PROJECT TITLE: Inexpensive Off-Head Eye-Tracking for Computer Interaction
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
We propose to develop a novel computer interface for air traffic control specialists (ATCSs) that integrates voice recognition and eye-tracking to enable hands-free interaction with an ATC display. The proposed research is innovative in that it presents a novel, alternative approach for ATCSs to interact with graphical displays (using eye and voice) that can be efficient and cost-effective provided that eye-tracking can be made robust, non-intrusive and inexpensive. The primary objectives of this R&D are: (1) to determine how eye/voice interaction can best be used in an ATC interface; and (2) to develop the necessary off-head eye-tracking technology to make an ATC eye/voice interface practical. The ATCI concept depends on having off-head eye-tracking and will only be cost-effective when the price of eye-tracking drops. We anticipate producing an eye-tracker design and engineering prototype that can be produced in large quantities for a few hundred dollars per unit. The expected benefits of the ATCI are: (a) more efficient interaction by replacing some voice intensive interactions with natural use of point-of-gaze, and (b) improved performance over voice recognition only solutions in high noise, multiple speaker environments.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The proposed research will result in inexpensive eye-tracking that will both enable new applications and provide an alternative to mouse and keyboard use. Application areas include: (1) hands-free operator-machine interaction for complex process control operations, e.g., air traffic control, space operations, and power plant control; (2) hands-free interfaces for commercial and military aviation and space crewstations, (3) teleoperation of vehicles such as unmanned ground or aerial vehicles; (4) assistive device technology for persons with disabilities; and (5) general consumer computer use.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Franz Hatfield
Synthetic Environments, Inc.
1401 Chain Bridge Road, Suite 300
McLean , VA 22101
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
Synthetic Environments, Inc.
1401 Chain Bridge Road, Suite 300
McLean , VA 22101
PROJECT TITLE: Integral 3-D Display for Air Traffic Control
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a multi-perspective 360 degree look-around integral 3-D projection display that will enable air traffic control crews to view and analyze all aircraft activity in the airspace simultaneously, without wearing special 3-D glasses. The proposed integral 3-D display will be automultiscopic: a series of narrow view perspective images of a 3-D scene or object are optically projected in a high-speed sequence, through the use of a ferroelectric liquid crystal spatial light modulator (FLC SLM), onto a spinning holographic optical disk. This display will be in the form of a tabletop workbench, and will present multiple viewers around it with integrated 3-D images as seen from their own perspectives, overcoming the shortcomings of conventional stereoscopic 3-D displays. In Phase I, POC will design a laboratory prototype and demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed method by integrating our high-speed FLC SLM with a holographic optical disk fabricated for the demonstration. When fully developed, the proposed multi-observer viewable integral 3-D display will be able to show distortion free, high resolution, full color, gray scale 3-D images suitable for many NASA applications.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
Commercial applications of the integral 3-D display will be in video games, CAD/CAM, surveillance photogrammetry, training and simulation, air traffic control, molecular modeling, and medical imaging.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Kevin Yu
Physical Optics Corporation, E&P Division
20600 Gramercy Place, Building 100
Torrance , CA 90501-1821
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
Physical Optics Corporation, EP Division
20600 Gramercy Place, Building 100
Torrance , CA 90501-1821
PROJECT TITLE: Adaptive Human/Machine Interface for Advanced Air Traffic Management
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The development and fielding of free flight air traffic management systems and procedures will dramatically change human roles and responsibilities in the airspace system. These systemic changes will create new challenges for the development of effective human/machine interfaces (HMIs) for air traffic control. Innovative HMIs must be developed to allow controllers to visualize air traffic information and rapidly identify airspace areas where controller intervention is needed without creating information overload and excessive workload. We propose to demonstrate the feasibility of developing a situation-adaptive HMI for advanced ATM operations incorporating two key functions:· A means of generating a high-level computational assessment of the current air traffic situation · A methodology for generating a situation-adaptive interface, so that what the operator sees and hears can be interpreted accurately and readily in the context of the current air traffic environment We propose a five-task development effort, consisting of: 1) problem scope specification; 2) development of SA models; 3) development of HMI content management strategies; 4) implementation and demonstration of a limited-scope prototype; and 5) requirements specification for full-scope development. Concept feasibility will be demonstrated using commercial off-the-shelf components in a simulated air traffic environment.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The proposed technology will directly support the development of effective concepts of operations and human/machine interfaces for free flight. The proposed approach also offers the potential for the development of innovative HMIs for the coordination of unmanned aerial vehicles. Adaptive interfaces and situation assessment technologies offer potential in other high-value operator/system environments, including power system control rooms and process control centers.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Sandeep S. Mulgund
Charles River Analytics
One Alewife Center
Cambridge , MA 02140
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
Charles River Analytics Inc.
