3D-Printed Pipe Segment Combines Heating and Sensors

Most of the heat control systems in use today are heavy, bulky and require many connecting cables. The EU project AHEAD (Advanced Heat Exchange Devices) aims to optimize these systems, and now a promising result has been presented: a 3D-printed pipe segment that can heat the liquid in Mechanically Pumped Loops (MPL) and measure its temperature.

The pipe segment was developed by the Swiss Technology Innovation Center CSEM in collaboration with LISI Aerospace Additive Manufacturing and Thales Alenia Space France. What is notable about the 3D-printed pipe segment is that it combines heating elements and temperature sensors. This means it could be used in satellite thermal control systems in the future, as they need to avoid overheating in the sun or freezing outside its lite. Furthermore, the segment could also play an important role outside of satellite technology in IoT applications or Industry 4.0, where heating and monitoring solutions improve the reliability of thermal management processes.

The segment weighs 115 grams, is 150 millimetres long and can operate at temperatures ranging from -65 °C to +85 °C and at a pressure of up to 48 bars (photo credits: CSEM)

But how was the 3D-printed pipe segment produced and how is it used in MPLs? Mechanically Pumped Loops circulate fluids such as ammonia to transport heat from hot to cold areas. The 3D-printed pipe segment is therefore designed to heat the coolant and measure the temperature in order to control thermal regulation.

The 3D-printed pipe was made from 316L stainless steel and produced using laser powder bed fusion. 3D printing reduced the need to glue or wire separate components, simplifying the MPL installation by reducing risks without the wiring process. Hervé Saudan, project manager at CSEM, also emphasizes that the design ensures uniform heat transfer as the heating wires are optimally arranged around the tube, eliminating errors such as delamination or cable separation.

However, the manufacturing process also presented significant challenges, such as 3D printing long electrical wires that needed to remain electrically insulated from the tube structure. Sacrificial bridges were developed for this purpose – a design solution that ensures electrical insulation between the wires and the tube structure and can be easily removed during curing.

In addition, the laser powder bed fusion had to be highly precise due to the small gaps between the structure and wires. This means that the gaps could not be too narrow, as this leads to large material fusion, and at the same time they could not be too large, as this affects the heat transfer from wires to the inside of the tube. The design and manufacturing processes have now been protected by a patent.

For future space applications, the structure of such pipe segments could also be made of aluminum to further reduce the weight, but other materials such as glass ceramics as insulating material or resins could also be used. With the advantage of integrated cables, the 3D-printed pipe segments pave the way for further applications in the field of heating. Hervé Saudan confirms: “We have several running projects but at this time I’m afraid they remain confidential.” Find out more about the pipe segment HERE.

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*Cover Photo Credits: CSEM

Madeleine P.:
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