SubSurface – Rapid Scale-up of Custom Cooling Solutions Through an Innovative Sub-surface Channelling Technique

电力电子、机器和驱动器(PEMD)是能够控制和传输电能的技术，包括运输、能源生产和分配、工业机械和机器人的推进。它们用于供应链，如导体和半导体、转换器/逆变器系统，以及新型电机拓扑结构。(KTN，InnovateUK)PEMD的高效和有效的热管理正在发展。优化热管理产品以匹配越来越高的功率密度，同时减轻重量和占地面积，产生了对散热器和冷却板技术创新的迫切需求。电动汽车(EV)电池和大功率电子产品的功率密度增加，导致发热率超过了简单的空气冷却能力。就像许多活着的生物体通过血液在体内循环来调节体温一样，这些高性能产品的热管理的下一步是也循环冷却液。然而，与生物体通过生物方式生长出相互连接的血管网络相反，在部件内部制造类似的通道是一项重大的工程挑战。目前由_PSL装配有限公司(PSL)运营的解决方案需要结合多种材料和许多劳动密集型步骤。_TWI有限公司(TWI)最近发明了一种新的亚表面加工技术，称为CoreFlow(TM)。它通过零件的外部“皮肤”来去除内部的“核心”，而不会去除外部的皮肤。这种新的固态工艺允许在固体金属部件中直接创建通道的亚表面网络，从而实现更小的外形系数和更轻的热管理部件。此外，它是数字驱动的，允许创建定制的地下网络尺寸和图案，而不需要额外的工具。这种方法对于生产性能更高、可靠性更高的热管理解决方案具有变革性的潜力。**_这种方法的主要缺点是它依赖昂贵的专业制造设备。_**_混合制造技术有限公司(HMT)将专业工艺加工成可在主流机床(制造业中最基本的金属加工工具)上使用的刀头。在_SubSurface_项目中，HMT将把TWI发明的CoreFlow(TM)工艺移植到一个高可访问性和高成本效益的解决方案中，可改装到现有的数控机床上。这将使亚表面网络的形成和外部加工在一台机器上完成，并将竞争力和性能提高到新的高度。这将使_PSL和相关的英国行业在热管理解决方案方面处于前所未有的领先地位，以支持下一代PEMD技术和定制的液体冷却产品。

"Power Electronics, Machines and Drives (PEMD) are technologies that enable the control and delivery of electrical energy and includes propulsion in transportation, energy generation and distribution, industrial machines and robotics. They are used in supply chains, like conductors and semiconductors, converter/inverter systems, \[and\] novel electric motor topologies." (KTN, InnovateUK)Efficient and effective thermal management of PEMD is evolving. Optimisation of thermal management products to match ever-higher power densities, whilst reducing weight and footprint, has created an urgent need for innovation in heatsink and cooling plate technology.The increased power densities of electric vehicle (EV) batteries and high-power electronics have led to heat generation at rates beyond the ability to simply air-cool them. Just as many living organisms regulate their temperature by circulating blood throughout their bodies, the next step for thermal management in these high-performance products is to also circulate a cooling liquid. However, contrary to living organisms that biologically grow an interconnected network of blood vessels, manufacturing similar passages inside of parts is a significant engineering challenge. Current solutions, as operated by _PSL Assemblies Ltd_ (PSL), require combining multiple materials and many labour-intensive steps._TWI Ltd_ (TWI) has recently invented a new sub-surface machining technique called CoreFlow(TM). It reaches through the outer "skin" of a part to remove the inside "core" of it, all without removing the outer skin. This new solid-state process allows for the creation of sub-surface networks of channels to be created within solid metal parts directly, thus enabling smaller form-factor and lighter thermal management components. Furthermore, it is digitally driven allowing for the creation of customised sub-surface network sizes and patterns without the need for additional tooling. This approach has transformative potential for producing higher-performance thermal management solutions with elevated reliability.**_The main drawback of this approach is that it relies on costly specialised manufacturing equipment._**_Hybrid Manufacturing Technologies Ltd_ (HMT) modularises specialist processes into heads that are useable on mainstream machine tools (the most foundational metalworking tool in the manufacturing industry). In the _SubSurface_ project HMT will migrate the CoreFlow(TM) process invented by TWI into a highly accessible and cost-effective solution, retrofittable to existing CNC machines. This will allow the formation of sub-surface networks and external machining to be accomplished in one machine and drive competitiveness and performance to new heights. This will empower _PSL_ and associated UK industry unprecedented leadership in thermal management solutions to enable next-generation PEMD technologies and bespoke liquid-cooled products.