One Alewife Center
Cambridge , MA 02140
PROJECT TITLE: Augmented Reality Vision System for the Tower Controller
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The augmented reality vision system for the Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower provides a controller-centered augmented reality display system improving human visual performance in monitoring airport surface operations under poor and zero visibility conditions. Aircraft identification, position, velocity and attitude and/or heading are data-linked to a tower-based data collection center. A 3D Computer Generated Image (CGI) of the airport, all aircraft and surface vehicles, as would be seen by the tower controller in good visibility, is computer generated by dedicated computers. The video signal is displayed to the controller by projecting the scene onto either a head-mounted augmented reality display or binoculars that provide augmented reality imagery. Full 360° horizontal viewing is available to the air traffic controller by turning his/her head. The air traffic controller uses this augmented reality display to monitor aircraft on arrival, direct aircraft to gates after landing, and back to the runway for take-off. The system concept also supports airport surface vehicle operations. The system interfaces with FAA Ground Traffic Control for cleared taxi routes and with the Airport Movement Area Safety System (AMASS) for surface movement information. This innovation will assist NASA by improving system capacity and capability and reducing aircraft accidents.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
Potential commercial products include: the augmented reality vision processing system including interfaces to the aircraft systems and datalinks; the Personal Display ViewerTM; the database data collection center apparatus including interfaces to a D-GPS-based ground vehicle positioning system; and, the overall system integration at each airport.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Jimmy Krozel, Ph.D.
Seagull Technology, Inc.
16400 Lark Avenue
Los Gatos , CA 95032-2547
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
Seagull Technology, Inc.
16400 Lark Avenue
Los Gatos , CA 95032-2547
PROJECT TITLE: Chaos in Air-traffic Management
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
As air traffic control evolves toward a more automated system, with decreasing direct control by air traffic controllers, a serious issue arises as to the likelihood that chaotic behavior will occur, and the likelihood that this chaotic behavior will result in unexpected system behavior such as sudden increases in traffic density and traffic delays. This proposal details an analytical approach to these problems based on what is called the Huberman Hogg (HH) equations developed by Bernardo Huberman and Tadd Hogg. Even the initial results given in this proposal show that chaotic behavior will result in the presence of information delays and information errors. This proposal also shows that in traffic modeling, even in the case of stable behavior with no apparent cause, there will be sudden bursts of instability. This has significant implications for air traffic control. Under the work proposed we will investigate these issues both analytically and through simulation. We will also code and test a software agent-based air traffic control system for a small set of ATC issues, and we will evaluate both the performance and possible chaotic behavior of this system.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
Planning, scheduling, and resource allocation (PSR) software is in great demand, with companies with products in this area selling for as much as 50 times their total installed base. IAI has been working on PSR software using distributed autonomous agents, and the work herein proposed will investigate an important new application of that work. Additionally, the potential problem of chaotic performance of distributed decision making systems is a fundamental problem which has not seriously been investigated, and important commercial software tools to address this problem could result from the work herein proposed.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Dr. Leonard Haynes
Intelligent Automation, Inc.
2 Research Place, Suite 202
Rockville , MD 20850
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
Intelligent Automation, Inc.
