Cooling system simulating the circulatory system can replace the air conditioner

The intricate network of veins that help our bodies cool in the summer heat has motivated engineers to design new heat management systems that can be used to cool computers, cars, and airplanes.

In research published in the International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, Dr. Ahmad Najafi, Professor of Drexel University of Technology and his collaborator, Dr. Jasson Patrick from North Carolina State University, reported on how they use a computational technique they developed to quickly create designs for 3D printing of carbon fiber composite materials with integrated circuits optimized for cooling operation.

The new cooling system simulates the human circulatory system.

The intricate network of strong static that helps our bodies cool in the summer heat has motivated engineers to design new heat management systems. But copying the circulatory system, format or function, is not an easy task. Recently, a team of researchers from Drexel University and North Carolina State University created a computing platform that could be the key to simulating an optimal cooling system through the evolution of the body. human.

Dr Najafi said: 'When you get hot, your body sends a signal to the circulatory system to pump more blood to the skin's surface, which is why we blush. This is a very good natural way to dissipate heat, scientists and engineers have been trying for years to simulate mechanical cooling systems, just like the way cars and computers are kept. from overheating. '

The latest article by Najafi and Patrick describes an integrated platform to design and create cool synthetic microchip simulation materials.

Researchers from Drexel University have created an optimization program
Circuit configuration of materials can be used to cool technologies
exothermic when operating as computers and cars.(Source: Drexel University).

In a few minutes, your computer program - called HyTopS , which stands for h ybrid topology (shape configuration) / shape optimization - can create a diagram for a circuit network. with the ideal shape, size and distribution of the microchip to actively cool a material through circulating fluid - something that Mother Nature takes more than a few evolutionary cycles to have a perfect body. .

Microchip composite materials are currently being developed to cool everything from electric vehicles to next-generation aircraft, in which the increase in high efficiency also increases the heat they produce. out.

Dr Patrich said: 'These modern materials can revolutionize everything from ultrasonic space vehicles to batteries packed in electric cars and even supercomputer cooling systems. As these things move faster, the energy produced and the computational energy continue to rise, a huge amount of heat being produced that requires a new approach to cooling. "

According to Dr. Patrich, inspired by the circulatory system of living organisms, the simulation of microchips inside the body provides an effective way to regulate the temperature inside composites.

According to both scientists, this biological simulation study is only about a decade or so, but the results are promising. Both began their academic careers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champain developing microchip materials with self-healing, active cooling, and more.

Part of their recent research effort was to replace the traditional metal system to transfer heat with water or air. This is a fairly reliable solution, and will be an improvement in the weight reduction of a vehicle or a component when air conditioning is not needed.

Drexel University researchers can design cooling materials, inspired by the body's circulatory system. Pictured are Professors, Dr. Ahmad Najafi and Dr. Reza Pejman, Drexel University.

According to Professor Najafi, microchip composites have an advantage over existing liquid or air cooling systems , because it is lighter with comparable power, but very durable. 'It's easy to see why they're being searched for in the field of aerospace, cars and energy , ' he said.

For testing, the researchers designed and fabricated a microchip carbon fiber composite using 3D printing and tested its cooling capacity against reference designs from previous studies. After heating the carbon composites to the maximum temperature, the liquid coolant (similar to your car) is pumped through each circuit network to start the cooling process.

The optimized carbon compound was not only cooler but also more uniform in terms of surface temperature distribution and was able to cool down faster than the reference design.

In addition to the outstanding performance of optimized materials, the advantage of the HyTopS method is that it automatically calculates the impact of changes on the diameter and arrangement of channels, as well as how they are connected to together. It also takes into account the overall shape and material makeup of the cooling system and corresponding heat transfer properties. And it takes into account the parameters involved in the manufacturing process, so the final design is an actual IC material that can be created by 3D printing or other accessible methods.

'They are nearly impossible to simulate the whole complex of natural circuits, but our research allows us to optimize and review manufacturing parameters to make sure the design is buildable,' ' Professor Najafi said.