Limitations of Additive Manufacturing on Microfluidic Heat Exchanger Components

Abstract

This work describes the testing of microfluidic components created using additive manufacturing. An Objet Eden 250 was used to create microfluidic channel test coupons with passages ranging from 0.5 to 3.0 mm and wall thicknesses ranging from 0.032 to 0.5 mm. Coupons were cleaned and tested under flow to examine structural integrity. Microfluidic channels with wall thicknesses down to 0.032 mm could be printed, cleaned, and tested successfully, although plastic deformation was observed in coupons with wall thicknesses below 0.1 mm. Given these limits, additive manufacturing based microfluidic heat exchangers (HXs) offer cost and performance benefits in natural convection HX applications.