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Field Emission Cooler Development

Award Information

Agency:
Department of Defense 		Branch:
Air Force 		Award ID:
52263 		Program Year/Program:
2001 / SBIR
Agency Tracking Number:
011NM-1918 		Solicitation Year:
N/A 		Solicitation Topic Code:
N/A 		Solicitation Number:
N/A
Small Business Information
Busek Co. Inc.
11 Tech Circle Natick, MA -
View profile »
Woman-Owned: No
Minority-Owned: No
HUBZone-Owned: No
 
Phase 1
Fiscal Year: 2001
Title: Field Emission Cooler Development
Agency / Branch: DOD / USAF
Contract: F29601-01-C-0177
Award Amount: $99,972.00
 

Abstract:

The on-going miniaturization of satellites requires concurrent development of miniaturized cooling/heat rejection devices. Cooling by field emission of electrons offers an attractive approach that until recently could not be considered. To test it, wehave conducted preliminary experiments and measured significant emitter cooling/temperture drop using an unoptimized carbon nanotube (CNT) field emission (FE) cathode originally constructed for low power electric propulsion applications. Approximateanalytical model was developed to explain the observed behavior. The model indicates that heat transport approaching a mW was accomplished and that a theoretical limit is of the order of 100 W/cm^2. Thus cooling by electron field emission is feasible andits development is herein proposed.In Phase I we will construct an improved FE device for the purpose of accurate calorimetric measurement of heat rejection from the emitter/cathode and heat gain on the anode. Emission experiments will be conducted in temperature range from 400 to 77 K todetermine the feasibility of cryogenic FE coolers. The experiments will be supported by concurrent modeling to develop performance prediction capability. A search for early FE cooler application will be conducted and the identified application will bethe focus of the Phase II device development.Cost effective, high efficiency, compact FE coolers would find application in many space and terrestrial devices in both military and commercial markets. These devices include IR sensors and imagers, cryogenic storage, magnetic resonance imaging andrefrigeration in medical applications, high density digital processors and power electronic components. The market is in the $M annually.

Principal Investigator:

V. Hruby
President
5086555565
vhruby@busek.com

Business Contact:

J. Budny
Contracts Administrator
5086555565
judy@busek.com
Small Business Information at Submission:

BUSEK CO., INC.
11 Tech Circle Natick, MA 01760

EIN/Tax ID: 042881247
DUNS: N/A
Number of Employees:
Woman-Owned: No
Minority-Owned: No
HUBZone-Owned: No