High-pressure hydroforming reigns in the future of microchannel heat exchangers

By Jurgen Pannock and Jesse Killion

FluidForming is a high-pressure, bladder-free sheet metal hydroforming process. The process has been used by product developers and manufacturers for rapid prototyping and low- to medium-volume production runs. Working closely with product developers at Evicient, the team at FluidForming Americas helped optimize part design using Autoform finite element analysis, and created production-ready prototypes of a counterflow, flat-plate, microchannel heat exchanger for testing, analysis, and product development.

The full article appears in the September 2024 issue of Heat Exchanger World Magazine.

‍

The FluidForming metal forming process was selected to form prototypes of microchannel heat exchangers from 28 gauge nickel plated 1006 steel. The dimensions of the prototype panels were 280 mm x 115 mm. The plates included headers to distribute the working fluids and 55 channels 1.7 mm wide x 0.2 mm deep. A forming pressure of 30,000 psi was employed, though the process can achieve pressures up to 60,000 psi. The fundamental benefit of this prototype — and all microchannel heat exchangers — lies in the fact that, as the cross-sectional area decreases, the surface area to cross sectional area of the media increases and the heat transfer coefficient increases. In addition, smaller channels can withstand higher pressures with thinner walls than larger channels. Microchannel heat exchangers therefore provide better efficiency with less material and more space efficient designs. Thus, the benefits of microchannel heat exchanger include:

• Efficiency: pound for pound significantly more efficient than traditional heat exchangers.
• Size: Typically significantly smaller than conventional heat exchangers.
• Fluid savings: Depending on the use, the amount of operating fluid on the inside the tubing can result in cost savings.

‍

READ THE FULL ARTICLE AT HEAT EXCHANGER WORLD MAGAZINE

Custom Microchannel Heat Exchanger Quotes

For part optimization or to get a quote on precision micro channel heat exchanger manufacturing, contact us! Call 800-4973545 or email info@ffamericas.com.

‍