Monolithic Additive Heat Exchangers Using Sacrificial Channels
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Solution Overview
Problem
The fabrication of conventional heat exchangers is expensive, time-consuming, and prone to failures due to challenges in joining dissimilar materials and maintaining precision in complex geometries, leading to potential leaks and downtime in harsh industrial environments.
Innovation Solution
The use of additive manufacturing techniques, such as laser engineering net shaping and selective laser sintering, to form heat exchanger components by introducing a matrix material and a sacrificial material, selectively exposing them to energy to form bonds and remove the sacrificial material to create channels, allowing for the formation of structures with desired properties and gradients, reducing weaknesses at joints and internal stresses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional fabrication methods with welding and diffusion bonding are used, then heat exchangers can be assembled from separate components, but the joining process is prone to failure and leaks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate components (tubes, plates, baffles, tubesheets) into a single monolithic structure fabricated by additive manufacturing. This eliminates all welding and diffusion bonding joints that were previously required to assemble these components, thereby eliminating joint failure modes while simplifying the fabrication process to a single additive manufacturing operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the fabrication process into additive manufacturing of the monolithic structure followed by removal of sacrificial material to create internal channels. This segmentation allows complex internal geometries to be formed without requiring complex assembly operations, resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of manufacture.
2Manufacturing precision
If machining and assembly of complex heat exchanger geometries are performed, then components can be formed with precise dimensions, but the process is time-consuming and presents difficulties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by directly fabricating the final complex geometry through additive manufacturing without requiring subsequent machining operations. The monolithic structure is built layer-by-layer with precise dimensional control inherent to the additive process, eliminating time-consuming machining while maintaining manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical machining operations with additive manufacturing processes. Instead of removing material through machining to achieve precise dimensions, the additive process deposits material layer-by-layer to directly form the precise final geometry, dramatically increasing productivity while maintaining or improving dimensional precision.
3Adaptability or versatility
If heat exchangers are subjected to harsh environments with high temperature and pressure, then they can perform industrial functions, but they are prone to fail
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite materials in the additive manufacturing process, using a matrix material combined with sacrificial material to form the monolithic structure. The matrix material can be selected for high temperature and pressure resistance, while the composite structure allows for optimized thermal and mechanical properties that enhance reliability in harsh environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges all structural components into a single monolithic unit, eliminating joints that would be vulnerable to failure under harsh environmental conditions. The unified structure ensures consistent material properties and eliminates weak points at interfaces where leaks or failures could occur under high temperature and pressure.
4Strength
If diffusion bonding is used to join components, then bonds can be formed between materials, but it is challenging to maintain the same nominal diameter with precision throughout channels and tubes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges all components into a monolithic structure fabricated by additive manufacturing, eliminating diffusion bonding operations entirely. This approach maintains precise nominal diameters throughout all channels and tubes because the dimensions are directly controlled during additive manufacturing rather than being affected by the high pressure and temperature variations of diffusion bonding.
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 enables the fabrication of heat exchangers with improved reliability, reduced downtime, and the ability to tailor heat removal capacity, while allowing for the use of modular designs and a wider range of materials, enhancing both performance and efficiency in industrial applications.
Implementation Method 1
selectively exposing at least the first portion to focused energy to form bonds between particles of the matrix material
Implementation Method 2
selectively exposing the matrix material to energy comprising a laser beam or an electron beam to form bonds between adjacent particles of the matrix material
Implementation Method 3
removing the sacrificial material from the structure to form at least one channel in the structure
Data Source
AI summary
A method of forming at least a component of a heat exchanger comprises introducing a feed material comprising a first portion including a matrix material and a second portion including a sacrificial material on a surface of a substrate, exposing at least the first portion to energy to form bonds between particles of the matrix material and form a first thickness of a structure, introducing additional feed material comprising the first portion over the first thickness of the structure, exposing the additional feed material to energy to form a second thickness of the structure, and removing the sacrificial material from the structure to form at least one channel in the structure. Related heat exchangers and components, and related methods are disclosed.