THERE ARE MANY COMBAT VEHICLE AND EQUIPMENT APPLICATIONS WHERE AN AIR-COOLED HEAT EXCHANGER MUST OPERATE IN AN EN- VIRONMENT WITH HIGH CONCENTRATIONS OF SAND AND DIRT IN THE AMBIENT AIR.

THERE ARE MANY COMBAT VEHICLE AND EQUIPMENT APPLICATIONS WHERE AN AIR-COOLED HEAT EXCHANGER MUST OPERATE IN AN EN- VIRONMENT WITH HIGH CONCENTRATIONS OF SAND AND DIRT IN THE AMBIENT AIR. CONVENTIONAL COMPACT HEAT EXCHANGERS ARE SSUS- CEPTIBLE TO CLOGGING OF COOLING FINS. ONE APPROACH THAT MAY OFFER SIGNIFICANT ADVANTAGES AND INCREASED PERFORMANCE IN THAT OF A FLUIDIZED BED HEAT EXCHANGER. THE PROPOSED PROGRAM WILL SET OUT TO DEFINE THE DEGREE OF TOLERANCE TO TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS AND ENHANCEMENT OF HEAT TRANSFERPERFORMANCE OBTAINABLE IN A LABORATORY MODEL. THE ANALYSIS OF THE RESULTS WILL BE USED TO IDENTIFY PROMISING APPLICA- TIONS FOR THE FULL SCALE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DEVELOPED TECHNOLOGY.