Advanced Two-Phase Heat Exchangers for Environmental Control

Advanced technologies and designs including microchannels, small diameter tube-fin configurations and surface enhancements, offer performance and cost advantages over traditional tube-fin heat exchangers in air conditioning applications. These developing technologies, however, present some challenges when working with two-phase systems, namely refrigerant maldistribution, which can significantly decrease heat transfer performance. If refrigerant mal-distribution could be improved, or avoided entirely within two-phase systems, the use of advanced technologies as suggested above would be feasible and attractive for both military and commercial air conditioning systems. Optimized Thermal Systems, Inc. proposes evaluating two core potential solutions for the issues presented by two-phase refrigerant maldistribution in evaporators. Analytical investigation and design development will be conducted for creative configurations of both microchannel and small-diameter tube-fin heat exchangers.