Of all the computational design methods that exist, I have always found captivating the synergy between topology optimization and additive manufacturing (AM). A group of researchers from College of Engineering, recently demonstrated how AM can make a topology optimized design real by creating a high-temperature heat exchanger that outperformed a traditional straight channel design.
“Traditionally, heat exchangers flow hot fluid and cold fluid through straight pipes, mainly because straight pipes are easy to manufacture,” says Xiaoping Qian, a professor of mechanical engineering at UW-Madison. “But straight pipes are not necessarily the best geometry for transferring heat between hot and cold fluids.”
Along with TO, the professor used a patented technique called projected undercut perimeter, that considers manufacturability constraints for the overall design.
From the outside, the optimized heat exchanger looks identical to a traditional version with a straight channel design—but their internal core designs are strikingly different. The optimized design has intertwining hot and cold fluid channels with intricate geometries and complex surface features. These complex geometric features guide fluid flow in a twisting path that enhances the heat transfer.
Mark Anderson, a professor of mechanical engineering at UW-Madison, conducted thermal-hydraulic tests on the optimized heat exchanger and a traditional heat exchanger to compare their performance.
The optimized design was not only more effective in transferring heat, but also achieved a 27% higher power density than the traditional heat exchanger. That higher power density enables a heat exchanger to be lighter and more compact—useful attributes for aerospace and aviation applications.
Hopefully, this research will help companies commercializing 3D printed heat exchangers.
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