2 Research Place, Suite 202
Rockville , MD 20850
PROJECT TITLE: Airport Surface Communication and Surveillance
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This Small Business Innovative Research Phase I project supports thepreliminary research of an integrated state-of-the-art wireless communication and control system that will provide air traffic control (ATC) to airport surface-vehicle communication, complete airport surface-vehicle surveillance by ATC, and automated airport surface-fleet management. Currently, inefficient surface movement causes significant delays for both air-cargo and passenger flights that result in adverse economic ramifications. Additionally, inadequate surface control has led to collisions between surface vehicles and aircraft. The proposed system will significantly enhance the efficiency of airport surface-vehicle movement and ensure safe control of this movement. This SBIR supports research to establish: 1. the frequency spectrum of the channel most suitable for the proposed wireless system; 2. a statistical model of the channel; and 3. the optimal selection of the many parameters of the system.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
Air-cargo operators and passenger carriers incur significant operatingcosts due to aircraft delays. This creates a strong commercial market for technology that increases the efficiency of airport surface operations. A goal of the proposed research is to develop bandwidth-efficient wireless systems for communications and tracking. This will enable airlines to improve the coordination between their surface operations and their business model. Additionally, the United States government has set very aggressive goals for the reduction of runway incursion incidents, thus increasing demand for a comprehensive surface-management solution to be used by air-traffic controllers.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Steve James Shattil
Idris Communications
4980 Meredith Way #201
Boulder , CO 80303
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
Idris Communications
4980 Meredith Way #201
Boulder , CO 80303
PROJECT TITLE: Low-cost Aircraft Identification and Surveillance System
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Rannoch Corporation proposes to develop a low-cost (i.e., under $300K) 1090 MHz Multilateration/Line of Position (LOP)/Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) surface surveillance system, which uses the following cost-saving technology innovations: a two-receiver identification/position determination algorithm, GPS synchronization, and passive Mode A/C multilateration. The proposed system addresses Topic 01 Aviation Safety & Capacity, Subtopic 01.02 Advanced Concepts in Air Traffic Management, by providing low-cost surveillance technology which can be used to locate and identify traffic operating on the airport surface. This surveillance enhances safety by enabling ATC to have a situational display of traffic movement, as well as automatic runway incursion detection alerting. The system can be used as an enhancement to primary surface radar (i.e., Airport Surface Detection Equipment [ASDE]-3) by providing identification of aircraft targets and providing surveillance position aiding in regions where the radar does not provide reliable coverage. Another application of the system is standalone aircraft surveillance; a low-cost standalone system is needed at airports that have not qualified for any currently fielded surveillance system due to cost-benefits ratio analyses.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The multilateration/LOP/ADS-B surface surveillance system has the following commercial applications: (1) Airport surface surveillance to support runway incursion detection; (2) Airport surface surveillance to support traffic automation for FAA systems such as Surface Movement Advisor; (3) Airport surface surveillance to support NASA's Dynamic Runway Occupancy Monitoring system; (4) Terminal area surveillance to support Precision Runway Monitoring; and (5) Terminal area surveillance to provide surveillance of ADS-B-equipped aircraft.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Carl A. Evers
Rannoch Corporation
Suite 430, 1800 Diagonal Road
Alexandria , VA 22314
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
Rannoch Corporation
1800 Diagonal Rd. Suite 430
Alexandria , VA 22314
PROJECT TITLE: Indoor Simulation of Mixed and Snow Icing Conditions
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
There are requirements and advisory materials under the FAA (USA) and JAA (Europe) that must be satisfied prior to flight into mixed icing and snow conditions. To achieve certification for flight into these conditions, aircraft must demonstrate in test and flight that they meet those requirements, some of which are as yet undefined. In the USA, the only available facilities at which these tests can be conducted are located outdoors and are subject to weather and seasonal constraints. None of the outdoor facilities addresses the need to include airspeed aspects for in-flight conditions. Currently, there exists no year-round indoor facility in the USA or Canada for controlled testing in Mixed Icing and Snow conditions. Such a facility would significantly aid OEM?s in the design phase of snow protection equipment by reducing cost and time to gather meaningful data. The objective of this innovation is to create snow and mixed icing conditions in an environmental chamber and closed-loop wind tunnels where indoor testing can be accomplished in a controlled and repeatable manner year-round. This involves designing appropriate nozzle geometries, defining the corresponding pressures and temperatures for specified wetness (or dryness) conditions, and controlling the ambient relative humidity for consistency and repeatability.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
A test facility is intended to reduce the time spent looking and chasing--sometimes in vain--for the actual conditions under which the aircraft is to be tested. As more becomes known about the icing environment, the greater will be the need to test for mixed and snow conditions in addition to supercooled water droplet environments. A testing facility can be a valuable tool if it can operate independent of the season with repeatable conditions by reducing the time spent in pursuit of a specific type of environmental condition and the cost involved. The capability proposed herein will provide the basis for development of a system that can be incorporated in the NASA Lewis Icing Research Tunnel (IRT) or other similar facilities in the nation. This is because the Cox icing tunnel has the size and flow capability sufficiently large to permit reasonable extrapolation to larger facilities. The LeClerc Icing Research Laboratory at Cox will offer the advantage of a controlled access to aircraft and engine manufacturers for conveniently testing in supercooled droplets, snow, or mixed conditions year-round.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Kamel Al-Khalil
Cox & Company, Inc.
