Method of manufacturing a heat exchanger

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10695836-B2
Application number	US-201815879795-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 25, 2018
Priority date	Feb 17, 2017
Publication date	Jun 30, 2020
Grant date	Jun 30, 2020

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a heat exchanger comprising a body and a support embedded within the body. The support comprises a different material and/or a different material structure to the body and hence has at least one material property which is different to that of the body. The method comprises; forming at least a first portion of the support with a first material and a first material structure using a first additive manufacturing step; and forming at least a first portion of the body with a second material and a second material structure using a second additive manufacturing step. The first material is different to the second material and/or the first material structure is different to the second material structure.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of manufacturing a heat exchanger comprising a body and a support embedded within the body, wherein the support comprises a different material and/or a different material structure to the body and hence has at least one material property which is different to that of the body, the method comprising;
forming at least a first portion of the support with a first material and a first material structure using a first additive manufacturing step; and
forming at least a first portion of the body with a second material and a second material structure using a second additive manufacturing step;
wherein the first material is different to the second material and/or the first material structure is different to the second material structure;
wherein the first additive manufacturing step uses a first additive manufacturing technique, and the second additive manufacturing step uses a second additive manufacturing technique which is different to the first additive manufacturing technique;
wherein the first additive manufacturing step comprises an extrusion additive manufacturing process; and
wherein the second additive manufacturing step comprises a powder bed process.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the step of forming at least a first portion of the body comprises;
providing a powder coating about the first portion of the support; and
melting the powder to form the portion of the body.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , comprising;
forming a second portion of the support using the first additive manufacturing step after forming the first portion of the body using the second additive manufacturing step; and
forming a second portion of the body using the second additive manufacturing step after forming the second portion of the support using the first additive manufacturing step.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , comprising machining the first portion of the support and/or machining the first portion of the body.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , comprising, after the support has been fully formed, forming a further portion of the body so as to completely enclose the support within the body.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 , comprising
forming the support so that it has a greater thermal conductivity than the body; and/or
forming the support so that it has a greater strength and/or stiffness than the body.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 , comprising selecting a material to form the first portion of the support and selecting a different material to form the first portion of the body so as to prevent galvanic corrosion of the body and support.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 , comprising forming at least a portion of the support as an internal beam.

Assignees

• Hs Marston Aerospace Ltd

Inventors

• Basini Neil

Classifications

• B22F12/90

  Means for process control, e.g. cameras or sensors · CPC title

• B22F12/45

  Two or more · CPC title

• B22F10/50

  Treatment of workpieces or articles during build-up, e.g. treatments applied to fused layers during build-up · CPC title

• B22F10/31

  Calibration of process steps or apparatus settings, e.g. before or during manufacturing · CPC title

• B22F10/25

  Direct deposition of metal particles, e.g. direct metal deposition [DMD] or laser engineered net shaping [LENS] · CPC title