New Study Explores Next-Gen Heat Exchangers in Aerospace

Latest Review Paper by Francesco Careri Explores Advancements in Additive Manufacture of Aerospace Heat Exchangers

Cambridge, United Kingdom - A new review paper titled "Additive Manufacturing of Heat Exchangers in Aerospace Applications" has been published, shedding light on the latest advancements in next-generation heat exchangers in the aerospace industry.

The findings are expected to have far-reaching implications, providing valuable insights into the latest advancements in heat exchanger manufacturing.

The paper was authored by NSIRC PhD student Francesco Careri, along with Professor Moataz Attallah from the University of Birmingham, Dr Raja Khan from TWI Ltd, and Catherine Todd from Meggitt.

Read the Full Paper Via the Applied Thermal Engineering Journal

The study was funded in collaboration with EPSRC CDT for Topological Design at the University of Birmingham and investigates the use of laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) in manufacturing heat exchangers.

Delving into the advantages and current challenges of the additive manufacturing process, the review paper highlights the potential for high-efficiency heat exchangers that are characterised by thin features and reduced weight.

Additive manufacturing technologies offer the freedom to design and produce topologically optimised complex parts, making them ideal for the production of high-efficiency heat exchangers.

The new generation of heat exchangers is characterised by reduced weight and leak-proof structure, while maintaining excellent mechanical properties. However, the current L-PBF systems and software packages are not yet ready for the creation of thin leak-proof features required for highly efficient complex-shaped compact heat exchangers.

The paper reviews the current advanced manufacturing technologies that can be employed to manufacture the new generation of compact heat exchangers, with particular reference to the Laser-Powder Bed Fusion.

The authors discuss the various challenges facing the industry and provide insights into the latest advancements in the field.

Francesco Careri, who carried out the research, obtained his MSc degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Calabria in Italy.

During his final year project, he collaborated as a visiting student at the AMPlab, University of Birmingham, where he carried out experimental and numerical analyses of different post-processing strategies for Ni-superalloys structures fabricated using Direct Energy Deposition.

The study was carried out under the C-ALM AOHE (Compact - Additive Layer Manufactured Air-Oil Heat Exchanger) project funded by the European Commission.

For more information or to speak with Francesco Careri about his research, please email enquiries@nsirc.co.uk.