Inflatable Metal Micro-Channels With Closed Tubular Structures
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing metal micro-channels, such as ultra-thin metal strip micro-plastic forming, result in non-closed groove structures with low process flexibility and limited product categories, requiring additional steps and increased complexity for practical applications.
Innovation Solution
A closed tubular inflatable forming method involving engraving micro/nano grooves on ultra-thin metal strips, applying titanium hydride, welding, and heating under vacuum to achieve controlled hydrogen release for plastic deformation and micro-channel formation, allowing for varied pore sizes and structures without specialized molds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If ultra-thin metal strip micro-plastic forming is used, then production cost is reduced and efficiency is improved, but the micro-channel structure becomes non-closed requiring additional cover plates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the phase transition of titanium hydride from solid to releasing hydrogen gas upon heating. The titanium hydride powder placed in grooves decomposes at elevated temperature, generating hydrogen pressure that inflates the metal strip to form closed tubular structures. This phase transition mechanism enables automatic closure of channels without requiring additional cover plates or complex sealing processes.
Solution Approach 2:
Titanium hydride serves as an intermediary substance that mediates the transformation from flat metal strip to closed tubular structure. The hydride powder acts as a hydrogen source that, when decomposed, provides the necessary pressure to inflate and close the channels. This intermediary material enables the forming process to achieve closed structures using simple equipment without complex tooling.
2Productivity
If conventional forming molds are used, then mass production is achieved, but process flexibility is reduced and product categories are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-placing titanium hydride powder into the grooves of the metal strip before the forming process. This preliminary placement of the hydrogen source material allows the subsequent heating and inflation process to automatically create closed tubular structures. The preliminary action eliminates the need for complex specialized molds while maintaining mass production capability, as the same simple equipment can produce various channel configurations by changing only the groove patterns and hydride placement.
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 method enables high process flexibility and diverse product types with closed tubular micro-channels, reducing production complexity and costs by eliminating the need for additional components like cover plates, while allowing for efficient mass production of micro-channels with specific pore diameters and distributions.
Implementation Method 1
heating the metal composite ultra-thin strip after bond rolling in step (4) under vacuum conditions, and keeping temperature to decompose the titanium hydride to release hydrogen
Implementation Method 2
heating the metal composite ultra-thin strip after bond rolling in step (4) under vacuum conditions, and keeping temperature to decompose the titanium hydride to release hydrogen
Implementation Method 3
by hydrogen pressure, plastic deformation occurs at the composite interface of the bond-rolled metal composite ultra-thin strip, and a tubular micro-channel structure is formed
Data Source
AI summary
The invention belongs to the technical field of metal micro-forming, and in particular relates to a method for inflating micro-channels. The present invention is aimed at the problems of low process flexibility, single product type, and non-closed structure of the micro-channel when preparing metal micro-channels by micro-plastic forming of ultra-thin metal strips. The present invention uses a method combining numerical simulation and bond rolling experiment to analyze the effect of the hydrogen pressure and bond strength of the metal composite ultra-thin strip after bond rolling on the pore diameter of the micro-channel, and the corresponding relationship between the micro-channel pore diameter and the titanium hydride content, heating temperature, and bond strength of the metal composite ultra-thin strip is obtained.