3D Printing Technology Makes Radiators To Improve Performance in All Directions

Radiator is the general name of a series of devices used to transmit and release heat. Modern life can not do without it everywhere, from mobile phones and smart watches to cars and airplanes. At present, the mainstream radiators in China's market mainly include heating radiators, computer radiators, etc. The heating radiators can be divided into steel radiators, aluminum radiators, copper radiators, etc. according to their materials and working modes. The computer radiators can be divided into air cooling radiator, heat pipe radiator, liquid cooling radiator, etc. according to their uses and installation methods.

3D printing technology makes radiators to improve performance in all directions

The radiator industry in China has been developing for more than 20 years. According to the analysis data of the radiator industry status, the number of radiator related patent applications in China increased year by year from 2010 to 2019, reaching 11818 in 2019, with a year-on-year growth of 10. 55%. The overall technology of the industry began to enter the bottleneck period from maturity.

Manufacture of radiator

The traditional radiator is a square structure composed of fins and cover plates. Its volume and weight are large, and the manufacturing process is complicated. The assembly requires brazing very thin tubes to the manifold, and a large number of leaks occur occasionally in high-pressure applications. Only simple media channel configurations/paths can be implemented. The more complex channels are prone to increase the flow resistance and flow dead zone of the medium, resulting in a significant reduction in heat dissipation. However, these obstacles of radiator in traditional manufacturing can be effectively solved by 3D printing/additive manufacturing technology.

The 3D printing technology makes the key radiator structure no longer limited to the fin shape, and the shape of the working area can also be changed from a simple square shape to a package structure for matching equipment/parts. In addition, the components can be integrally formed without a large number of welding processes, and the overall structure is lighter. The medium channel can be formed together with the parts, and has the advantages of complex path, large contact surface, high heat exchange rate, etc. 3D printing makes the cooling channel free from the restriction of cross drilling. The internal channel can be designed closer to the cooling surface of the mold, with smooth corners, faster flow, and increased efficiency of heat transfer to the coolant.

3D printing technology makes radiators to improve performance in all directions

At present, 3D printing heat exchanger and radiator are widely used in aerospace, military, automobile, mold, server chip and other precision manufacturing fields. Relevant enterprises are conducting research and application, and have made certain progress, solving many problems that traditional heat exchange equipment cannot solve.