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

“电力电子、机械和驱动（PEMD）是一种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，\[and\]新型电动机拓扑结构。”高效和有效的PEMD热管理正在不断发展。优化热管理产品以匹配更高的功率密度，同时减少重量和占地面积，因此迫切需要散热器和冷却板技术的创新。电动汽车（EV）电池和大功率电子设备的功率密度增加，导致热量产生的速度超出了简单的空气冷却能力。正如许多生物体通过循环血液来调节体温一样，这些高性能产品的热管理的下一步是循环冷却液体。然而，与生物有机体生长出相互连接的血管网络相反，在零件内部制造类似的通道是一个重大的工程挑战。目前的解决方案，由＿PSL组装有限公司（PSL）操作，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）。它通过一个零件的外部“皮肤”来去除它的内部“核心”，而不去除外部皮肤。这种新的固态工艺允许直接在固体金属部件内创建地下通道网络，从而实现更小的形状因素和更轻的热管理组件。此外，它是数字驱动的，允许创建定制的地下网络尺寸和模式，而无需额外的工具。这种方法具有革命性的潜力，可以生产出性能更高、可靠性更高的热管理解决方案。这种方法的主要缺点是它依赖于昂贵的专业制造设备。＿**＿混合制造技术有限公司＿ （HMT）将专业工艺模块化为可用于主流机床（制造业中最基础的金属加工工具）的头部。在＿SubSurface＿项目中，HMT将把TWI发明的CoreFlow（TM）工艺迁移到一个高度可访问且具有成本效益的解决方案中，可对现有的数控机床进行改造。这将允许在一台机器中完成地下网络和外部加工的形成，并将竞争力和性能提升到新的高度。这将赋予psl＿和相关英国行业在热管理解决方案方面前所未有的领导地位，以实现下一代PEMD技术和定制液冷产品。

"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.