{"project":{"acronym":"","projectId":33825,"title":"Designer Fluid for use in a Single Loop Variable Heat Rejection Thermal Control System","primaryTaxonomyNodes":[{"taxonomyNodeId":10931,"taxonomyRootId":8816,"parentNodeId":10929,"level":3,"code":"TX14.2.2","title":"Heat Transport","definition":"Heat transport enables moving waste energy from a vehicle component and/or system for either rejection to the environment or re-use elsewhere within the vehicle. This area includes technologies for both spacecraft and electrified aircraft propulsion thermal management. The transport of energy is accomplished using active and/or passive capabilities within a thermal control system. Technologies include those items that can more effectively transfer heat, as well as methods to advance robustness, life, efficiency, and temperature range of operability.","exampleTechnologies":"Heat pipes (e.g. constant conductance, variable conductance, diode), capillary pumped fluid loops, loop heat pipes, mechanically pumped fluid loops (e.g., single phase and two phase), thermal straps, forced air cooling (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC)), fans, heat pumps (e.g., thermoelectric coolers, vapor compression systems), vapor cooling, heat switches (e.g. paraffin, coefficient of thermal expansion, shape memory alloys), solid state conduction bars/doublers (e.g. high thermal conductivity composites), loop heat pipe and high heat load transport (500 kW - 1 MW), two phase heat transport and pool boiling","hasChildren":false,"hasInteriorContent":true}],"startTrl":2,"currentTrl":4,"endTrl":4,"benefits":"This program will result in a fluid or family of fluids providing a significant benefit to NASA in enabling efficient variable heat rejection thermal control systems. The fluids will be formulated at Mainstream complete with any necessary additive packages to ensure stability, materials compatibility and safety. The commercial market for these fluids within NASA is immense and includes essentially every spacecraft which would require a single phase thermal control loop.
In addition to an attractive market with NASA as a customer, these fluids will have far reaching effects in other commercial markets as well. These applications include freeze protection, process cooling, refrigeration coil defrosting and sub-ambient dehumidification.","description":"The efficient thermal control of vehicles is essential to the success of every single NASA mission. All vehicles have very tight requirements for the thermal control systems while simultaneously placing incredibly stringent demands upon them. These demands are getting even more intense given the shift towards variable heat rejection, which is essential in missions reaching beyond the lower earth orbit. Specifically, the thermal control fluid must maintain excellent thermal properties for heat rejection under peak conditions while at the same time remain liquid at extremely low temperatures down to -90 Celsius. Currently used fluids either do not meet the low temperature requirement (glycol/water mixture) or do not have thermal properties conducive to a compact, efficient system (Galden). Mainstream has identified several promising next generation thermal fluids using computation chemical techniques. In the Phase I, Mainstream will experimentally evaluate the thermal properties of promising single chemicals and chemical mixtures. These data will be used to determine the overall benefit to a thermal control system in terms of thermal performance and pumping power. In Phase II, Mainstream will perform more long term durability, compatibility and performance studies in a simulated test-loop representative of conditions encountered on NASA spacecraft.","startYear":2015,"startMonth":6,"endYear":2015,"endMonth":12,"statusDescription":"Completed","principalInvestigators":[{"contactId":3250945,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"J","lastName":"Cutbirth","fullName":"J Cutbirth","fullNameInverted":"Cutbirth, J","primaryEmail":"mcutbirth@mainstream-engr.com","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false},{"contactId":187787,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"J","lastName":"Cutbirth","fullName":"J M Cutbirth","fullNameInverted":"Cutbirth, J M","middleInitial":"M","primaryEmail":"Mcutbirth@Mainstream-Engr.Com","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"programDirectors":[{"contactId":206378,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Jason","lastName":"Kessler","fullName":"Jason L Kessler","fullNameInverted":"Kessler, Jason L","middleInitial":"L","primaryEmail":"jason.l.kessler@nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"programExecutives":[{"contactId":215154,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Jennifer","lastName":"Gustetic","fullName":"Jennifer L Gustetic","fullNameInverted":"Gustetic, Jennifer L","middleInitial":"L","primaryEmail":"jennifer.l.gustetic@nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"programManagers":[{"contactId":62051,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Carlos","lastName":"Torrez","fullName":"Carlos Torrez","fullNameInverted":"Torrez, Carlos","primaryEmail":"carlos.torrez@nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"projectManagers":[{"contactId":3164514,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Gene","lastName":"Ungar","fullName":"Gene Ungar","fullNameInverted":"Ungar, Gene","primaryEmail":"eugene.k.ungar@nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false},{"contactId":461333,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Theresa","lastName":"Stanley","fullName":"Theresa M 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The fluids will be formulated at Mainstream complete with any necessary additive packages to ensure stability, materials compatibility and safety. The commercial market for these fluids within NASA is immense and includes essentially every spacecraft which would require a single phase thermal control loop.
