SBIR Phase I: Novel Low Cost Tech for High PerfoRmance Integrated Microcombustor/Evaporator

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project demonstrates a new approach for fabrication of microscale combustors for hydrocarbon fuels. Novel technology for microchannel products will be combined with a microreactor concept to fabricate a highly efficient microscale integrated superalloy combustor/evaporator, which uses methane combustion for heating and/or boiling working fluid. The innovative fabrication technique enables dramatic cost reduction in comparison with the existing technologies. The technical objective is to demonstrate that the proposed combustors can produce at least 30 watts of thermal energy per square centimeter of heat transfer area and efficiently transfer that energy to a cooling fluid. This is approximately 20 times higher than the heat transfer rate of conventional water heaters. The proposed approach provides solutions to many materials problems as well as the opportunity to miniaturize numerous components and devices that are currently in existence. Potential commercial applications of the research include lightweight, safe and high performance microcombustors for microturbines, man-portable microheaters for cold climates, man portable cooling microsystems for hot climates, on-board fuel processors for hydrogen generation, distributed space conditioning of buildings, etc.