A Bioinspired Geometric Modeling Approach Based on Curve Differential Growth

Recent advancements in additive manufacturing technologies have significantly enhanced the capacity to accurately reproduce the shape and material properties found in nature. Furthermore, the behavior and functionality exhibited by natural systems can be effectively simulated using bio-inspired algorithms. An essential parameter that governs various life processes is the surface area to volume ratio. In industrial applications such as catalysis and heat exchange, this particular characteristic is intentionally augmented to enhance overall performance, thus fulfilling the functional requirements. In this study, a curve differential growth implementation was developed to obtain space-filling and self-avoiding paths. By applying successive iterations of the algorithm to an initial curve, a set of curves was generated. These curves were then organized in three-dimensional Euclidean space and combined into a NURBS surface. As a case study, the design of a coaxial counterflow heat exchanger employed the proposed modeling algorithm. The resulting model underwent a numerical simulation to assess the heat transfer rate and pressure drops. Material extrusion technology was used to manufacture a prototype for preliminary demonstration, although further studies are required to ensure watertight functional parts. Numerical results indicate that the proposed design exhibits a better heat transfer rate in a smaller size but leads to higher pressure drops when compared to three equivalent plain pipe solutions (with matching length, surface area, and heat transfer rate).