High-Temperature Compact Heat Exchangers for Harsh Environments

Refractory Metal Designs with Embedded Sensors for Enhanced Performance and Reliability

The Challenge

High-temperature compact heat exchangers (CHXs) are vital for industries like power generation, chemical processing, and metallurgy. However, existing solutions made from nickel-based alloys face critical limitations:

• Temperature Constraints: Mechanical strength deteriorates above 750°C.
• Corrosion Issues: May exhibit poor resistance to harsh environments, such as molten salts.
• Design Limitations: 2D channel configurations restrict heat transfer efficiency.
• Energy-Intensive Manufacturing: Current techniques, like diffusion bonding and brazing, are challenging, resource-heavy, and inefficient.

These barriers prevent CHXs from reaching the temperatures needed for peak efficiency and long-term durability in extreme conditions.

How It Works

This novel technology introduces high-performance CHXs using Mo- and W-based refractory alloys combined with advanced manufacturing techniques:

1. Refractory Alloy Design: Mo- and W-based alloys are optimized for superior corrosion resistance (200%+ improvement over conventional materials) and mechanical strength at temperatures up to 1500°C.
2. 3D Channel Fabrication: Customizable 3D flow channels are created using traditional additive manufacturing and digital light projection (DLP) printing, significantly improving heat transfer efficiency.
3. Efficient Sintering Process: Electric Field Assisted Sintering (EFAS) compacts refractory alloys into robust structures, achieving a 70–90% reduction in energy consumption during manufacturing.
4. Embedded Sensors: Aerosol Jet Printing (AJP) integrates multimodal sensors for real-time structural health monitoring (SHM), enabling advanced safety and reliability monitoring.

This integrated approach allows for the fabrication of durable, high-performance CHXs designed for extreme environments.

Key Advantages

• Enhanced Durability: Operates at temperatures 2x higher than nickel alloys with superior corrosion resistance.
• Energy Efficiency: Reduces manufacturing energy use by up to 90% compared to diffusion bonding.
• Customizable Designs: Enables freeform 3D channels for improved heat transfer and flow performance.
• Embedded Monitoring: Integrated sensors provide real-time data on temperature and strain for proactive maintenance.
• Cost Savings: Lowers production costs by over 30%, with scalable methods suitable for industrial deployment.

Market Applications

• Power Generation: Enhances efficiency in advanced nuclear and concentrated solar power systems.
• Chemical Processing: Enables reliable operations in corrosive and high-temperature environments.
• Metallurgy: Improves heat recovery systems in smelting and refining processes.
• Industrial Safety: Provides continuous monitoring of critical systems via integrated sensors.

INL’s Technology Deployment department focuses solely on licensing intellectual property and collaborating with industry partners who can commercialize our innovations.

We do not engage in purchasing, procurement, or hiring external services for technology development. Our objective is to connect with companies interested in licensing and bringing our technologies to market.