Intact.Generative: A Plug&Play Approach for Topology Optimization of Thermal Control Systems

With funding from DARPA, Intact Solutions (IS) has developed Intact.Generative (IG), a plug-and-play topology optimization (TO) toolkit for structural and heat conduction based problems. In this project, we will extend IG into a robust commercial strength toolkit for TO of thermal/fluid components in thermal control systems. The innovative features of this project include: A modularized plug-and-play framework for multiphysics where users can customize the modules, e.g., plug-in turbulence models or add new physics. More importantly, users can plug-in their physis-based manufacturing modules to account for the rapidly evolving manufacturing techniques. Our algorithm does not rely on meshing the fluid and/or solid geometries. This paves the way for setting up an automated TO workflow which does not require user intervention for defeaturing and clean-up. Furthermore, it allows for interoperability with widely used simulation software such Abaqus/Ansys/NASTRAN/MFEM. We employ a CAD aware design methodology using implicit modeling, where the raw output geometries yielded by TO algorithm can be seamlessly exported to a typical CAD/CAE software in an automated way for downstream applications such as validating/certifying the optimized designs. The current state of the art (SOA) topology optimization tools need to address several challenges before TO based approaches can become standard practice in the design of thermal/fluid and other components involving multiple physics simulations. Most of these challenges are related to modularization, meshing, automation, and interoperability. Our innovation, IG, adopts a plug-and-play approach based on a decoupled geometry-simulation framework and implicit modeling to seamlessly address these challenges. Consequently, IG will be the perfect tool that can help designers in the development of high-performance thermal control systems that can produces using modern manufacturing techniques.

Intact.Generative can be used to design and optimize thermal/fluid and other components that require multi-physics simulations, in applications such as Heat exchangers in small satellites and cubesat components Heat pipes and heat exchangers for spacecraft, e.g., lunar landers/rovers Aircraft structures such as wing panels/spars, fuselage chassis, etc. Design of active/passive thermal cooling systems for electric aircraft such as the NASA X-57 Load carrying battery packs, which require coupled structural/thermal/flow simulations

Designers can use Intact.Generative to improve the efficiency of multi-functional components, such as that are typically designed for multiple physics considerations, such as aircraft wings, rotorcraft blades, as well as load bearing structures (brackets, chassis, etc.,) in aerospace and automotive applications, and heat sinks & heat exchangers typically used in electronics.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 6) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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