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6CCVD Research

Review of Triply Periodic Minimal Surface (TPMS) Structures for Cooling Heat Sinks

At a Glance

Section titled “At a Glance”
MetadataDetails
Publication Date2025-09-16
JournalEnergies
AuthorsKhaoula Amara, M. Ziad Saghir, Ridha Abdeljabar
InstitutionsUniversity of Gafsa, University of GabĂšs
AnalysisFull AI Review Included

Technical Documentation & Analysis: TPMS Structures for High-Performance Heat Sinks

Section titled “Technical Documentation & Analysis: TPMS Structures for High-Performance Heat Sinks”

Executive Summary

Section titled “Executive Summary”

This review confirms that Triply Periodic Minimal Surface (TPMS) structures are a critical trend for next-generation thermal management, offering superior performance over conventional finned heat sinks and metal foams.

  • Superior Thermal Performance: TPMS geometries (Gyroid, Diamond, Schwarz-P) achieve enhanced convective heat transfer (Nusselt number, Nu) and significantly improved thermal uniformity, crucial for high heat flux electronics.
  • Material Limitation Identified: The performance of TPMS structures is critically dependent on the thermal conductivity of the solid matrix (e.g., Aluminum, Silver), highlighting the need for ultra-high conductivity materials to maximize efficiency.
  • Quantified Gains: Studies demonstrate Nu enhancement of 8-12% using advanced fluids and high-conductivity metals, and overall Performance Evaluation Criterion (PEC) gains of 25-30% compared to traditional designs.
  • Design Optimization: Achieving optimal performance requires precise geometric tuning of parameters including porosity (Δ), unit cell size (e.g., 12.5 mm), and wall thickness, often implemented via functional grading.
  • Hydraulic Trade-off: The primary design challenge remains balancing enhanced heat transfer with the resulting medium-to-high pressure drop (hydraulic resistance), which can be mitigated through topological optimization.
  • Manufacturing Requirement: Additive Manufacturing (AM) techniques (SLM, DMLS) are essential for fabricating the complex, intricate geometries required for functional TPMS heat exchangers.
  • 6CCVD Value Proposition: MPCVD Diamond (SCD/PCD) offers thermal conductivity up to 5x greater than the best metals studied (Silver), providing the ultimate material solution to unlock the full potential of TPMS heat sink designs.

Technical Specifications

Section titled “Technical Specifications”

The following hard data points were extracted from the analysis of TPMS thermal and hydraulic performance studies:

ParameterValueUnitContext
Nusselt Number (Nu) Enhancement8-12%Achieved using hybrid nanofluids in Al/Ag TPMS structures [6].
Performance Evaluation Criterion (PEC)25-30%Enhancement over conventional finned heat exchangers [5].
Pressure Drop Increase (Gyroid)18%Compared to conventional metal foams [9].
Pressure Drop Reduction (Optimized)94.8%Achieved via field-driven local porosity optimization [20].
Nusselt Number Increase (Optimized)19.2%Achieved via field-driven local porosity optimization [20].
Typical Porosity Range (Δ)0.60 - 0.80DimensionlessInvestigated range for Gyroid/Diamond structures [5].
Unit Cell Size (Common)12.5, 15mmStandard dimensions investigated [5].
Thermal Efficiency Improvement (Forced Convection)2 to 5TimesCompared to natural convection [20].
Highest Heat Exchange Area (Fischer-Koch-S)1.81 x 10-2m2Highest surface area among tested TPMS topologies [21].
Lowest Porosity (Fischer-Koch-S)70.6%Indicating a denser structure [21].

Key Methodologies

Section titled “Key Methodologies”

The research utilized a combination of advanced fabrication, simulation, and optimization techniques to evaluate TPMS structures:

  1. Additive Manufacturing (AM) Techniques:
    • Fabrication of complex TPMS geometries (Gyroid, Diamond, Schwarz-P) using high-precision metal techniques (Selective Laser Melting - SLM, Direct Metal Laser Sintering - DMLS) and polymer methods (FDM, SLA).
  2. Material Integration:
    • Use of high thermal conductivity metals (Aluminum, Silver) and alloys to enhance solid-phase conduction pathways within the TPMS lattice.
    • Integration with Phase Change Materials (PCMs) for latent heat storage applications.
  3. Geometric and Topological Optimization:
    • Parametric tuning of critical structural variables: Porosity (uniform, graded, or hierarchical), Unit Cell Size, and Wall Thickness.
    • Implementation of anisotropic stretching and functional grading to reduce fluid tortuosity and manage pressure drop (ΔP).
  4. Working Fluid Analysis:
    • Evaluation of advanced coolants, including hybrid nanofluids (HNA) and water-glycol mixtures, to boost convective heat transfer coefficients.
  5. Performance Modeling and Validation:
    • Numerical simulations (3D Steady-State Conjugate Heat Transfer - CHT, Navier-Stokes) validated by experimental studies.
    • Key metrics analyzed include Nusselt number (Nu), friction factor, pressure drop (ΔP), and thermal uniformity/hot spot reduction.

