Light weight housing for internal component with integrated thermal management features and method of making

1. A method of making a light weight housing for an internal component, comprising:

forming a first metallic foam core into a desired configuration;

forming a second metallic foam core into a desired configuration;

inserting a fluid conduit defining a fluid path through the housing into the first metallic foam core;

placing the second metallic foam core adjacent to the first metallic core in order to secure the fluid conduit between the first metallic foam core and the second metallic foam core;

applying an external metallic shell to an exterior surface of the first metallic foam core and the second metallic foam core after the first metallic foam core and the second metallic foam core have been formed into the desired configuration; and

securing an inlet fitting and an outlet fitting to the housing, wherein a thermal management fluid path for the fluid conduit into and out of the housing and through the first metallic foam core and/or the second metallic foam core is provided by the inlet fitting and the outlet fitting.

2. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the metal of the first metallic foam core and the metal of the second metallic foam core is selected from the group comprising: titanium; cobalt; aluminum; nickel; steel alloys; magnesium; copper; molybdenum; niobium; tungsten; zinc alloys; titanium aluminide; nickel aluminide; and molybdenum disilicide.

3. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the first metallic foam core and the second metallic foam core is an open cell structure.

4. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the first metallic foam core and the second metallic foam core are formed into the desired configuration by a machining process selected from the group comprising: milling; grinding; electrical discharge machining (EDM); water-jet machining; and laser machining.

5. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the first metallic foam core and the second metallic foam core is a sheet of metallic foam and the sheet of metallic foam is formed into the desired configuration by a hot or cold forming process wherein the sheet of metallic foam is placed in a die.

6. The method as in claim 5 , wherein the first metallic foam core and the second metallic foam core is formed into the desired configuration by a machining process selected from the group comprising: milling; grinding; electrical discharge machining (EDM); water-jet machining; and laser machining after the hot or cold forming process.

7. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the external metallic shell is deposited on the exterior surface of the first metallic foam core and the second metallic foam core metallic foam core via an application process selected from the group comprising: flame spray application process; plasma spray application process; cold-spray application process; electron beam physical vapor deposition (EB/PVD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD); electroplating application process, and wherein the external metallic shell is deposited about the entire exterior surface of the first metallic foam core and the second metallic foam core.

8. The method as in claim 1 , wherein an interim coat is deposited on the exterior surface of the first metallic foam core and the second metallic foam core prior to the application of the external metallic shell.

9. The method as in claim 8 , wherein the interim coat is a ceramic based thermal barrier coating.

10. The method as in claim 1 , further comprising the step of: heat treating the first metallic foam core and the second metallic foam core after the external metallic shell has been applied to the exterior surface of the first metallic foam core and the second metallic foam core.

11. The method as in claim 1 , further comprising the step of: forming additional features in the first metallic foam core and the second metallic foam core after the external metallic shell has been applied to the exterior surface of the first metallic foam core and the second metallic foam core.

12. The method as in claim 11 , wherein the additional features are formed by a drilling process.

13. The method as in claim 12 , wherein a supplemental application of the external metallic outer shell is applied to the first metallic foam core and the second metallic foam core after the drilling process.

14. The method as in claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the external metallic outer shell varies in order to provide localized structural rigidity to the housing.

15. A housing formed by the method of claim 1 .

16. A method of making a light weight housing for an internal component, comprising:

forming a first metallic foam core into a desired configuration, wherein the first metallic foam core has a first recessed pocket;

forming a second metallic foam core into a desired configuration, wherein the second metallic foam core has a second recessed pocket;

inserting an internal component into the first recessed pocket of the first metallic foam core;

placing the second metallic foam adjacent to the first metallic foam core, wherein the internal component is received within the first recessed pocket and the second recessed pocket and is located between the first metallic foam core and the second metallic foam core;

applying an external metallic shell to an exterior surface of the first metallic foam core and the second metallic foam core after the first metallic foam core and the second metallic foam core have been formed into the desired configuration, wherein the external metallic shell is selectively applied to vary the thickness of the external metallic shell in order to provide localized structural rigidity to the housing; and

securing an inlet fitting and an outlet fitting to the housing, wherein a thermal management fluid path for the internal component into and out of the housing is provided by the inlet fitting and the outlet fitting.

17. The method as in claim 16 , wherein the first metallic foam core and the second metallic foam core is formed into the desired configuration by a machining process selected from the group comprising: milling; grinding; electrical discharge machining (EDM); water-jet machining; and laser machining.

18. A housing with an integrated heat exchanger, comprising:

a first metallic foam core having a desired configuration;

a second metallic foam having a desired configuration complementary to the desired configuration of the first metallic foam core;

a fluid conduit located between the first metallic foam core and the second metallic foam core, the fluid conduit defining a first fluid path through the housing;

an external metallic shell located an exterior surface of the first metallic foam core and the second metallic foam core, the external metallic shell securing the first metallic foam core to the second metallic foam core, wherein the external metallic shell is located on the exterior surface of the first metallic foam core and the second metallic foam core after the first metallic foam core and the second metallic foam core have been formed into the desired configuration; and

an inlet and an outlet providing a second fluid flow path through the first metallic foam core and/or the second first metallic foam core, wherein the second fluid flow path surrounds the fluid conduit.

19. The housing as in claim 18 , wherein the metal of the first metallic foam core and the second metallic foam core is selected from the group comprising: titanium; cobalt; aluminum; nickel; steel alloys; magnesium; copper; molybdenum; niobium; tungsten; zinc alloys; titanium aluminide; nickel aluminide; and molybdenum disilicide.