Efficient and Lightweight Cryogenic Gas Heat Exchanger

Mezzo Technologies fabricates high performance micro tube heat exchangers. In this proposal, Mezzo proposes to fabricate a heat exchanger to interface between helium, which is the working fluid used to cool a variety of superconducting components on Navy vessels in the future that will require cryogenic cooling, and cold neon gas, which is supplied by a Reverse Brayton cryocooler. Mezzo's approach, which builds upon a previous effort for the Missile Defense Agency as well as continuously evolving manufacturing capablity will result in a unit which can cool 20 grams/second of helium at 2000 kPa, with an effectiveness of greater than 90%, very low pressure drops, and with a weight of approximately 10 pounds. The material costs associated with this unit will be substantially less than $1k, and the acquisition costs will meet the goal specified in the solicitation. The unit will also be compact and extremely robust.