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Enervana Technologies LLC Wins NSF SBIR Phase II Award
[April 09, 2011]

Enervana Technologies LLC Wins NSF SBIR Phase II Award


(Targeted News Service Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) BATON ROUGE, La., April 8 -- Louisiana State University issued the following news release: Enervana Technologies LLC, a technology-based start-up company built on a decade of research at the LSU College of Engineering's Mechanical Engineering, or ME, Department, and a tenant of the business incubator at LSU's Louisiana Business & Technology Center, or LBTC, has won a National Science Foundation Small Business Innovation Research, or SBIR, Phase II award in the amount of $499,380. This award is for the development and commercialization of metal-based micro-channel heat exchanger systems.



Enervana is currently developing a high-efficiency, low-footprint, and cost-effective heat exchanger system for cooling of next-generation micro-electronic and power-electronic modules. This product has the potential to revolutionize the heat exchanger market for electronic devices. It is a self-contained, re-circulating liquid based cooling system to mitigate the heat signatures of microchips and processors. Inexpensive and effective liquid-based cooling systems are of intense current interest because, at present, a major limiting factor in processor speed is overheating of the chips. The company envisions a day when every home computer could contain an Enervana cooling system.

"The Phase II grant offers Enervana an opportunity to further develop the technology invented at LSU ME to the point of being commercialization ready," said Dick Juneau, business manager and CFO of Enervana and ME alumnus. "We look to be able to offer, through the SBIR Phase II project, an example of how fundamental research, technological innovation and focused development can bring positive economic impact and how LSU can serve as an engine for economic development in the state." Since its inception in 2008, Enervana has strived to become a market leader, both nationally and internationally, for metal-based micro-scale devices and systems through cutting-edge technology and sound business practices. The company is based on the commercialization of Intellectual Property created in the research group of Professor Wen Jin Meng in LSU ME.


The company's vice president, Glenn B. Sinclair, is also a professor of LSU ME, and its principal engineer, Fanghua Mei, is an LSU ME alumnus.

"This award fits purposely with strategy four of our strategic plan, in that the college will partner with outside entities to be more entrepreneurial and supply opportunities for faculty and students to start new companies," said Rick Koubek, dean of LSU's College of Engineering. "I applaud Dr. Meng and Enervana for their award and innovation. Our strategic initiative to encourage collaboration is strengthened by the college's relationship with LBTC." Thomas Klei, vice chancellor of research and economic development, said, "Enervana is an example of the positive impact our research faculty can have on the economy of Baton Rouge and the State. The active role of the Louisiana Business & Technology Center in this project further demonstrates that LSU is serious about accelerating the commercialization of faculty research. We are excited about the development of our intellectual property and looking forward to seeing more successes in the future." According to LBTC Executive Director Charles D'Agostino, the LBTC provided Enervana a $2,500 Phase Zero Award to write its proposal to the National Science Foundation. The company, he said, will use the funding to develop a compact, metal-based, re-circulating liquid cooling system for electronic devices. These metal-based heat exchangers have potential advantages over Si-based devices in terms of thermal performance and mechanical robustness.

TNS PA-PA 110409-3331682 61PoojaAnand (c) 2011 Targeted News Service

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