Advanced Stirling Regenerator and Heat Exchanger Assembly for Radioisotope Stirling Space Power

SCCAQ Energy, LLC (SCCAQ), in collaboration with Temple University and Infinia Technology Corporation, proposes to develop an Advanced Stirling Regenerator and Heat Exchanger Assembly to significantly increase the performance and durability of Stirling Power systems to address the need for an efficient and robust Radioisotope Power System for space applications. This assembly will be used to replace the heat exchangers and random fiber regenerator of Technology Demonstration Convertor developed by Infinia Corporation in 1999 to 2006. Proposed Principal Investigator, Dr. Songgang Qiu, was at that time PI and the principal designer for the Infinia Stirling Radioisotope Generator program, under which the TDC was developed. Dr. Qiu was co-PI for the micro-machined involute regenerator project under a NASA GRC contract. The integrated regenerator/heat exchanger assembly will be additively manufactured to increase the efficiency and durability, while reducing the size and weight. The major innovation is additively manufacturing the assembly to have outstanding figure of merit comparable to foil regenerator while improves reliability, better than mesh screen regenerator. The integrated assembly of heat exchangers and regenerator will provide uniform flow throughout the key components to minimize flow separation and flow losses in the plenums and to avoid jetting in the regenerator.

The market for the RSG with ReHX will be initially focused on delivery of NASA space power systems.

The technology developed in the proposed system, however, has potential commercial applicability to the remote power and combined heat and power generator line that ITC/Qnergy is pursuing.

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.