In addition to an attractive market within NASA, these fluids will have far reaching effects in other commercial markets as well. These applications include freeze protection, process cooling, refrigeration coil defrosting and sub-ambient dehumidification.","description":"The efficient thermal control of vehicles is essential to the success of every single NASA mission. All vehicles have very tight requirements for the thermal control systems while simultaneously placing incredibly stringent demands upon them. These demands are getting even more intense given the shift towards variable heat rejection, which is essential in missions reaching beyond the lower earth orbit. Specifically, the thermal control fluid must maintain excellent thermal properties for heat rejection under peak conditions while at the same time remain liquid at extremely low temperatures. Currently used fluids either do not meet the low temperature requirement (glycol/water mixture) or do not have thermal properties conducive to a compact, efficient system (Galden). Mainstream has identified several promising next generation thermal fluids using computation chemical techniques. Mainstream has already demonstrated in Phase I that these fluids are superior to incumbent fluids. In Phase II, Mainstream will perform more long term durability, compatibility and performance studies in a simulated test-loop representative of conditions encountered on NASA spacecraft.","startYear":2016,"startMonth":6,"endYear":2018,"endMonth":9,"statusDescription":"Completed","website":"","program":{"acronym":"SBIR/STTR","active":true,"description":"
The NASA SBIR and STTR programs fund the research, development, and demonstration of innovative technologies that fulfill NASA needs as described in the annual Solicitations and have significant potential for successful commercialization. If you are a small business concern (SBC) with 500 or fewer employees or a non-profit RI such as a university or a research laboratory with ties to an SBC, then NASA encourages you to learn more about the SBIR and STTR programs as a potential source of seed funding for the development of your innovations.
The SBIR and STTR programs have 3 phases:
The SBIR and STTR Phase I contracts last for 6 months with a maximum funding of $125,000, and Phase II contracts last for 24 months with a maximum funding of $750,000 - $1.5 million.
Opportunity for Continued Technology Development Post-Phase II:
The NASA SBIR/STTR Program currently has in place two initiatives for supporting its small business partners past the basic Phase I and Phase II elements of the program that emphasize opportunities for commercialization. Specifically, the NASA SBIR/STTR Program has the Phase II Enhancement (Phase II-E) and Phase II eXpanded (Phase II-X) contract options.
Please review the links below to obtain more information on the SBIR/STTR programs.
Provides an overview of the SBIR and STTR programs as implemented by NASA
Provides access to the annual SBIR/STTR Solicitations containing detailed information on the program eligibility requirements, proposal instructions and research topics and subtopics
Schedule and links for the SBIR/STTR solicitations and selection announcements
Federal and non-Federal sources of assistance for small business
Search our complete archive of awarded project abstracts to learn about what NASA has funded
Still have questions? Visit the program FAQs
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The SBIR and STTR programs have 3 phases:
The SBIR and STTR Phase I contracts last for 6 months with a maximum funding of $125,000, and Phase II contracts last for 24 months with a maximum funding of $750,000 - $1.5 million.
Opportunity for Continued Technology Development Post-Phase II:
The NASA SBIR/STTR Program currently has in place two initiatives for supporting its small business partners past the basic Phase I and Phase II elements of the program that emphasize opportunities for commercialization. Specifically, the NASA SBIR/STTR Program has the Phase II Enhancement (Phase II-E) and Phase II eXpanded (Phase II-X) contract options.
Please review the links below to obtain more information on the SBIR/STTR programs.
Provides an overview of the SBIR and STTR programs as implemented by NASA
Provides access to the annual SBIR/STTR Solicitations containing detailed information on the program eligibility requirements, proposal instructions and research topics and subtopics
Schedule and links for the SBIR/STTR solicitations and selection announcements
Federal and non-Federal sources of assistance for small business
Search our complete archive of awarded project abstracts to learn about what NASA has funded
Still have questions? Visit the program FAQs
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