NativeCAD · implicit where it breathes, exact where it bolts

A printed gyroid heat exchanger that meets its duty

A charge-air cooler for an 8–10 kW fuel-cell stack: 118 °C air in, 61.3 °C out, against 65 °C allowed. It removes 515 W where the duty asks for 482 W, in a 114 × 106 × 62 mm package that bolts to its plumbing through four exact flanges.

515 Wheat removed against 482 W required, a 6.9 % margin

0leak paths between the air and coolant networks

2.7 kPaair-side pressure drop, inside the 5.0 kPa budget

0.40 kPacoolant-side pressure drop, inside the 20 kPa budget

476 m²/m³wetted area per unit core volume

696 gcomplete exchanger in AlSi10Mg, housing 439 g

Two fluids, one wall

Air runs through the core in one direction and coolant across it in another, each in its own connected network, separated by a 0.82 mm wall. Every path from the air ports stays in the air network and every path from the coolant ports stays in the coolant network: 0 places where the two meet. Each network is one connected, watertight passage with a 1.1 mm narrowest throat, wide enough to clear the powder.

Loading the exchanger…

touches air touches coolant

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Every triangle of the printed metal is here, 2.5 million of them, not a simplified preview. Section the core to see the two passages wound through each other, split by a 0.82 mm wall.

Mid-plane section of the 56 mm core. Switch a fluid off to follow the other network on its own.

Rated to the duty

	Result	Requirement
Heat removed	515 W	482 W
Air out	61.3 °C	≤ 65 °C
Air-side pressure drop	2.7 kPa	≤ 5.0 kPa
Coolant-side pressure drop	0.40 kPa	≤ 20 kPa
Effectiveness	0.90	–
Wall thickness	0.82 mm	≥ 0.8 mm
Wall stress at 0.23 MPa proof pressure	4.0 MPa	yield 230 MPa

Air 9.0 g/s at 200 kPa, 118 °C in. 50/50 glycol-water coolant at 3.0 L/min, 55 °C in and 57.8 °C out.

Flanges that bolt on

Four SAE J518 Code 61 split-flange ports, modelled as exact faces and cylinders: SAE J518 Code 61 3/4" (-12) on the air side, SAE J518 Code 61 1/2" (-08) on the coolant side. Bolt holes, port bores and sealing faces are true geometry in the STEP, and the drawing carries every callout.

Dimensioned drawing of the exchanger housing with the four flange bolt patterns — Housing drawing: four views, 4 flange ports with bolt patterns and thread callouts.

Port	Fluid	Flange
-x	air	4X 3/8-16 UNC-2B ↧15.9 ON 47.6 X 22.2, ⌀19 PORT, SAE J518 CODE 61 3/4
+x	air	4X 3/8-16 UNC-2B ↧15.9 ON 47.6 X 22.2, ⌀19 PORT, SAE J518 CODE 61 3/4
-y	coolant	4X 5/16-18 UNC-2B ↧14.3 ON 38.1 X 17.5, ⌀13 PORT, SAE J518 CODE 61 1/2
+y	coolant	4X 5/16-18 UNC-2B ↧14.3 ON 38.1 X 17.5, ⌀13 PORT, SAE J518 CODE 61 1/2

Ready for the printer

Every wall sits above the 0.8 mm floor and every passage is open to clear its powder. Stood corner-up, only 10.7 % of the surface is steeper than 45°, and nothing inside the networks needs a support. After printing: face the four sealing surfaces, tap the 16 bolt holes, ream the ports.