14 Platform one Intergalactic in Utah has developed a curved heat exchanger that can be used to cool engines more efficiently, writes Nick Flaherty. The conformal thermal management system uses the patented, Boreas3 microtube heat exchangers developed by Intergalactic. The company has completed validation of the initial technical and manufacturing concepts, and is now working with industry partners to apply the conformal heat exchanger designs to aircraft and engine specifications. The curved designs rely on Intergalactic’s patented, laser-welded, microtube heat exchangers. Matching heat exchangers to existing, complex surfaces drastically increases optimisation of the spatial volume and thermal exchange efficiency in locations that are difficult to access or unusable. efficient than other systems and can use any type of coolant. “There is a large and growing demand for curved heat exchangers, especially those that can offer substantial size and weight savings compared to the legacy plate-fin heat exchanger technology,” said Kaiser. “Our patented approach to laserwelded microtube heat exchangers has already shown tremendous advantages over the ageing plate-fin standard, which increasingly faces obsolescence in aerospace. We’re excited to take the next step by applying our proven technology to curved designs.” Intergalactic was the first company to fully flight-qualify a microtube heat exchanger on a major military platform in the summer of 2023, having been granted US Patent 11,519,670 for its proprietary, laser-welded, microtube heat exchangers for aviation and space in late 2022. Thermal management Curved heat exchanger opens new world of cooling “Most of the time, designing heat exchangers for curved spaces is literally like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole,” said Nick Kaiser, chief technology officer at Intergalactic. “If you’re building an aircraft engine, the nacelles are going to be cylindrical in shape, which presents a basic geometry problem for installing critical heat exchangers. “By developing the technology and manufacturing processes to apply a curved design to our laser-welded microtube heat exchangers, we’re opening a new world of efficient cooling options for airframers and engine makers,” he added. The curved design also removes the need for blocker plates to close gaps between rectangular heat exchangers and rounded surfaces, and it helps to minimise weight. Intergalactic claims the heat exchanger is three times more August/September 2024 | Uncrewed Systems Technology A curved heat exchanger for UAV engines (Image courtesy of Intergalactic)
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