacturing process. This enables the creation of complex geometries such as tapered fins and alternating airfoil cross-sections by dynamically changing deposition parameters, layer orientations, and material properties during the build process, something impossible with traditional manufacturing methods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from two-dimensional or simple three-dimensional geometries achievable by traditional methods to complex three-dimensional structures with varying cross-sections along multiple axes. The additive process allows for intricate internal and external geometries that cannot be achieved through conventional forming, machining, or assembly techniques.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Ease of manufacture

If heat exchangers are manufactured as monolithic structures through additive processes, then assembly operations are eliminated and manufacturing cost is reduced, but the process requires advanced additive manufacturing technology

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing costVSAvoidmanufacturing technology complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the assembly operations entirely from the manufacturing process by producing the complete heat exchanger as a single monolithic structure through additive manufacturing. This extraction eliminates the need for separate components and their subsequent assembly, reducing manufacturing cost and complexity despite requiring advanced additive manufacturing technology.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach reduces manufacturing costs, improves efficiency, and enables the creation of complex monolithic structures without the need for separate assembly, resulting in a more cost-effective and efficient heat exchanger production process.

Implementation Method 1

depositing at least one layer of a material having a high thermal conductivity onto a top surface of a substrate to form a heat exchanger

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhysical Vapour Deposition: Physical Vapour Deposition

Implementation Method 2

melting the high thermal conductivity material layer to grow the heat exchanger or compact heat exchanger

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMelting: Melting

Data Source

PatentUS7810552B2Method of making a heat exchanger

Publication Date: 2010.10.12 THE BOEING CO

AI summary

In one embodiment, a method of making a heat exchanger is provided, comprising the steps of generating a stereolithography file from design data, slicing the stereolithography file into two-dimensional patterns, and depositing at least one layer of a material having a high thermal conductivity onto a top surface of a substrate to form a heat exchanger. Preferably, the heat exchanger does not require assembly of separate pieces to form the heat exchanger. In another embodiment a heat exchanger made by this embodiment of the method is provided wherein the heat exchanger may have a design comprising tapered fins and/or alternating airfoil cross-sections.