Multiscale, Ceramic Microsystems for Heat and Mass Transfer

Structures with several dimensional length-scales can be integrated with ceramic microsystems by using ceramic processing methods that produce components with novel functions. For example, structures optimized for heat transfer can be incorporated with structures designed for gas separation to produce microreactors in low cost, compact packages. Examples of incorporating multiple forming methods with, and without, one-step densification approaches will be described. This presentation will describe several examples of components incorporating multiscale structures. Typical applications are power electronic heat management, microreactors for chemical processing, and industrial heat exchangers. Features of design optimization methods that are unique to ceramic microsystems will be described. The objective of the presentation is to demonstrate the potential for ceramic microsystems in a broad range of applications and describe the benefits and challenges associated with their design, fabrication, and operation.