Scalable 3D-printed lattices for pressure control in fluid applications

Area of Science:

• Materials Science and Engineering
• Fluid Dynamics
• Additive Manufacturing

Background:

• Additive manufacturing (AM) offers unparalleled control over complex geometries and pre-defined structures.
• Lattice structures, a class of AM-only designs, show significant potential for directing transport phenomena due to their ordered, scalable, and modular nature.
• A comprehensive understanding of how these lattices scale and interact within heterogeneous systems remains elusive.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the pressure gradient behavior of cubic and Kelvin lattices across different length scales.
• To evaluate the combinatorial behavior of segmented lattice systems.
• To develop a predictive model for pressure drop in lattice-filled pipes.

Main Methods:

• Designed cubic and Kelvin lattices at sub-5 mm length scales.
• Experimentally measured pressure gradients in pipes (12-52 mm diameter) containing these lattices.
• Investigated combinations of four different lattice structures in series.

Main Results:

• A single correlation was found to accurately describe the pressure behavior for various lattice geometries and scales.
• Combining lattice systems in series demonstrated complex behavior, highly sensitive to the specific geometry of each part.
• The findings suggest that lattice properties are predictable and scalable.

Conclusions:

• Tailored, modular lattice systems are promising for applications at laboratory scales and beyond.
• The developed correlation provides a valuable tool for designing and predicting performance in lattice-enhanced systems.
• Further research into combinatorial lattice behavior can optimize heterogeneous system design.