Design for additive manufacturing of multi-material microreactors: a simulative study on specific surface area and thermal management

This study investigates the potential of multi-material additive manufacturing (MMAM) designs for improving microchannel reactors for ammonia decomposition. Using CFD simulations, designs made from stainless steel 316L and CuCr1Zr to enhance specific surface area and temperature distribution were analyzed. Results show that MMAM designs can reduce temperature gradients by up to 26.81 K and boost fuel processor efficiency by up to 3.2 percentage points compared to mono-material designs. These findings underscore the potential of MMAM in optimizing the reactor efficiency.