Additive Manufactured Ultra-Fine Lattice Propulsion Catalysts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional mono-propulsion catalysts, such as coated ceramic or carbon foams, exhibit anisotropic mechanical and fluid properties, leading to inconsistent performance, susceptibility to damage, and limited availability and cost due to manufacturing limitations, constraining design and operational use.
Innovation Solution
The development of ultra-fine lattice structures using Additive Manufacture (AM) technologies, which are designed to mimic the operational intent of coated foams but with improved design flexibility, non-stochastic behavior, and compressive strength, printed directly from preferred materials like platinum group metals (PGMs) and metals coated with PGMs, leveraging techniques like Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF) to create consistent and efficient catalysts for propulsion systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional coated ceramic or carbon foams are used as catalysts, then manufacturing is simpler and cost is lower, but mechanical strength and fluid property consistency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the manufacturing parameters from traditional foam coating processes to additive manufacturing parameters, enabling precise control over lattice geometry, pore size, and strut thickness. This allows optimization of mechanical strength and fluid properties while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through digital modeling and automated fabrication.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material structures by coating metal lattice structures with catalytic materials (such as platinum group metals). This combination provides both the mechanical strength of the metal lattice framework and the catalytic functionality of the coating, resolving the contradiction between structural integrity and manufacturing complexity.
2Reliability
If traditional coated foams are used, then manufacturing cost is lower, but performance consistency and availability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes additive manufacturing to precisely control geometric parameters such as pore size, strut thickness, and lattice geometry. This digital fabrication approach ensures repeatable production with tight tolerances, achieving consistent performance across multiple catalyst units while overcoming the manufacturing limitations of traditional foam coating processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical coating process (spray coating or dip coating of foams) with an additive manufacturing process that builds the catalyst structure layer by layer. This substitution eliminates the variability inherent in coating processes and provides superior geometric consistency and performance reliability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If additive manufactured lattice structures are used, then design flexibility and performance consistency improve, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent develops a universal additive manufacturing process that can fabricate various lattice geometries (such as gyroid, diamond, and cubic structures) from a single manufacturing platform. This multi-functional approach allows design flexibility for different catalytic applications while standardizing the manufacturing process to manage complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent leverages the ability to digitally modify geometric parameters (pore size, strut thickness, lattice type) without changing the fundamental manufacturing process. This allows extensive design flexibility and optimization for different catalytic requirements while maintaining a consistent additive manufacturing workflow, thereby managing process complexity.
4Manufacturing precision
If additive manufacturing is used to create ultra-fine lattice structures, then geometric repeatability and mechanical properties improve, but manufacturing time and process complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs extensive preliminary digital modeling, simulation, and process parameter optimization before actual fabrication. By pre-defining lattice geometries, optimizing build parameters, and preparing support structures in advance, the additive manufacturing process achieves high geometric repeatability and mechanical precision while minimizing actual manufacturing time and reducing the need for iterative adjustments.
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 AM ultra-fine lattice structures demonstrate improved geometric and performance repeatability, significantly increasing availability while decreasing cost and lead time, offering enhanced mechanical and fluid flow properties compared to traditional catalysts.
Implementation Method 1
heating a portion of the powder bed to a temperature sufficient to melt the one or more metal powder materials
Implementation Method 2
forming a layer of the lattice structure, wherein the layer is formed by melting the one or more metal powder materials in a predefined pattern
Data Source
AI summary
In one aspect, a method for manufacturing a lattice structure for use as a propulsion catalyst includes: (a) providing a powder bed of one or more metal powder materials, (b) heating a portion of the powder bed to a temperature sufficient to melt the one or more metal powder materials, (c) forming a layer of the lattice structure, wherein the layer is formed by melting the one or more metal powder materials in a predefined pattern, (d) constructing the lattice structure, wherein the lattice structure is constructed by repeating steps (a)-(c) for each of a plurality of layers of the lattice structure until the lattice structure is constructed, and (e) removing excess materials from the constructed lattice structure.