3D Systems is collaborating with researchers from Penn State University and Arizona State University on two projects sponsored by NASA.
The projects are seeking to enable 'ground-breaking alternatives' to current thermal management solutions.
Since severe temperature fluctuations can damage sensitive spacecraft components and result in mission failure, Penn State and Arizona State researchers are looking towards additive manufacturing technology to develop sophisticated thermal management solutions for next-generation satellites and space exploration.
Working with the NASA Glenn Research Center and 3D Systems Application Innovation Group (AIG), the researchers have developed processes to build embedded high-temperature passive heat pipes in heat rejection radiators that are additively manufactured in titanium. These heat pipe radiators are 50% lighter per area with increased operating temperatures compared with current state-of-the-art radiators, allowing them to radiate heat more efficiently for high power systems. The researchers deployed Oqton's 3DXpert software to embed an integral porous network within the walls of the heat pipes, avoiding subsequent manufacturing steps and resulting variability. The monolithic heat pipe radiators were then manufactured in titanium and nitinol on 3D Systems’ DMP technology. The titanium-water heat pipe radiator prototypes were successfully operated at temperatures of 230°C and weigh 50% less (3 kg/m2 versus over 6 kg/m2), meeting NASA goals for heat transfer efficiency and reduced cost to launch for space-based applications.
A research project led by Penn State University and NASA Glenn Research Center has also yielded a process to additively manufacture one of the first functional parts using nickel titanium (nitinol) shape memory alloys that can be passively actuated and deployed when heated. The chemistry of these materials can be tuned to change shape with application of heat.
Radiators made with the passive shape memory alloy are therefore projected to deliver a deployed-to-stowed area ration that is six times larger than currently available solutions, which the partners believe will enable future high-power communications and science missions in restricted CubeSat volume. When deployed on spacecraft, the partners say the radiators will raise operating power levels and reduce thermal stress on sensitive components, helping to prevent failures and prolonging satellite lifespan.
“Our long-standing R&D partnership with 3D Systems has enabled pioneering research for the use of 3D printing for aerospace applications,” said Alex Rattner, Associate Professor, The Pennsylvania State University. “The collective expertise in both aerospace engineering and additive manufacturing is allowing us to explore advanced design strategies that are pushing the boundaries of what is considered state-of-the-art. When we complement this with the software capabilities of 3DXpert as well as the low oxygen environment in 3D Systems’ DMP platform, we are able to produce novel parts in exotic materials that enable dramatically improved performance.”
“3D Systems has decades of leadership developing additive manufacturing solutions to transform the aerospace industry,” said Dr. Mike Shepard, Vice President, Aerospace & Defence, 3D Systems. “Thermal management in the space environment is an ideal application for our DMP technology. These latest projects, in collaboration with the teams at Penn State, Arizona State, and NASA Glenn Research Center, demonstrate the potential of our DMP technology to create lightweight, functional parts that advance the state-of-the-art in thermal management for spacecraft applications. Thermal management is an extremely common engineering challenge and the DMP process can deliver solutions that are effective for many industries including aerospace, automotive, and high-performance computing/AI datacenters.”
