3D Printing for Energy Applications

Albert Tarancón, Vincenzo Esposito, Albert Tarancón, Vincenzo Esposito

• Publisher: Wiley-American Ceramic Society
• Year: 2021
• Print ISBN: 9781119560753
• eBook ISBN: 9781119560784
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Materials Science
• Index: Technology & Engineering

3D PRINTING FOR ENERGY APPLICATIONS

Explore current and future perspectives of 3D printing for the fabrication of high value-added complex devices

3D Printing for Energy Applications delivers an insightful and cutting-edge exploration of the applications of 3D printing to the fabrication of complex devices in the energy sector. The book covers aspects related to additive manufacturing of functional materials with applicability in the energy sector. It reviews both the technology of printable materials and 3D printing strategies itself, and its use in energy devices or systems.

Split into three sections, the book covers the 3D printing of functional materials before delving into the 3D printing of energy devices. It closes with printing challenges in the production of complex objects. It also presents an interesting perspective on the future of 3D printing of complex devices.

Readers will also benefit from the inclusion of:

• A thorough introduction to 3D printing of functional materials, including metals, ceramics, and composites
• An exploration of 3D printing challenges for production of complex objects, including computational design, multimaterials, tailoring AM components, and volumetric additive manufacturing
• Practical discussions of 3D printing of energy devices, including batteries, supercaps, solar panels, fuel cells, turbomachinery, thermoelectrics, and CCUS

Perfect for materials scientists, 3D Printing for Energy Applications will also earn a place in the libraries of graduate students in engineering, chemistry, and material sciences seeking a one-stop reference for current and future perspectives on 3D printing of high value-added complex devices.

Part I
3D printing of functional materials

1
Additive Manufacturing of Functional Metals

Venkata Karthik Nadimpalli and David Bue Pedersen

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark

1.1 Introduction

Additive manufacturing (AM) technologies [1, 2] comprise a family of manufacturing methods that colloquially are known by the common appellation of “3D Printing.” AM has created a strong linkage between digital and physical manufacturing, thus nourishing by its nature, a wider trend, digitization, and the automation of the manufacturing industry. For this reason, the increasing adoption of AM within the manufacturing industry is pushing companies to research new ways of adapting their manufacturing models and optimize their manufacturing strategies by integrating these manufacturing technologies of tomorrow into existing production and bolster their strategies toward a digital to physical conversion [3]. To illustrate the digital to the physical linkage of AM, Figure 1.1 serves as an overview of the gross elements for a generic AM process.

The digital nature of AM processes lends itself to the possibility of adding functionality to the components across the process chain, herein functionality relates to the form or geometry, as the geometry of the workpiece is built up from digital data, so does the functionality as relates to the material placement and material composition. Hofmann et al. [4] and Sobczak and Drenchev [5] explored the various classes of functionally graded metal components. It is useful to classify the functional gradients in AM components according to different kinds of material and geometric gradation. Figure 1.2 shows a schematic of four types of material gradients in AM technologies. Type‐I is with a single material, and the functionality comes from the design and geometry of the structure. Type‐II deals with at least two materials used during the AM process, forming a discrete interface with an abrupt transition between the two materials. Type‐III involves at least two materials with a gradient interface between them. The material gradient can be introduced by process parameter change (microstructural control) or by in‐situ physical addition of multiple materials. Type‐IV refers to any hybrid functionality that is introduced by a combination of Types I−III or by the addition of sensors/other functional mechanisms. Functionality can also be achieved by integrating several AM processes into a hybrid process chain [6]. While the geometric gradients apply to most AM components (single/multi‐material), the material gradients are process dependent. Specifically, AM machine tools can change the material either at the voxel, layer, or part level. The capabilities of the process thus determine the kinds of functional gradients in AM components, which can be classified into geometric and material gradation.

Figure 1.1 Overview of physical and digital links of an AM process chain.

Figure 1.2 Schematic overview of functional AM components.

1.1.1 Industrial Application of Metal AM in the Energy Sector

Industrial applications of functional metal AM components can be found across various sectors including nuclear power, oil & gas, turbine components, wind & tidal energy, fuel cell components, and electromagnetic energy to name a few. Some such applications are discussed in this subsection. The GE Leap fuel nozzle was one of the first certified metal AM components to undergo high‐critical testing and deployment into production [7]. Siemens has been at the forefront of metal AM applications with replacement parts for nuclear plants, sealing rings for steam turbine blades and high‐efficiency gas turbine burners [8]. Oerlikon has showcased topology optimized turbine blades and drill bits for oil & gas applications with integrated sensors [9]. Biome renewables has designed and retrofitted an AM part to increase efficiency of existing wind and tidal turbine installations [10]. Aidro has manufactured high‐pressure hydraulic manifolds and heat exchangers for oil & gas applications [11]. The Oakridge National Lab (ORNL) has demonstrated a newly designed nuclear reactor core with multi‐material and integrated sensor functionality planned in the near future [12]. Optisys manufactures high‐performance antennas for critical electromagnetic energy sensor applications for satellites [13]. Thermal management applications—like heat exchangers, fuel cell components, and rocket nozzles—greatly benefit from the design freedom offered by metal AM [14]. The diversity of potential applications for metal AM in the energy sector is just starting to be explored. A better understanding of the potential can be gained by reviewing recent advances in functional metal AM components by classifying the functionality according to geometric and material gradients.

1.1.2 Geometrical Gradients in AM

AM lends increased design freedom for the manufacturing of unique functional geometries. Hegab [15] reviewed the design aspects of geometrically graded functional materials. These range from rudimentary component optimization through integrated component design, to flexures, engineered to form compliant mechanisms that are constrained in specific degrees of freedom. The ease by which metamaterials can be manufactured from a highly engineered and well‐defined unit cell enables the construction of filters, membranes as well as light and stiff components where the uncertainty from using a stochastic manufacturing method such as foamed materials is taken out of the equation. Said metamaterials can be designed using topology optimization, also known as generative design, to functionally grade a component toward a specific wanted behavior such as thermal conductivity or elastic deformation. The above‐mentioned capabilities enable AM to be strategically employed to induce added functionality of a part. For example, how a load‐bearing part will buckle and deform and eventually collapse plastically can be precisely be achieved by a combination of integ...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Table of Contents
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication Page
• Contributors
• Introduction to 3D Printing Technologies
• Part I: 3D printing of functional materials
• Part II: 3D printing challenges for production of complex objects
• Part III: 3D printing of energy devices
• Index
• End User License Agreement