[AR] Skylon Heat exchanger was Fwd: arocket list

  • From: Keith Henson <hkeithhenson@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: arocket@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2018 08:32:49 -0800

Norman Yarvin <yarvin@xxxxxxxxxxxx>

I'm also wondering about something even more basic: what are they
going to do about condensation freezing up on the heat exchanger?

They solved this years ago but it was kept a trade secret until the
AFRL got involved, then they patented it.

I had figured they used a superhydrophobic coating on the tubes where
the water would never stick but just hop off as it condensed.  But no,
they use a counter flow of methanol to keep ice off the tubes.  This
has been tested at close to full scale.

Keith

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