200 Varick Street
New York , NY 10014
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
Cox & Company, Inc.
200 Varick Street
New York , NY 10014
PROJECT TITLE: Artificially Induced Hydrophobic System for Aircraft Anti-Icing
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
A thin build-up of ice on a wing or tail can substantially increase drag, disturb aircraft aerodynamic performance, and has caused numerous aircraft accidents. Current de-icing mechanisms leave some residual ice on the airfoil and most impose substantial weight and power penalties. A method for artificially inducing hydrophobic behavior on an airfoil surface for anti-icing and de-icing of aircraft is proposed. It has been demonstrated that a small correctly polarized electrical current passed through the junction of an ice (or water) and metal surface will neutralize the bonding forces that cause the ice to adhere to metal. The electrical path can be implemented by a thin film electrode pattern that neither intrudes into the interior of the wind nor alters the aerodynamics of the wing. Innovative dynamics, Inc. proposes to evaluate this concept in an embodiment characteristic of an airfoil moving through air. By artificially creating a hydrophobic surface, we expect to obtain light weight, low power anti-icing that is free of residual ice.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
Commercial applications include general aviation, commuter, and transport aircraft airfoils, propellers, and engine inlets, as well as helicopter and tilt-rotor blades. Other applications include ship and building superstructures, bridges, and power-generating turbine inlets.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Jack A. Edmonds
Innovative Dynamics, Inc.
2560 North Triphammer Road
Ithaca , NY 14850
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
Innovative Dynamics, Inc.
2560 North Triphammer Road
Ithaca , NY 14850
PROJECT TITLE: Thermal Electric Anti-ice De-ice System for Metallic and Composite Air Frame, Air Foil Structures
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
A thermal-electric anti-ice de-ice system with a heating element of flexible graphite bonded to a heat conducting polyurethane. Flexible graphite is a material that can be altered to the thousandths of an inch to produce a heating element with variable watt density. This heating element can then be zoned to produce optimum heat in critical areas of an airfoil or structure.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The flexible graphite heating element is of such efficiency, light weight and size as to pose no significant changes in aerodynamic performance to most airfoils and structures, making it suitable for most general aviation aircraft. Significant interest is also present in the helicopter industry with their need for de-ice systems on rotor blades requiring a variable watt density from the root to the tip of the blades.Commercial aircraft will also benefit from the huge weight savings for tail section de-icing with the graphite heater vs. bleed air.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Robert Rutherford
EGC Enterprises, Inc.
8833 Quail Circle
Kirtland , OH 44094
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
EGC Enterprises Inc.
140 Parker CT.
Chardon , OH 44024
PROJECT TITLE: Globally Stable Design and Analysis Tools for Reconfigurable Systems with Saturating Acuators
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
When aircraft operate with effectors at their rate or position limit, thecontrol loop is opened and a number of problems can occur ranging from performance degradation to loss of stability. For this reason, most modern control laws are designed to avoid actuator saturation during normal operation. In the event of a failure, however, it may be necessary to operate with one or more actuators in saturation to achieve the required level of closed-loop performance. This research will develop global analysis techniques and design tools for linear systems subject to actuator saturation. Building upon promising results obtained using a semi-global framework this research will address robust global stabilization in the presence of matched uncertainties (e.g., actuator saturation), robust output regulation from global initial states, and disturbance decoupling with global asymptotic stability. It is expected that the techniques developed in the proposed effort will lay the groundwork from which more challenging global control problems in the presence of actuator saturation, unmatched uncertainties, and unmatched disturbances can be approached. As part of the effort, the proposers will develop a prototype MATLAB toolbox to assist engineers in applying these techniques to practical control problems in a wide range of application domains.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The proposed research will significantly advance the state-of-the-art for control of systems with saturating actuators. Because saturation is, perhaps, the most common type of nonlinearity encountered in modern control systems, the benefits of the research will be widely applicable to a variety of areas, including reconfigurable flight control. It is hoped that the research will ultimately lead to global robust control in the presence of unmatched uncertainties and disturbances. Additionally, there are currently no software products on the market that can assist with the design and analysis of controllers for systems subject to saturation nonlinearities. The proposed prototype MATLAB toolkit will benefit engineers in disciplines ranging from aerospace to chemical process control by facilitating design of improved controllers with known stability properties for systems with saturating actuators.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
David G. Ward
Barron Associates, Inc.
