Heat Exchanging Grid Structures Based on Laser-Based Powder Bed Fusion: Formation Process and Boiling Heat Transfer Performance

Abstract

Microchannel structures possess high efficiency and high boiling heat transfer coefficient of two-phase flow. In particular, the grid structure has the advantages of a simple pattern, large load capacity, and good surface adaptability. Employing the laser-based powder bed fusion (L-PBF) manufacturing technology, a new method of forming heat transfer grids with a controllable structure is proposed in this study. The formation principle, process, and the reasons for improvements in the boiling heat transfer performance were investigated with stainless steel materials. Laser scanning with varying scan spacings was used to prepare multiple structures with different grid widths and wall heights. On this basis, the porosity and pore morphology of the grid structures were analyzed, followed by pool boiling heat transfer experiments. The results revealed that the grid structure significantly affected the nucleate boiling behavior and increased the critical heat flux (CHF). It was found that the 0.5 mm sample exhibited optimum critical heat transfer performance, with an improvement of 10–27% compared to those of the other four samples (minimum of 63.3 W·cm−2 and maximum of 93.9 W·cm−2). In addition, for samples with a grid width greater than 0.5 mm, the boiling slightly decreased by <5%. When the grid width was further increased, the flow resistance effect and the bubble synapse generation effect tended to converge. In these cases, boiling heat transfer only occurred in a single phase along the direction of the medium wall thickness, thus failing to achieve two-phase heat transfer through bubble growth and collapse.