Overview
The microscale heat exchanger manufactured using the wafer technology can’t be scaled for large applications. Also macroscale heat exchangers are usually rigid and require fins to have a secondary heat transfer area for better heat transfer on the air side. Besides, installing bypass valves and temperature sensor in conventional heat exchanger can’t be integrated due to material limitations.Researchers at the University of Maryland have developed a new Heat Exchanger technique that utilizes micro-machined channels of scales varying from Nano to mm ranges for internal fluid flow [water, fluorinated hydrocarbons, hydrocarbons, natural refrigerants] to form a grid of interconnected channels [mesh-like channels] which enables the utilization of improved heat exchange performance used in micro-chip cooling application to the macro-scale W to kW applications.
The advantages of the invention are:
1) Ability to produce a macro-scale heat exchanger using micro-machining technology
2) Benefit from the improved heat transfer performance of the micro-scale flow passage
3) Actively control the internal fluid flow inside the heat exchanger to optimize for
pressure drop and thermal distribution
4) Phase separation for lower pressure drop through the heat exchanger
For additional information, please contact the Office of Technology Commercialization, University of Maryland College Park, via e-mail at [email protected] or phone at 301-405-3947.
Contact Info
UM Ventures
0134 Lee Building
7809 Regents Drive
College Park, MD 20742
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (301) 405-3947 | Fax: (301) 314-9502