1160 Pepsi Place, Suite 300
Charlottesville , VA 22901
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
Barron Associates, Inc.
1160 Pepsi Place, Suite 300
Charlottesville , VA 22901-0807
PROJECT TITLE: Model-Based Fault Detection and Identification
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The innovation herein detailed is a technique for designing model-based fault detection and isolation (FDI) for Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) at the system level. Most model-based FDI approaches use the system dynamic models directly. The problems with these approaches are that the system dynamic models are very complicated and the system topology may not reflect the actual flow of failure information. Our FDI approach is based on "Dependency Model" (DM), which describes the high level information flow during the occurrence of failures or faults. Therefore, DM is more suitable for FDI than the system dynamic model. The most difficult task in DM-based FDI is the generation of the DM. For example, it usually takes several men/months to generate a DM for a regular avionics system. In this Phase I work, we propose to develop a technique to automatically derive a DM from a GNC system dynamic model described in a system level simulator such as MATLAB and SIMULINK. When integrated with testability analysis tool developed by IAI from previous works, we can have an automatic tool for designing FDI for GNC. The result of this research can reduce the time and cost of FDI development significantly.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
This FDI design tool will find a big commercial market in the airplane industry and government agencies including NASA, Air Force, Army, and Navy. We can package it as a software package to be used by clients, or we can use it to provide FDI design services for customers. The proposed design tool can be extended to other parts of spacecraft systems, such as propulsion system, environmental control and life support system, hydraulic system, electrical power system, attitude control system, etc. In addition, the same technology can be easily applied to ground and ocean vehicles. Therefore, the proposed design tool has a huge commercialization potential.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Dr. Chujen Lin
Intelligent Automation, Inc.
2 Research Place, Suite 202
Rockville , MD 20850
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
Intelligent Automation, Inc.
2 Research Place, Suite 202
Rockville , MD 20850
PROJECT TITLE: Fault-Tolerant Object-Oriented Code Generator
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Quality Research Associates proposes developing a software tool to automatically generate interface code that integrates user applications with object-oriented (OO) modules from a library of software fault tolerance techniques. The approach involves generating high-level, OO code for inclusion in an application. The tool-produced code includes subclass specifications and shells, as well as code that describes the application scenario to the appropriate fault tolerance technique executive from the library. The approach?s key innovations include automatically generating subclass shells, generating ?infrastructure? code to facilitate application integration, providing structured ?hints? within stub code comments to aid users, and designing the automated code generation tool to work in conjunction with a reusable code library and a Software Fault Tolerance Design Assistant (SWFTDA) tool for selecting fault tolerance techniques. By automating tedious integration coding, the proposed technology would remove a significant obstacle to using the library of software fault tolerance techniques, especially for legacy systems that are not designed around OO constructs. Automating integration code generation and combining it with existing library and design utilities creates a powerful, end-to-end system that speeds development, reduces coding errors and increases developer productivity.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The technology assists system developers using software fault tolerance techniques for high-reliability computer systems, such as systems for commercial aircraft, plant control, medical device control, and transaction systems. Our approach provides an important part of an end-to-end development tool for fault-tolerant applications.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Dr. Laura L. Pullum
Quality Research Associates, Inc.
2875 Williams Farm Drive
Dacula , GA 30019
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
Quality Research Associates, Inc.
