Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc. Awarded over $5 Million in New Contracts from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

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Oct 11, 2023, 06:00 ET

LANCASTER, Pa., Oct. 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc. (ACT), a leading provider of thermal management solutions, announces that over the past month, it has won an impressive five (5) DOE Phase II SBIR projects, totaling $5.5 million in funding. These awards further amplify ACT's position within the energy market, where they are already providing cutting edge products for wind energy, nuclear energy, and power electronics / power conversion systems.

"Winning 5 DOE Phase II SBIRs is a tremendous achievement for ACT," said Bill Anderson, Chief Engineer for ACT, "The programs demonstrate the breadth of ACT's R&D, including CO₂ sequestration, Pulsating Heat Pipes (PHPs), very high-temperature thermal storage, cryogenic Loop Heat Pipes, and electronics radiation shielding."

Details of the won programs are found below:

Direct CO₂ Air Capture Using Acid-Base Ion-Exchange and Low-Grade Heat

ACT is working on a low-cost resin-material-based direct air capture system to remove CO₂from the atmosphere. The system uses a novel ion-exchange method and low-grade heat sources like industrial waste heat or geothermal energy to regenerate the sorbent material. Initial testing shows the system can capture over 90% of CO₂.

Advanced Cooling Solutions for High-Frequency Medium-Voltage Planar Transformers

This project focuses on improving cooling for high-frequency transformers used in electric vehicle charging stations, increasing charger efficiency and power, to support more widespread EV adoption. Novel designs with passive cooling features like ceramic heat pipes will remove heat from key transformer components.

Integrated High Operating Temperature (HOT) Heat Storage System for Process Waste Heat

ACT is developing a high-temperature thermal energy storage system to capture and reuse industrial waste heat. The system uses aluminum as a phase change material (PCM) to absorb heat for later use. One of the main concerns is Al-induced corrosion for use a PCM. ACT is tackling this using a combination of corrosion-resistant coatings and ceramic encapsulation. This waste heat capture system aims to improve industrial energy efficiency and reduce costs.

Polymer-Based Conformal Space Radiation Shield with Thermal Management Manufactured by Five-Axis 3D Printing Platform

ACT is developing a 3D-printed radiation shield using polymer composites for space electronics. The lightweight shield blocks cosmic radiation using a metal oxide polymer layer and dissipates heat through a fiber-reinforced polymer layer. By 3D printing the shield, it can be optimized for strength without adding excessive weight. This allows inexpensive commercial electronics to be used in space through customizable shielding.

Thermal Management of Low-Temperature Semiconductor Detector Arrays

ACT is developing an advanced cryogenic loop heat pipe (Cryo-LHP) to cool semiconductor detector arrays in scientific instruments. Unlike a typical heat pipe, this system has a separate capillary pump that generates fluid flow without attaching to the heat source. The detector array connects to an evaporator in the loop. Heat vaporizes liquid in the evaporator, cooling the detectors. The vapor flows to a condenser linked to a heat sink where it condenses back to liquid, returning to the evaporator and repeating the cycle. This aims to efficiently manage the extreme cold temperature needs of sensitive detector arrays.

"We have been a trusted thermal partner for the DOE in the past and will continue to pursue bids from them," said Jens Weyant, Vice President, Product and Technology Development. "Our strategy is to put out competitive bids and back them up with expert engineering and manufacturing."

About Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc.

Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc. (ACT) is a premier thermal management solutions company, providing design and manufacturing services to meet our customers' needs across all points of the product lifecycle. We serve our global customers' thermal management and energy recovery needs in diverse industries including Energy, Defense, Aerospace, Electronics, HVAC, Medical, Enclosure Cooling, and Calibration Equipment. We specialize in providing innovative and performance-optimized thermal management technologies and systems that meet the unique needs of each customer.

For media inquiries please contact Megan Ulrich ([email protected])

SOURCE Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc.