Thermal Pyrolytic Graphite Enhanced Components, Phase I

Peregrine's innovation will reduce the required input power, increase a coolers systems margin for a giving cooling load and reduce vibration accordingly for Reverse-Brayton Cycle Cryocoolers. Our innovation will enhance the thermal conductivities of structures associated with the cryocooler, enable much more efficient heat removal and thereby produce a much more efficient system. Effectively we will be increasing the thermal conductivities of the structures associated with the cryocoolers by embedding Thermal Pyrolytic Graphite within a matrix of material to produce a thermal conductivity 3 times higher than current available materials. At the end of Phase I Peregrine will have demonstrated the feasibility of our innovation and laid out a detailed design and test plan for Phase II. At the end of Phase II Peregrine will have produced a flight like product tested for future satellite applications. Phase II will also incorporate characterization of the material and engineering guidelines. As cryocooler technologies attempt to cool components down around the 4^oK level waste heat and the management thereof becomes critical to the performance of the cryocooler. Thermal conductivity structures that can eliminate thermal loads more effectively will lead to a more efficient and better performing cryocooler.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.