We happy to announce we are working with General Atomics Aeronautical on a Fuel Oil Heat Exchanger for the MQ-9B.
“GA-ASI (General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc) wants to optimize and augment the performance of our current units by minimizing the differential pressure across the FOHE,” “We want to maximize the overall heat extraction capacity, while looking for opportunities to lower the mass and volume of the FOHE.”
- Stephen Eiting, vice president of Manufacturing Operations for GA-ASI.
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc and Conflux Technology have been working together since 2018.
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GA-ASI CONTINUES WORK WITH CONFLUX IN ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING
UAS Leader Partners with Australian Supplier on Fuel Oil Heat Exchanger for MQ-9B
SAN DIEGO – 26 September 2022 – General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) is working with long-time collaborator Conflux Technology on the design and manufacture of a new Fuel Oil Heat Exchanger (FOHE) for the MQ-9B. GA-ASI is developing this enhanced thermal solution for its MQ-9B SkyGuardian® and SeaGuardian® Remotely Piloted Aircraft.
GA-ASI is a leading developer of unmanned aircraft, and Conflux is a thermal management system solution company headquartered in Australia. Conflux is a pioneer in mastering Additive Manufacturing (AM) for heat exchanger applications. The two companies have worked together since 2018 to develop heat exchangers for aerospace.
“GA-ASI wants to optimize and augment the performance of our current units by minimizing the differential pressure across the FOHE,” said Stephen Eiting, vice president of Manufacturing Operations for GA-ASI. “We want to maximize the overall heat extraction capacity, while looking for opportunities to lower the mass and volume of the FOHE.”
Another GA-ASI objective is to develop an AM heat exchanger design that can be 3D printed, post-processed, and bench-tested. As part of this most recent purchase order, Conflux will produce a fully functional prototype unit that can be tested by GA-ASI.
"Our mission is transforming heat exchanger performance. For our project with GA-ASI this means drop-in replacements that remove thermal load and maintaining a compact profile, while also increasing performance to meet higher system demand. When you are leading the charge on advanced technology, you need a world class team and agility to do it right. This is where Conflux comes in,” said Abe Masoud, Business Development Manager – North America.
The two companies have worked on four different AM projects since 2018. Most recently the two teams have leveraged AM to develop a cold plate heat exchanger (HX) that provides additional cooling capacity for its high-dissipation Line-Replaceable Unit (LRU) used in various GA-ASI’s UAS platforms.
About GA-ASI
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), an affiliate of General Atomics, is a leading designer and manufacturer of proven, reliable remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) systems, radars, and electro-optic and related mission systems, including the Predator® RPA series and the Lynx® Multi-mode Radar. With more than seven million flight hours, GA-ASI provides long-endurance, mission-capable aircraft with integrated sensor and data link systems required to deliver persistent flight that enables situational awareness and rapid strike. The company also produces a variety of ground control stations and sensor control/image analysis software, offers pilot training and support services, and develops meta-material antennas. For more information, visit www.ga-asi.com
