Self-Powered Microclimate Cooling System

Microclimate cooling is a critical need for soldiers serving in hot climates. Power requirements for conventional cooling approaches can add considerable battery mass to the system, since refrigeration consumes a large amount of power and systems must run for four or more hours without recharge. We propose to develop an innovative, lightweight microclimate cooling system that includes an integral power source that shares components with the refrigeration process and adds very little mass to the system. Overall, the self-powered microclimate cooling system promises to meet the Army’s challenging goals for cooling, size, and weight. In Phase I we will prove the feasibility of our approach through proof-of-concept demonstrations of the key components and thermal/fluid design of a prototype system. In Phase II we will demonstrate a full-size prototype cooling system designed to meet the Army’s specifications.