Optimising Cooling Efficiency in Aerospace and Automotive Industries

Additive manufacturing (AM) has transformed heat exchanger technology in motorsport, aviation, and next-generation aerospace. These advanced components offer lightweight construction, rapid production, and optimised integration—key factors in creating more sustainable and high-performance vehicles. Effective airflow management is crucial in these industries, where cooling efficiency directly impacts performance.

Conflux is at the forefront of innovation, leveraging AM to develop NACA-inspired ducts for cutting-edge applications. By refining design and material selection, these advanced heat exchangers enhance aerodynamic efficiency and thermal performance. Let’s explore how this fusion of integrated ducting and heat exchanger technology could revolutionise your cooling system.

Conflux’s NACA-inspired monolithic cooler with integrated ducting and mounts.

What Are NACA-Style Ducts?

The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NASA’s predecessor) originally conceived the NACA duct for aviation to efficiently direct airflow into cooling systems while minimising drag. Unlike traditional ducts, which create significant drag due to their protruding profiles, NACA-style ducts remain flush with the surface, effectively reducing frontal drag while optimising airflow. This streamlined approach is crucial in high-speed applications, like motorsport, aerospace, and aviation, where minimising drag can dramatically improve performance.

Motorsport uses NACA and air inlet ducts to improve performance by channelling airflow efficiently for cooling or engine intake while minimising drag, leveraging their low-profile design and vortex-generating geometry to maintain laminar flow and avoid turbulence.

Advantages of Additive Manufacturing for Heat Exchanger Design

Unparalleled Design Flexibility With AM

Additive manufacturing (AM) offers unparalleled flexibility in design and requires incredibly skilled teams to realise its benefits. Conflux’s showcase piece is a great example of how AM can overcome traditional constraints to produce complex parts that offer more.

The design team made a number of trade-offs to manufacture this piece within certain size parameters. They ensured this piece fit the build volume of the M290 machine, creating a compact and unique shape. Of course, for larger designs or for a higher volume of serial production parts a larger machine could be used.

Geometry Optimisation of Heat Exchangers through Computational Fluid Dynamics

We utilise computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis to refine performance and optimise designs for our customers. Customised versions can be tailored to specific needs, whether for a fuel cooler in eVTOLs or a heat exchanger in next-gen aircraft.

Custom Solutions for Next-Gen Projects Across a Range of Industries

Collaboration with industry partners will be crucial to tailor designs for specific use cases. For example, adapting the duct for a fuel cooler in eVTOLs or an advanced heat exchanger for next-gen aircraft could unlock entirely new possibilities. This adaptability opens doors to both aerospace and other industries that demand high-performance cooling solutions. For this NACA style example, the team included mounts to demonstrate integration of key anti-vibration solution elements.

NACA and air inlet ducts are commonly used in Aviation.

Monolithic Heat Exchangers: Integration for Maximum Efficiency

The integration of heat exchangers with ducting and other components opens new possibilities for high-performance cooling systems:

Seamless Airflow Management: Integrated ducts channel airflow directly into the heat exchanger, improving cooling efficiency.

Modular, Lightweight Solutions: Combining multiple components into a single monolithic part reduces weight, enhances performance, and simplifies installation.

Enhanced Reliability: Fewer mechanical joints mean lower chances of failure, increasing durability in demanding environments.

Although the current design serves as a demonstration only, it highlights the potential for future innovations that redefine thermal management.

The integration of cooling ducts and heat exchangers in EVTOL could open up possibilities for light-weighting and transform thermal solutions.

Innovations and Improvements to Enhance Heat Exchanger Performance

Material selection for light weighting and strength -We produced this demonstration piece using AlSi10Mg, a material with excellent properties for heat exchangers that has been in reliable serial production for our motorsport and aviation customers. Research and development in additive manufacturing materials is an area where Conflux, along with its research partners continues to push the boundaries.

Optimising duct profiles to achieve efficient air transfer – We utilise tools like CFD analysis to fine-tune the ducts profile to achieve specific performance goals, such as maximising airflow or minimising drag. The geometry of both the inlet and outlet plays a key role in achieving efficient air transfer without inducing turbulence or drag.

Potential Applications Across Industries

The potential applications for a concept part like this are diverse, spanning Aviation, Motorsport and Industrial or even Renewable Energy.

Aviation:

• Battery Cooling: Ensuring thermal stability in compact, high-energy-density batteries.
• Interior Heating and Cooling: Providing efficient HVAC solutions for passenger cabins.
• Hydraulic Oil Cooling: Maintaining optimal temperatures for hydraulic systems in light aircraft.

Motorsport:

• Specialised cooling systems for Formula E or similar electric race cars.
• Incorporating ducts into motor housings or other compact, high-performance components.

Applications for Specialised Manufacturing Systems:

• High-performance cooling solutions for compact industrial machines.
• Adapted designs could support airflow management in turbines.

The integration of NACA ducts with heat exchangers represents a notable development in thermal management and the potential of additive manufacturing to realise new efficiencies. By leveraging refinements using computational fluid dynamics, advanced materials, and optimised designs, this approach could enhance cooling efficiency across various applications. From aviation and automotive industries to specialised manufacturing, these innovations contribute to improved thermal performance and sustainability.