Heat Exchangers

Creare advances heat exchanger technology for applications ranging from heat sinks for high-power electronics to recuperators for space-borne cryogenic systems. We specialize in engineering unique designs for challenging requirements and developing innovative fabrication methods to bring these designs to reality. Our work encompasses all types of fluid-to-fluid heat exchangers (gas-gas, gas-liquid, liquid-liquid, and multiphase boiling/condensing) as well as heat acquisition/rejection devices for solids and structures.

Creare’s heat exchangers include several unique or patented technologies developed in-house: normal flow heat exchangers for high heat flux operation with low pressure drop and flow rate; compact radial flow heat exchangers and foil recuperators for very high effectiveness with low pressure loss; lightweight microtube radiators with low drag; and efficient, fault-tolerant heat exchangers that use physically isolated heat transfer fluids. Our heat exchangers have employed a wide range of metals (such as titanium, Hastelloy, aluminum, copper, and stainless steel) as well as more exotic materials including ceramics, silicon, and plastics. Fabrication processes include precision metal forming and blanking, vacuum brazing, automated plasma microwelding, electron-beam welding, glass-frit bonding, thermal bonding, and various types of micromachining.