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Description of the component:
In a design study by Alumina Systems GmbH, a ceramic high-temperature heat exchanger was manufactured using LCM (Lithography-based Ceramic Manufacturing). This was done as part of the INSTAF research project. Such systems could be used for SOFCs (solid oxide fuel cells), among other things. A selected team from TU Dresden is largely responsible for creating the design. Other partners from Germany and Austria are also involved in this project.
Challenges:
The heat exchanger planned in the project consists of space-filling curves and very complex geometries with undercuts. Thin wall thicknesses, the component sizes and handling as well as the processing of the sometimes very large amounts of data are among the critical points in the production of the component.
Solution:
Aluminum oxide ceramic was the material of choice for the construction of a thermally stressed heat exchanger. The highly complex fractal structures cannot be realized using conventional manufacturing methods. These self-supporting geometries could only be produced using additive manufacturing. 3D printing using photopolymerization has proven to be a promising technology for this. In order to explore the limits of this manufacturing process, the component design was continuously optimized.
Solution:
Aluminum oxide ceramic was the material of choice for the construction of a thermally stressed heat exchanger. The highly complex fractal structures cannot be realized using conventional manufacturing methods. These self-supporting geometries could only be produced using additive manufacturing. 3D printing using photopolymerization has proven to be a promising technology for this. In order to explore the limits of this manufacturing process, the component design was continuously optimized.
