Laser Thermal Control Flow Circuit for Uniform Beam Stability
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional laser systems in additive manufacturing apparatuses face inefficiencies in temperature control and distribution, leading to thermal drift and instability, which affect beam pointing accuracy and precision.
Innovation Solution
A thermal control apparatus and system with a heat transfer fluid flow circuit surrounding the laser system, featuring a parallel flow arrangement and a cavity, along with a controller to manage fluid flow and temperature, ensuring uniform heat transfer and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional preset gas flows are used to control temperature, then laser components are kept below maximum temperature, but thermal drift and instability occur affecting beam pointing accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple independent flow circuits with separate control mechanisms. Each circuit can be independently adjusted to provide targeted cooling to specific laser components, enabling precise temperature control that prevents thermal drift while maintaining beam pointing accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The gas flow rates are made dynamically adjustable rather than preset. The system allows real-time modification of flow rates to adapt to changing thermal conditions, ensuring optimal temperature control and preventing thermal instability that would affect beam pointing accuracy.
2Temperature
If large reservoirs and high flow rates are used, then temperature control capacity is increased, but gas usage becomes excessive and packaging efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using excessive gas flow rates throughout the entire system, the invention applies partial cooling action by directing optimized flow rates only to specific components that require temperature control. This reduces overall gas consumption while maintaining adequate temperature control capacity for critical laser components.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system provides localized temperature control with different flow rates tailored to the specific thermal requirements of each laser component. This prevents uniform excessive cooling throughout the system, reducing overall gas usage while maintaining necessary temperature control capacity where needed.
3Temperature
If conventional cooling structures are used, then laser components are cooled, but uniform temperature distribution is not achieved leading to thermal instability
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is divided into multiple segmented flow circuits that independently cool different regions of laser components. This segmentation enables uniform temperature distribution across the entire component by addressing local thermal variations, preventing thermal instability while maintaining effective cooling.
Solution Approach 2:
Each segment of the cooling system is optimized to provide locally appropriate cooling rates based on the specific thermal characteristics of each laser component region. This local quality approach ensures uniform temperature distribution throughout the component, eliminating thermal gradients that would cause instability.
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
The solution mitigates thermal shift and instability, improving laser accuracy and precision by maintaining uniform temperature distribution across laser components.
Implementation Method 1
a flow of heat transfer fluid to the apparatus through the inlet opening and to receive the flow of heat transfer fluid from the outlet opening
Data Source
AI summary
A thermal control apparatus including a body defining a centerline axis extended along a height and a circumferential direction extended relative to the centerline axis. The body forms a flow circuit therethrough, an inlet opening, and an outlet opening each in fluid communication with the flow circuit. The flow circuit is extended in parallel flow arrangement along the circumferential direction from the inlet opening to the outlet opening. A cavity is extended at least partially through the body along the centerline axis. A thermal control system includes the thermal control apparatus, a fluid flow device configured to provide a flow of heat transfer fluid to the apparatus through the inlet opening and to receive the flow of heat transfer fluid from the outlet opening of the apparatus, and a flow conduit providing fluid communication of the flow of heat transfer fluid between the fluid flow device and the apparatus.