Influence of Geometric Parameters on the Performance of TPMS-Based Heat Exchangers.

Advancements in additive manufacturing (AM) technology have enabled the use of Triply Periodic Minimal Surfaces (TPMS) to integrate thermal and structural functions into a single component. These structures offer advantages such as weight reduction, compactness, and enhanced heat dissipation, making them promising for automotive, aerospace, and electronics applications. TPMS structures, characterized by zero mean curvature and periodic crystalline geometry, have recently gained significant research attention thanks to their potential in thermal management. Among various TPMS geometries, the gyroid and diamond structures stand out for their thermal and fluid dynamic performance. This study explores the influence of cell geometry, unit cell size, and wall thickness on the efficiency of TPMS-based heat exchangers, as these parameters are crucial for their technical feasibility. Using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations, a comparative analysis is conducted for an heat exchange study case. The numerical approach employs a steady-state Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) model with the Reynolds Stress Transport (RST) Elliptic Blending turbulence model, while heat transfer is analyzed through the Conjugate Heat Transfer (CHT) technique. The results indicate that reducing the unit cell size enhances heat transfer but also increases pressure drop at a fixed flow rate. Likewise, increasing the wall thickness raises pressure losses, though its effect on heat transfer is minimal. Overall, the diamond structure outperforms the gyroid in both thermal efficiency and flow permeability, making it a more effective choice for TPMS-based heat exchangers. These findings offer valuable insights for optimizing TPMS geometries in high-performance heat exchange applications, guiding future research and industrial implementations.