Advanced Compact Condenser for Electronics Cooling

Innovative thermal management approaches are required to address the increasing demand of safely dissipating large amounts of heat from very small electronic component. Removal of waste heat via evaporative cooling technologies presents the best opportunity to enable the integration of high power electronic systems into future military platforms where size, weight, and efficiency are a premium. Advanced cooling technologies, such as microchannel and spray cooling technologies have demonstrated heat transfer coefficients in excess of 105 W/m2K and with low pumping powers. In order to fully realize system level benefits, similar advances in condenser technology are required. Innovative compact condensers are urgently required. A compact high performance condenser requires high and comparable heat transfer coefficients on both the refrigerant-side and the coolant-side. Innovative technologies, such as drop-wise condensation, microchannel cooling, and advanced cooling using high conductivity carbon-based materials are identified for further evaluation on performance, repeatability and durability. Prototype condenser using the most promising technologies will be fabricated and tested.