Refractory metal heat exchangers with embedded sensors and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2026085899-A1
Application number	US-202519340474-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 25, 2025
Priority date	Sep 25, 2024
Publication date	Mar 26, 2026
Grant date	—

Abstract

A heat exchanger includes a body formed of a refractory metal alloy. The body defines one or more fluid passageways therein. A sensor is embedded in an inner surface of the one or more fluid passageways. A method of forming a heat exchanger includes additively manufacturing a shapeholder with elongated bodies that correspond to fluid passageways to be defined within a body. The method also includes additively manufacturing one or more sensors on the elongated bodies of the shapeholder. A material of the body is formed and sintered around the elongated bodies of the shapeholder and the one or more sensors. The shapeholder is removed from the body, leaving the one or more sensors embedded at an inner surface of the fluid passageways.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A heat exchanger, comprising:
a body formed of a refractory metal alloy, the body defining one or more fluid passageways therein; and a sensor embedded in an inner surface of the one or more fluid passageways.

2 . The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is configured to operate at an operating temperature of greater than about 750° C.

3 . The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is configured to measure strain and temperature change of the body.

4 . The heat exchanger of claim 1 , further comprising a ceramic capsule disposed at the inner surface of the one or more fluid passageways, the sensor being encapsulated within the ceramic capsule.

5 . The heat exchanger of claim 4 , further comprising a lead extending from the sensor along the inner surface of the one or more fluid passageways.

6 . The heat exchanger of claim 5 , wherein the lead is encapsulated within the ceramic capsule.

7 . The heat exchanger of claim 4 , wherein the ceramic capsule comprises a base and a cover sealed to the base at an interface, and a flange disposed at the interface.

8 . A method of forming a heat exchanger, the method comprising:
additively manufacturing a shapeholder comprising elongated bodies that correspond to fluid passageways to be defined within a body; additively manufacturing one or more sensors on the elongated bodies of the shapeholder; forming a material of the body around the elongated bodies of the shapeholder; sintering the material of the body around the elongated bodies of the shapeholder and the one or more sensors; and removing the shapeholder from the body, leaving the one or more sensors embedded at an inner surface of the fluid passageways.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein sintering the material of the body comprises sintering the material at a temperature within a range of from about 1200° C to about 1800° C.

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein additively manufacturing the shapeholder comprises additively manufacturing levels of sacrificial channel molds.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising surrounding the sacrificial channel molds with a powder of the material of the body to maintain spacing between the levels prior to sintering.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein additively manufacturing levels of sacrificial channel molds comprises additively manufacturing the elongated bodies and bridge members connecting ends of the elongated bodies to maintain a registration of the elongated bodies.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein additively manufacturing levels of sacrificial channel molds comprises additively manufacturing the bridge members to connect together to maintain vertical spacing between the levels of the sacrificial channel molds.

14 . The method of claim 8 , wherein additively manufacturing one or more sensors on the elongated bodies comprises additively manufacturing a ceramic capsule on an outer surface of an elongated body and encapsulating the one or more sensors within the ceramic capsule.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein additively manufacturing the ceramic capsule comprises additively manufacturing a base of the ceramic capsule onto the outer surface, additively manufacturing the one or more sensors onto the base, and additively manufacturing a cover of the ceramic capsule over the base and the one or more sensors.

16 . A shapeholder for use in forming a heat exchanger with one or more sensors embedded within fluid passageways of the heat exchanger, the shapeholder comprising:
elongated bodies configured in a negative pattern corresponding to the fluid passageways of the heat exchanger; a ceramic capsule disposed on an outer surface of one or more of the elongated bodies; and a sensor disposed within the ceramic capsule, wherein the elongated bodies comprise a first material that is reactive to a chemical solution and wherein the ceramic capsule comprises a second material that is resistant to the chemical solution.

17 . The shapeholder of claim 16 , further comprising a lead disposed within the ceramic capsule and extending along the outer surface of the one or more of the elongated bodies.

18 . The shapeholder of claim 16 , wherein the ceramic capsule comprises a base and a cover over the base, the base and the cover being sealed together at an interface.

19 . The shapeholder of claim 18 , wherein the ceramic capsule forms a flange at the interface between the base and the cover.

20 . The shapeholder of claim 16 , further comprising bridge members connecting ends of the elongated bodies.

Assignees

• Battelle Energy Alliance Llc
• Univ Notre Dame Du Lac

Inventors

• Zhang Xinchang
• Rufner Jorgen F
• Mcmurtrey Michael D
• Zhang Yanliang

Classifications

• B33Y80/00

  Products made by additive manufacturing · CPC title

• F28F2255/146

  overmolded · CPC title

• B22F10/20

  Direct sintering or melting · CPC title

• F28F21/04

  of ceramic; of concrete; of natural stone · CPC title

• F28F2255/18

  sintered · CPC title