FEM Simulations for the Optimization of the Inlet Gate System in Rapid Investment Casting Process for the Realization of Heat Exchangers

Over the last decades, additive manufacturing (AM) has become the principal production technology for prototypes and components with high added value. In the production of metallic parts, AM allows producing complex geometry with a single process. Also, AM admits a joining of elements that could not be realized with traditional methods. In addition, AM allows the manufacturing of components that could not be realized using other types of processes like reticular structures in heat exchangers. A solid mold investment casting that uses printed patterns overcomes typical limitations of additive processes such as expensive machinery and challenging process parameter settings. Indeed, rapid investment casting provides for a foundry epoxy pattern reproducing the component to exploit in the lost wax casting process. In this paper, aluminium radiators with flat heat pipes seamlessly connected with a cellular structure were conceived and produced. This paper aims at defining and investigating the principal foundry parameters to achieve a defect-free heat exchanger. For this purpose, different device CAD models were designed, considering four pipes' thickness and length. Finite element method numerical simulations were performed to optimize the design of the casting process. Three different gate configurations were investigated for each length. The numerical investigations led to the definition of a castability range depending on flat heat pipes geometry and casting parameters. The optimal gate configuration was applied in the realization of AM patterns and casting processes