3D-printed apparatus for efficient fluid-solid contact

Abstract: Additively manufactured monolithic structures for containing and directing flows of fluids are described herein, which can achieve high contact area between fluids and solids while maintaining uniform flow conditions and requiring low applied pressures to yield desired flow rates, for use in heat exchangers, chromatography columns, catalytic converters, etc. An exemplary monolithic structure comprises a plurality of tiled unit cells having a same shape, where the tiled unit cells are integrally formed as a single component. The tiled unit cells are arranged to define one or more interior regions of fluid flow, one or more inlets to each interior region of fluid flow, and one or more outlets to each interior region of fluid flow. The structures and methods of tiling herein are suited to additive manufacturing technologies such as projection stereolithography, multiphoton lithography, etc.
Filed: 10/26/2017
Application Number: 15/794413
This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-NA0003525 awarded by the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in the invention.
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