ADDITIVELY MANUFACTURED STRUCTURES FOR GRADIENT THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY

• Main Authors: PRUETT, James A, MAYBERRY, Travis L, ARTHUR, Michael J
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 14.04.2021
• Subjects: BLASTING; DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OFGENERAL APPLICATION; HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL; HEATING; LIGHTING; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; WEAPONS

A manifold structure is provided to cool a heat-dissipating surface and includes an inlet fluid passage, an outlet fluid passage, and at least one cooling channel that is connected between the inlet fluid passage and the outlet fluid passage and extends along a length of the heat-dissipating surface. Additively manufactured fins are arranged in the cooling channel. The fins are configured to provide a geometry transition area between fins having a first geometry and fins having a second geometry, and a material transition area between fins formed of a first material and fins formed of a second material. The manifold structure is configured to provide a gradient convection coefficient by way of the geometry transition area and a gradient thermal conductivity by way of the material transition area across the length of the heat-dissipating surface.