capable of infiltrating metal into ceramic preform structures, with gaps as small as 10 microns. Adam Loukus, vice president, REL, saw potential in casting a tank with a thin internal structure to minimize the amount of tank material while still having the ability to hold high- pressure gas. “Conventionally, you use cylin-
The Schwarz P design shown here required a number of cores to be stacked on top one another to produce the minimalist internal structure.
in the placement of the fuel, allow- ing it to be more commercially viable than the torpedo-shaped tanks currently in use. REL is now partnering with a major CNG supplier and a local university in a three-year, $2.1 million project to
CAN-ENG
prove the technology is commercially viable.
Public Investment Kick- Starts Development
REL Inc., with much of its experience in squeeze casting, was
drical geometry when storing gas at high pressure,” said Josh Loukus, president, REL Inc. “Tat’s nature’s shape. Put those cylindrical tanks in the trunk, and as soon as you do that, you can’t put your groceries in there. With a conformable design, with a box, you can pack fuel more efficiently inside a vehicle.” With the idea of a conform- able CNG tank, REL applied for funding under the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) program. In July 2012, REL Inc. was awarded a $3 million grant to pursue its research. Te final goal being a design
FURNACES INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
CAN-ENG TECHNOLOGY GLOBAL EXPERT
THERMAL PROCESSING SOLUTIONS
FOR HIGH PRESSURE DIE CASTINGS (HPDC) AND ALUMINUM STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS
• Maintains Dimensional Stability • Improves Mechanical Properties
CAN-ENG FURNACES INTERNATIONAL LIMITED is the industry leader in the development of automated heat treating systems for the processing of HPDC and light-weight aluminum structural components. For an innovative response to your design challenges, email Tim Donofrio at:
tdonofrio@can-eng.com to learn about CAN-ENG’s latest advances in energy saving technology, material handling and automations.
VISIT US AT CASTEXPO 2016, APRIL 16-19, 2016 TO LEARN MORE
PO Box 235, Niagara Falls, NY 14302-0235
www.can-eng.com | T: +1 905.356.1327 | F: +1 905.356.1817
22 | MODERN CASTING February 2016
improvement from the cylindrical tanks, REL Inc.’s design team started with a squared structure. Te corners were rounded to minimize high stress points. Trough numerous iterations—including designs with pillar and bubble shaped internal structures—the REL Inc. team even- tually pursued a path that already existed in nature. Te so-called Schwarz P sur-
face features two intertwined cubic lattices. Tis design, which con- sists of two fully independent and intertwined cavities, features a high surface-to-volume ratio. Such a design is found in the skeletal plate of sea urchins, a fact that reinforced the REL Inc. team’s belief it was a naturally efficient design. Te constant curvature, though, meant the Schwarz P design was especially difficult in simulation. “Because of the constant cur-
vature of the internal structure, it is extremely difficult to model effi- ciently. The structure is such that we need to develop simplifying techniques to model and analyze the final tanks. It almost cripples
Image courtesy Anders Sandberg.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60