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Novel Heat Exchangers with Enhanced Surface

Award Information
Agency: Department of Energy
Branch: N/A
Contract: DE-FG02-04ER84004
Agency Tracking Number: 75454S04-I
Amount: $750,000.00
Phase: Phase II
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: 38 d
Solicitation Number: DOE/SC-0072
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2004
Award Year: 2005
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
7960 South Kolb Road
Tucson, AZ 85706
United States
DUNS: N/A
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Lev Tuchinskiy
 Dr.
 (520) 574-1980
 mercorp@mercorp.com
Business Contact
 James Withers
Title: Dr.
Phone: (520) 574-1980
Email: jcwithers@mercorp.com
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

75454 Current heat exchangers use a conventional fin-tube design, which requires a large volume, leading to low efficiencies in thermal management systems. This project will develop an innovative technology to enable the low-cost fabrication of compact microchannel heat exchanger modules with enhanced surface and thermal efficiency. Phase I demonstrated the critical processing steps for fabricating the microchannel heat exchangers with metal foams. In Phase II, the fabrication process will be further developed and optimized, and a modular design for the heat exchangers will be established. The potential for miniaturizing chemical engineering unit operations will be demonstrated. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The low-cost compact heat exchangers should result in dramatic reductions in the size and weight of fuel reformer used for hydrogen production. Other applications include heat recovery from microturbines and fuel cells, cooling electronic devices and vehicles, cabin heating, air conditioning, man-portable heaters for cold and hot climates, etc.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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