Integration of ultrasonic additive manufactured thermal structures in brazements
A manifold structure has at least one flow passage and a center manifold section that has at least one machined cavity. The manifold structure includes a plurality of ultrasonically additively manufactured (UAM) finstock layers arranged in the flow passage. After the finstock is formed by UAM, the finstock is permanently joined to the center manifold section via a brazing or welding process. Using UAM and a permanent joining process enables joining of the UAM finstock having enhanced thermal features to a vacuum brazement structure. UAM enables the finstock to be formed of dissimilar metal materials or multi-material laminate materials. UAM also enables bond joints of the finstock to be arranged at angles greater than ten degrees relative to a horizontal axis by using the same aluminum material in the UAM process and in the vacuum brazing process.
1. A manifold structure having at least one flow passage, the manifold structure comprising:
a center manifold section formed of a single metal material and having at least one machined cavity in communication with the at least one flow passage; and
a plurality of ultrasonic additively manufactured finstock layers that are arranged within the flow passage and segment the flow passage into a plurality of flow cavities,
wherein the finstock layers are stacked in a direction normal to the center manifold section and permanently joined to the center manifold section, the finstock layers being vacuum brazed to the center manifold section, and
wherein the finstock layers are formed of a multi-material laminate material having dissimilar metal materials that is integrated into the single metal material of the center manifold section and
wherein each of the finstock layers has a bond joint that is a point of contact between a sheet of the respective finstock layer and a vertically extending support wall of the manifold structure, wherein the bond joint of at least one of the finstock layers is arranged at an angle greater than ten degrees relative to a horizontal axis of the manifold structure.
2. The manifold structure of claim 1 , wherein the dissimilar metal materials includes at least one material that is a same material as the single metal material of the center manifold section.
3. The manifold structure of claim 2 , wherein the same material is an aluminum material.
4. The manifold structure of claim 3 , wherein the multi-material laminate material further includes at least one of copper, molybdenum, tungsten, titanium, or silicon carbide.
5. The manifold structure of claim 1 , wherein the center manifold section is formed of aluminum.
6. The manifold structure of claim 1 , wherein the finstock layers are formed of aluminum and at least one second material that is embedded within the aluminum.
7. The manifold structure of claim 6 , wherein the at least one second material is copper, molybdenum, tungsten, titanium, or silicon carbide.
8. The manifold structure of claim 1 , wherein the manifold structure is a heat exchanger.