2875 Williams Farm Drive
Dacula , GA 30019
PROJECT TITLE: Visual RAD Environment for Formal System Development
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
ArrowLogics will further develop a design infrastructure for complex systems by carefully reducing to practice the results of decades of research on formal design concepts. This infrastructure includes mechanisms for structuring design representations horizontally (components) and vertically (abstraction layers), while ensuring compatibility of component designs and preservation of required properties under change of abstraction levels. In practice, the reuse of existing tools and components is critical; so is the proper choice of notation or language depending on the component, aspect, or abstraction level considered. To establish semantic cohesion it is therefore necessary to make precise the interaction of tools and components that are based on different formalisms. Our design technology therefore supports multiple logics within the same environment. The innovative aspects of our technology lie in the creative combination of concepts from several mathematical disciplines, the realization of the combined theoretical framework using leading-edge, mainstream technologies, and the visual interface to the semantic design structures.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
Our technology is applicable beyond software to other engineering disciplines, for instance hardware or mechanical design. It will allow the rapid production and controlled adaptation of high-integrity systems and algorithms. We are in discussion with major aerospace, telecommunications, and hardware design companies about possible applications of this technology. Specialized design environments will be constructed by populating our RAD infrastructure with specific design formalisms, languages, tools, and interfaces. The exact form and nature of the resulting design environments will vary across application domains and organizations. The need for specialized interfaces may be called for by different engineering traditions. The nature of application domains and the need to protect organizational investments in particular tools calls for the integration of different tools in different circumstances. Despite different appearances, all these environments would be organized by the same infrastructure-provided general concepts, ensuring in particular semantic coherence.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Y.V. Srinivas
ArrowLogics Corporation
848 Corvallis Drive
Sunnyvale , CA 94087
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
ArrowLogics Corporation
848 Corvallis Drive
Sunnyvale , CA 94087
PROJECT TITLE: System State Determination for Real-Time Sensor Validation
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Expert Microsystems and Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) will develop an innovative state determination algorithm to improve the performance of our real-time sensor validation system. Automated detection of sensor failures provides an immediate return on NASA?s investment by reducing the manpower, schedule and uncertainty associated with sensor failure detection. Our innovation is a system operating state determination algorithm which enables the sensor validation algorithm to be optimized for each operating state of the physical plant. Our sensor validation system, recently developed for NASA, uses ANL patented algorithms which have been shown to provide high fidelity sensor validation for nuclear power stations. The sensor validation technique is centered around implementations of the Sequential Probability Ratio Test and Multivariate State Estimation Technique algorithms. We will augment these algorithms with a Learning Vector Quantization neural network algorithm to automatically characterize the current operating state of a physical plant. Phase I culminates in production and delivery of a prototype run-time module which validates flight accelerometer data for the Space Shuttle Main Engine with high reliability across all operating states of the engine. The resulting sensor validation system will be widely applicable to NASA launch vehicles, ground support systems, and industrial machinery monitoring.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
Requirements for sensor data validation exist in mission critical aerospace and industrial control and safety systems where data integrity is essential. The technology is applicable to any process or vehicle control application where: time-critical, closed-loop control and safety monitoring depend on sensor input; or unexpected process interruptions due to sensor failures or false alarms are uneconomical. Launch vehicles clearly satisfy both criteria, as do many other NASA and DoD mission critical control and sensing applications. Most power generation and chemical process plants also satisfy both criteria. In 1996, ANL and Expert Microsystems entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) to develop and commercialize an innovative methodology and software product addressing this wide-spread need. Our Sensor Validation System automates the production of application specific sensor validation run-time modules which are embeddable in the users process control environment. These real-time capable modules enable improved safety, reduced maintenance cost, and optimal economics for many process-oriented enterprises including aerospace vehicle and ground support systems, power generation plants, and chemical processing plants.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Randall L. Bickford
Expert Microsystems, Inc.
7932 Country Trail Drive, Suite 1
Orangevale , CA 95662-2120
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
Expert Microsystems, Inc.
7932 Country Trail Drive, Suite 1
Orangevale , CA 95662-2120
PROJECT TITLE: Isolation-Enhanced Principle Component Analysis
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This Phase 1 SBIR proposal details an approach to equipment health monitoring which is able to diagnose a specific failure without an analytic model, and without data obtained for specific failure cases. It is quite common to add sensors to electromechanical equipment to detect and hopefully even diagnose failures. The basic idea of these approaches is to check whether the current measurement data taken from the Unit Under Test (UUT), on-line or off-line, are still in agreement with system nominal models which are representations of the relationships between inputs, disturbances, and outputs when the UUT is behaving normally, and under specific failure cases. If an inconsistency between a system nominal model and real-time measurements is detected, faulty components and sensors/actuators within the system need to be identified. