High Compactness Heat Exchanger Manufactured Using Stereolithography Technology and Photosensitive Resin

Abstract

Heat exchangers have traditionally been produced on mass using metal alloys and complex manufacturing processes. This work proposes an alternative production via for the additive manufacturing of a cost-effective air-to-air heat exchanger, based on the use of the stereolithography technology. The element has been produced on a FormLabs Form3 printer using standard photosensitive resin. The dimensions of the heat exchanger were 100 × 100 × 100 mm3 and the wall thickness was 0.5 mm. The manufacturing cost of the element was 53.11 €. The heat exchanger was experimentally tested in an air handling laboratory under different climatic conditions. The thermal power of the equipment was 200 W, which is equivalent to a power-volume ratio equal to 200 kW/m3. The experimental energy efficiency was equal to 0.54 (for a number of heat transfer units equal to 1.4) and an overall energy transfer coefficient (U) equal to 1823 W/m2K. In addition, the results showed that the thermal conductivity of the material was less influential the smaller the thickness of the heat exchanger channels. The obtained results show that stereolithography is an economical alternative to obtain customized and high compactness heat exchangers, on demand and just in time.