By combining topology optimization and additive manufacturing, a team of University of Wisconsin-Madison engineers created a twisty high-temperature heat exchanger that outperformed a traditional straight channel design in heat transfer, power density and effectiveness.
And they used an innovative technique to 3D print—and test—the metal proof of concept.
High-temperature heat exchangers are essential components in many technologies for dissipating heat, with applications in aerospace, power generation, industrial processes and aviation.
“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.”
Read the full story here: https://engineering.wisc.edu/news/tapping-a-new-toolbox-engineers-buck-tradition-in-new-high-performing-heat-exchanger/