Products > Engines & Solid Motors > Ultra-Compact Heat Exchanger

Ultra-Compact Heat Exchanger

PSI ultra-compact heat exchanger for any application.

PSI’s additively manufactured heat exchanger can adapt to the performance and geometry needs of any application.

Capability Description: Current aircraft thermal management systems are unable to meet the increasing heat rejection requirements of newer, energy dense technologies. Existing heat exchangers are also bulky and their rectangular shape is not adaptable to the unique volume spaces that are available on space-constrained aircraft. PSI’s Ultra-Compact Heat Exchanger (UCHX) employs an adaptive design that can be readily tailored to fit into existing volumes while also conforming to maximize performance for the given thermofluidic conditions. PSI has also developed the thin-wall printing capabilities needed to additively manufacture our heat exchanger geometry in a number of different materials, such as aluminum and nickel alloys, using our SLM125 metal printer.

PSI’s UCHX integrated for an airborne pod cooling application.

Key Features: PSI’s UCHX makes use of several critical technologies to bring weight-saving and heat transfer performance benefits to any application:

PSI has developed a conformal AM heat exchanger that can be readily adapted to fit into existing volume on aircraft or pods that is currently wasted
Prior work has already demonstrated impermeable AM heat exchangers with wall thickness down to 254 μm to maximize heat transfer to weight ratio
Demonstrated 6.6 kW/kg of heat transfer at 81% effectiveness for liquid-gas application

Benefits: PSI’s UCHX technology directly addresses the defense-related mission need for high-performance airborne heat exchangers. As thermal loads increase across all aircraft due to greater power, electrification, and inclusion of directed energy weapons, a greater density of heat rejection is required. Compact, lightweight heat exchangers, such as PSI’s UCHX, will allow for this increased heat rejection and enable the deployment of other advanced technologies. Furthermore, the UCHX has the potential to improve the efficiency of thermally dependent devices such as direct energy weapons and maintain safe operating temperatures for high power electronics and similar equipment.

OUR PRODUCTS

Prototype And Emerging Technology

Green Monopropellant Thruster

PSI is developing a novel electrolytic ignition system for ASCENT

Rotating Detonation Engines

PSI is developing novel modifications to conventional RDRE designs that enhance thrust performance

2x4 Solid Rocket Motor

PSI’s existing 2x4 motor hardware supports hot-fire testing up to 5000 psi

5” - 8” Solid Rocket Motor Test Cell

Designed for motors generating up to 3000 lbf of thrust

Propulsion and Power Systems

PSI develops systems for mobile power generation

Additively Manufactured Scramjets

PSI manufactures scramjet engines for reusable and expendable applications.

Aluminum Hydride (Alane)

PSI developed a coating to prevent Alane from losing hydrogen content during storage.

ASCENT Monopropellant

PSI is developing and scaling a micro-reactor process to make ASCENT components and intermediates.

Combustible Cartridge Cases

PSI created a 5.56mm, high performance, insensitive munition compliant, structural combustible cartridge case.

Insensitive Munition Compliant Composite Case

Mitigates threats for solid rocket motor (SRM) systems

Fine Ammonium Perchlorate

PSI incorporates Fine and Ultrafine AP in energetics to produce material with unique properties and burn rates.