Creare's technology can replace paraffin or water ice phase-change heat exchangers or water evaporation and venting systems that have been slated for use on future lunar orbiters. These spacecraft face extreme changes in thermal radiation environment each orbit, and Creare's technology can significantly reduce the mass needed for thermal storage. The technology could also be useful for rovers or planetary bases in which the thermal control system must be designed for highly variable conditions.
Phase-change heat exchangers built using Creare's technology can be used as part for thermal control systems in terrestrial vehicles, where systems must be compact, lightweight, and highly efficient. The basic heat exchanger technology has extremely broad applications. It can be applied using a wide range of materials and configurations. Heat exchangers built using the technology we propose can be used for applications including cryogenic recuperators, aircraft environmental control systems, and high-temperature recuperators for gas turbine engines.
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