6CCVD Solutions & Capabilities

Section titled “6CCVD Solutions & Capabilities”

The research clearly establishes that the thermal performance of TPMS heat sinks is fundamentally limited by the thermal conductivity of the solid material matrix (Aluminum or Silver). 6CCVD provides the ultimate solution by offering MPCVD Diamond, the highest thermal conductivity material available, to maximize heat spreading and dissipation in these next-generation architectures.

Applicable Materials

Section titled “Applicable Materials”

To replicate or significantly extend this research, engineers require materials with thermal conductivity far exceeding conventional metals.

Application RequirementRecommended 6CCVD MaterialTechnical Rationale
Ultra-High Heat SpreadingSingle Crystal Diamond (SCD) Thermal GradeSCD offers thermal conductivity up to 2000 W/mK, providing a 5x improvement over Silver (~429 W/mK). This maximizes the conductive heat transfer through the solid substrate, minimizing thermal resistance and hot spots beneath the TPMS structure.
Large-Area Heat ExchangersPolycrystalline Diamond (PCD) High PurityPCD provides high thermal conductivity (up to 1800 W/mK) in large formats, suitable for substrates up to 125 mm in diameter, ideal for inch-size TPMS heat sinks.
Electrochemical/BDD ApplicationsBoron-Doped Diamond (BDD)For TPMS structures used in electrochemical or catalytic applications (as mentioned in the review), BDD offers the required conductivity and chemical inertness.

Customization Potential

Section titled “Customization Potential”

TPMS structures require precise integration into complex systems, often necessitating custom dimensions and specialized interfaces. 6CCVD’s in-house capabilities directly address these needs:

  • Custom Dimensions: We supply SCD and PCD plates/wafers up to 125 mm in diameter, with thicknesses ranging from 0.1 ”m to 500 ”m (wafers) and up to 10 mm (substrates), ensuring compatibility with any TPMS unit cell size or overall heat sink footprint.
  • Precision Polishing: To minimize Thermal Contact Resistance (TCR) between the AM TPMS lattice (e.g., Aluminum or Silver) and the diamond heat spreader, 6CCVD provides ultra-smooth surfaces: Ra < 1 nm for SCD and Ra < 5 nm for inch-size PCD.
  • Advanced Metalization: We offer internal metalization services (Au, Pt, Pd, Ti, W, Cu) tailored for low-resistance bonding, crucial for integrating the TPMS structure onto the diamond substrate or for creating electrical contacts in power electronics cooling.

Engineering Support

Section titled “Engineering Support”

The optimization of TPMS structures involves complex trade-offs between geometry (porosity, cell size) and material properties (thermal conductivity, fluid dynamics). 6CCVD’s in-house PhD team specializes in the thermal management of high-power electronics and can assist researchers and engineers with:

  • Material Selection: Determining the optimal grade and thickness of SCD or PCD required for specific heat flux densities and operating temperatures in TPMS-based liquid cooling systems.
  • Interface Design: Consulting on metalization stack design and surface preparation to ensure robust, low-TCR bonding between the AM lattice and the diamond substrate.
  • Scaling and Integration: Providing expertise on scaling TPMS designs for industrial adoption, ensuring manufacturability and performance consistency across large-area High Heat Flux Dissipation projects.

For custom specifications or material consultation, visit 6ccvd.com or contact our engineering team directly.

View Original Abstract

This review paper deals with Triply Periodic Minimal Surfaces (TPMS) and lattice structures as a new generation of heat exchangers. Especially, their manufacturing is becoming feasible with technological progress. While some intricate structures are fabricated, challenges persist concerning manufacturing limitations, cost-effectiveness, and performance under transient operating conditions. Studies reported that these complex geometries, such as diamond, gyroid, and hexagonal lattices, outperform traditional finned and porous materials in thermal management, particularly under forced and turbulent convection regimes. However, TPMS necessitates the optimization of geometric parameters such as cell size, porosity, and topology stretching. The complex geometries enhance uniform heat exchange and reduce thermal boundary layers. Moreover, the integration of high thermal conductivity materials (e.g., aluminum and silver) and advanced coolants (including nanofluids and ethylene glycol mixtures) further improves performance. However, the drawback of complex geometries, confirmed by both numerical and experimental investigations, is the critical trade-off between heat transfer performance and pressure drop. The potential of TPMS-based heatsinks transpires as a trend for next-generation thermal management systems, besides identifying key directions for future research, including design optimization, Multiphysics modeling, and practical implementation.

Tech Support

Section titled “Tech Support”

Original Source

Section titled “Original Source”

References

Section titled “References”
  1. 2024 - Conjugate study on heat transfer enhancement of a TPMS-based hybrid heat sink design [Crossref]
  2. 2025 - Performance evaluation for additively manufactured heat sinks based on Gyroid-TPMS [Crossref]
  3. 2024 - Investigations on the heat transfer performance of phase change material (PCM)-based heat sink with triply periodic minimal surfaces (TPMS) [Crossref]
  4. 2024 - The effects of cell stretching on the thermal and flow characteristics of triply periodic minimal surfaces [Crossref]
  5. 2024 - Thermal performances of Gyroid-fin heat sink for power chips [Crossref]
  6. 2021 - MSLattice: A free software for generating uniform and graded lattices based on triply periodic minimal surfaces

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