Design and fabrication of a cross flow micro heat exchanger

A cross flow micro heat exchanger was designed to maximize heat transfer from a liquid (water-glycol) to a gas (air) for a given frontal area while holding pressure drop across the heat exchanger of each fluid to values characteristic of conventional scale heat exchangers. The predicted performance for these plastic, ceramic, and aluminum micro heat exchangers are compared with each other and to current innovative car radiators. The cross flow micro heat exchanger can transfer more heat/volume or mass than existing heat exchangers within the context of the design constraints specified. This can be important in a wide range of applications (automotive, home heating, and aerospace). The heat exchanger was fabricated by aligning and then bonding together two identical plastic parts that had been molded using the LIGA process. After the heat exchanger was assembled, liquid was pumped through the heat exchanger, and minimal leakage was observed.