History of the ACRC

The ACRC: One of the longest-running centers founded by the National Science Foundation  

The Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Center (ACRC) was founded in 1988 with a grant from the estate of Richard W. Kritzer, the son of the founder of Peerless of America, Inc.; a grant from the Illinois Governor’s Science Advisory Council for laboratory facilities; and support from the National Science Foundation. The ACRC now operates with the support of approximately 30 industrial partners organized in the consortium who provide funding for the “core” research program, and with grants and contracts from a range of government and private sector sponsors for additional projects.

This successful collaboration between industry and academia has evolved into the longest-running center in the Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering at the University of Illinois, and among just a handful of the longest-running NSF-founded centers. To date, the ACRC has produced more than 400 technical and contract reports. The center has also educated more than 1,000 students, and their work has resulted in more than 400 doctoral degrees in the areas of thermal and fluid sciences. Over 100 visiting scholars from around the world have achieved additional experience while contributing to the mission of the center.