Fabrication of and Thermal Testing in Enclosed Metal Microchannels

该项目将在路易斯安那州立大学（LSU）进行，其目标是推进金属微尺度热交换器（MHEs）商业化所需的一系列科学技术。该项目建立在我们正在进行的高温成型复制金属基高纵横比微尺度结构（HARMS）领域的研究基础上，在局部水平上进行详细的传热测量，以及传统和新颖的连接方法。为了将金属基MHEs推向商业领域，将研究和验证低成本大规模生产金属基HARMS的技术，测量和合理化微米尺度传热特性的详细信息，并设计和实施连接/封装基于HARMS的微系统的可靠策略。通过整合微加工，局部传热测量和建模以及组装/封装的研究，我们的跨学科项目旨在为MHEs商业化奠定技术基础。微加工技术对社会的广泛影响最终是通过新产品对我们的生活方式和环境产生积极影响来衡量的。大规模生产具有更好的热特性和可靠性以及低成本的金属基MHEs的能力，为将MHEs引入市场提供了潜力。在家用电器中加入更节能的mhe，以及在制造业和汽车工业中使用mhe，可以带来显著的环境效益，从而节省潜在的能源。关于金属危害的制造和组装/封装技术的成熟可能会导致许多其他可以在高温和其他恶劣环境下工作的微器件，并对微器件技术领域具有重要意义。我们的计划研究涉及研究生微加工，微尺度流体流动和传热，微系统连接/包装活动，体现了前沿，多学科，工程研究的精神。通过我们与南方大学（历史上最大的黑人学院和大学（HBCU）机构之一）的互动，我们积极参与了对少数民族学生的指导和教育，并将在本项目中继续这样做。

The objective of this project, to be conducted at Louisiana State University (LSU), is to advance a portfolio of science and technologies needed to commercialize metal-based microscale heat exchangers (MHEs). This project builds on our ongoing research in areas of high temperature molding replication of metal-based high-aspect-ratio microscale structures (HARMS), detailed heat transfer measurements on a localized level, and conventional and novel joining methods. To push metal-based MHEs to the commercial realm, technologies for low-cost mass production of metal-based HARMS will be researched and proven, detailed information on heat transfer characteristics at the micron scale will be measured and rationalized, and reliable strategies for joining/packaging HARMS based microsystems will be devised and implemented. By integrating research on microfabrication, local heat transfer measurements and modeling, and assembly/packaging, our interdisciplinary program aims to lay the technological foundation for commercializing MHEs.The broader impact of microfabrication technologies to society is ultimately measured by new products that can positively influence our way of living and our environment. The ability to mass produce metal-based MHEs with improved thermal characteristics and reliability, and with low cost, offers the potential for introducing MHEs into the market place. Potential energy savings from incorporating more energy efficient MHEs into household appliances, and from employing them in manufacturing and automotive industries can bring significant environmental benefits. The maturation of fabrication and assembly/packaging technologies regarding metallic HARMS may lead to many other microdevices which can be operated at high temperatures and in other harsh environments, and has important implications to the microdevice technology horizon. Our planned research involves graduate students in microfabrication, microscale fluid flow and heat transfer, and microsystems joining/packaging activities, and embodies the spirit of cutting edge, multidisciplinary, engineering research. Through our interactions with Southern University, one of the largest Historically Black College and University (HBCU) institutions, we have actively involved ourselves in mentoring and education of minority students, and will continue to do so in association with the present project.