microVection,
in conjunction with Micro Cooling Concepts, has developed compact heat
exchagers based on a laminated foil construction. This approach reduces
the core size and weight of liquid/liquid and liquid/air heat exchangers.
Advantages of Laminated Foil Heat Exchangers
- Improved Thermal Performance
- Reduced Scale of Passages Yields Higher Heat Transfer Coefficients
- Large Heat Transfer Area Per Unit Volume
- Compact Construction
- 5X Core Depth Reduction Compared to Conventional Concepts
- 3X Weight Reduction
- Robust Construction
- Laminated Foil Heat Exchangers Use a Reinforced, Robust Construction
- Almost Any Metal Can be Used (Cu, Al, SS, Superalloys, etc.)
- Structures Can be:
- Soldered (Low Cost)
- Brazed (for Aluminum)
- Diffusion Bonded (Higher Strength, Longer Fatigue Life,
Reduced Corrosion Potential)
Heat Exchanger Development Projects
Advanced Integrated Fuel System (1996 - 1999)
microVection & Micro Cooling Concepts designed and fabricated
several prototype Inconel 718 and Waspaloy fuel/bleed air heat exchangers
for turbine engines. These heat exchangers were designed to operate
at extreme temperatures (~ 1000°F) and internal pressures (1300 psi),
and had to be packaged in extremely restricted volumes. One of these
prototypes was tested for 900 hours at the AFRL Fuels Rig facility,
with only minor coking observed on the interior passages.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Heat Exchanger (1992)
microVection employees designed, built and tested a prototype heat
exchanger for the Propulsion Engineering Directorate of the Naval
Air Warfare Center. The air/engine coolant heat exchanger was designed
to cool a 150 HP UAV engine, dissipating 50 HP (3300 Btu/min) of
waste heat. Analytic trade studies produced a final design which
was 18" x 18" x 0.5", and weighed only 5 lbs. A view of a 3" x 4"
prototype version built for NAWC is shown below.
Advanced Amphibious Assault Vehicle Land Mode Radiator (1991)
microVection employees designed, built and tested a prototype radiator
for David Taylor Research Center. The air/engine coolant radiator
was sized to reject 28400 Btu/min. The baseline high performance aluminum
radiator was 34" x 34" x 6" and weighed 217 lbs; the microVection
version had a core depth of only 1.8" and weighed only 70 lbs. Eight
subscale prototypes were built and tested, confirming the design calculations.