Experimental Studies of Fluid Flow Resistance in a Heat Exchanger Based on the Triply Periodic Minimal Surface
This study describes experimental data on 3D-printed compact heat exchangers. The heat exchanger is a prototype designed and manufactured additively using 3D printing in metal—AISI 316L steel. The device’s design is based on the triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) geometry called gyroid, which ca...
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2025-01-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/1/134 |
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| author | Marcin Kruzel Krzysztof Dutkowski Tadeusz Bohdal |
| author_facet | Marcin Kruzel Krzysztof Dutkowski Tadeusz Bohdal |
| author_sort | Marcin Kruzel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study describes experimental data on 3D-printed compact heat exchangers. The heat exchanger is a prototype designed and manufactured additively using 3D printing in metal—AISI 316L steel. The device’s design is based on the triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) geometry called gyroid, which can only be obtained by incremental manufacturing. This innovative heat exchange surface structure enables these devices to provide higher thermal performance while reducing their weight by up to 50%. Few publications describe thermal or flow tests in this type of device. They mainly concern computer simulations that have yet to be experimentally verified. The authors of this study conducted innovative flow tests to determine pressure drops during the flow of working fluids under conditions of variable temperature, mass flow rate and thermal load. Water was used as a heat transfer fluid during the tests. The range of parameters for the entire experiment was <i>ṁ</i> = 1–24 kg/h; Δ<i>p</i>/Δ<i>l</i> = 0.05–2 kPa; <i>t<sub>cold</sub> =</i> 20 °C; <i>t<sub>hot</sub> =</i> 50 °C. Flow characteristics during the single-phase heat exchange process were determined, including Δ<i>p</i>/Δ<i>l</i> = <i>f</i>(<i>ṁ</i>), Δ<i>p</i>/Δ<i>l</i> = <i>f</i>(<i>Re</i>), Δ<i>p</i>/Δ<i>l</i> = <i>f</i>(<i>f</i>). The experimental data will be used to determine the relationships describing flow resistance in structures based on a triply periodic minimal surface, and it also enables one to specify the energy consumption of these devices and compare the profitability of their use to conventional designs, i.e., shell-and-tube or plate heat exchangers. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c9b6f40f709348f7a73ed0c01a790065 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj-art-c9b6f40f709348f7a73ed0c01a7900652025-01-10T13:17:12ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732025-01-0118113410.3390/en18010134Experimental Studies of Fluid Flow Resistance in a Heat Exchanger Based on the Triply Periodic Minimal SurfaceMarcin Kruzel0Krzysztof Dutkowski1Tadeusz Bohdal2Department of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Koszalin University of Technology, 78-453 Koszalin, PolandDepartment of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Koszalin University of Technology, 78-453 Koszalin, PolandDepartment of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Koszalin University of Technology, 78-453 Koszalin, PolandThis study describes experimental data on 3D-printed compact heat exchangers. The heat exchanger is a prototype designed and manufactured additively using 3D printing in metal—AISI 316L steel. The device’s design is based on the triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) geometry called gyroid, which can only be obtained by incremental manufacturing. This innovative heat exchange surface structure enables these devices to provide higher thermal performance while reducing their weight by up to 50%. Few publications describe thermal or flow tests in this type of device. They mainly concern computer simulations that have yet to be experimentally verified. The authors of this study conducted innovative flow tests to determine pressure drops during the flow of working fluids under conditions of variable temperature, mass flow rate and thermal load. Water was used as a heat transfer fluid during the tests. The range of parameters for the entire experiment was <i>ṁ</i> = 1–24 kg/h; Δ<i>p</i>/Δ<i>l</i> = 0.05–2 kPa; <i>t<sub>cold</sub> =</i> 20 °C; <i>t<sub>hot</sub> =</i> 50 °C. Flow characteristics during the single-phase heat exchange process were determined, including Δ<i>p</i>/Δ<i>l</i> = <i>f</i>(<i>ṁ</i>), Δ<i>p</i>/Δ<i>l</i> = <i>f</i>(<i>Re</i>), Δ<i>p</i>/Δ<i>l</i> = <i>f</i>(<i>f</i>). The experimental data will be used to determine the relationships describing flow resistance in structures based on a triply periodic minimal surface, and it also enables one to specify the energy consumption of these devices and compare the profitability of their use to conventional designs, i.e., shell-and-tube or plate heat exchangers.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/1/134TPMSgyroidpressure dropheat exchangerfriction factor |
| spellingShingle | Marcin Kruzel Krzysztof Dutkowski Tadeusz Bohdal Experimental Studies of Fluid Flow Resistance in a Heat Exchanger Based on the Triply Periodic Minimal Surface Energies TPMS gyroid pressure drop heat exchanger friction factor |
| title | Experimental Studies of Fluid Flow Resistance in a Heat Exchanger Based on the Triply Periodic Minimal Surface |
| title_full | Experimental Studies of Fluid Flow Resistance in a Heat Exchanger Based on the Triply Periodic Minimal Surface |
| title_fullStr | Experimental Studies of Fluid Flow Resistance in a Heat Exchanger Based on the Triply Periodic Minimal Surface |
| title_full_unstemmed | Experimental Studies of Fluid Flow Resistance in a Heat Exchanger Based on the Triply Periodic Minimal Surface |
| title_short | Experimental Studies of Fluid Flow Resistance in a Heat Exchanger Based on the Triply Periodic Minimal Surface |
| title_sort | experimental studies of fluid flow resistance in a heat exchanger based on the triply periodic minimal surface |
| topic | TPMS gyroid pressure drop heat exchanger friction factor |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/1/134 |
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