STTR Phase I: A Process to Develop Nano-Porous Surfaces for Enhancing Heat Transfer

This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Project will result in the generation of a new nano-technology specifically tailored to increase the efficiency of the boiling processes used in heat exchangers and electronics cooling hardware. Unlike traditional flat surfaces and previously investigated microporous surface (MPS) coatings, homogeneous nanoporous surfaces (NPS) offer a simple-to-manufacture and low cost means of achieving higher performance and more energy efficient heat transfer. Success and implementation of this technology will result in millions of dollars saved annually for utility companies and other commercial industries, including electronics and aerospace manufacturing companies. NPS nanotechnology improves heat exchanger performance through its ability to generate smaller bubbles. Previously investigated MPS surface coatings do allow for the generation of somewhat smaller bubbles than traditional flat surfaces, but offer a limited life span. The proposed NPS nanotechnology, made of traditional boiling surface materials, precisely modulates the porosity and structure of surfaces, thus yielding smaller bubbles with higher bubble density in any given fluid volume. Manufacturing methods, fabrication of prototype NPS candidates, testing of surfaces, and reporting of results will be performed in this Phase 1 effort. Commercially, the result is a significant improvement in heat exchanger performance. The proposed work will, for first time, demonstrate a nanoporous heat exchanger enhancement. It will allow the development of a low-cost, highly effective heat exchanger. Given the increasing interest in nano-technology, the result of this project will have a significant impact on the nano-technology development. Being able to treat the heat exchanger surface would have significant impacts on science and engineering, from pool boiling to nuclear power plants, to high density thermal heat exchangers in microchips.