SBIR Phase I: Refrigeration Microvalve

SBIR 第一阶段：制冷微型阀

• 批准号: 0945983
• 负责人: Zachary Gray
• 金额: $ 15万
• 依托单位: Wyoming Silicon, LLC
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-01-01 至 2010-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0945983&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: SBIR; Phase; Refrigeration; Microvalve

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase 1 project will develop an active microvalve for control of refrigerant fluids. Intended for use in refrigerators and air conditioners, the device will meet or exceed stringent industry standards for reliability, efficiency, and cost. The transfer of a promising academic piezoelectric actuator to industry is a key objective. The intellectual merits of this project are found in two main areas: 1) the monolithic integration of a high-stroke, high-force piezoelectric actuatorwith a high reliability silicon microvalve substrate, and 2) the study of novel fluid flow path geometries, including venturi-like passages, intended to achieve a variable restriction with proportional control, reduced acoustic noise, and reduced susceptibility to clogging. Significant challenges are anticipated in both areas. However, the successful fusion of these efforts will result in a groundbreaking microvalve well suited for energy-efficient, active refrigerant control for all refrigeration and air conditioningapplications.The broader impact/commercial potential of this project includes the development of an integrated, component-level microvalve designed for high-volume manufacturing. A further goal is to develop a manufacturing infrastructure on US soil, taking advantage of opportunities in rural America, particularly focused on Wyoming. Societal benefits include the obvious benefits of significant energy savings. Refrigeration energy efficiency improvements of up to 20% are possible, while improvements of at least30% in air conditioning are anticipated. These savings rival the anticipated savings from LED light sources. In the US alone, even a 5% efficiency improvement in refrigerators translates to an annual savings of 7.8 billion kWh, or $780M at ten cents per kWh. This produces a long-term impact on reducedenvironmental emissions, reduced need for new power plants, and increased capital for other vital expenditures. Medical applications are anticipated in the areas of drug delivery, especially for insulin.

该小型企业创新研究 (SBIR) 第一阶段项目将开发一种用于控制制冷剂流体的主动微型阀。该设备适用于冰箱和空调，将满足或超过严格的可靠性、效率和成本行业标准。将有前途的学术压电致动器转移到工业界是一个关键目标。该项目的智力优势体现在两个主要领域：1）高冲程、高力压电执行器与高可靠性硅微阀基板的单片集成，2）新型流体流动路径几何形状的研究，包括文丘里管类似通道，旨在通过比例控制实现可变限制，减少噪音，并降低堵塞的可能性。预计这两个领域都将面临重大挑战。然而，这些努力的成功融合将产生一种突破性的微型阀，非常适合所有制冷和空调应用的节能、主动制冷剂控制。该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力包括开发一个集成的组件级专为大批量生产而设计的微型阀。进一步的目标是利用美国农村地区的机会，特别是怀俄明州的机会，在美国本土发展制造基础设施。社会效益包括显着节能的明显效益。制冷能源效率可提高高达 20%，而空调能源效率预计至少可提高 30%。这些节省可与 LED 光源的预期节省相媲美。仅在美国，即使冰箱效率提高 5%，每年也可节省 78 亿千瓦时的电量，即按每千瓦时 10 美分计算，可节省 7.8 亿美元。这对减少环境排放、减少对新发电厂的需求以及增加其他重要支出的资本产生长期影响。预计医疗应用将应用于药物输送领域，尤其是胰岛素。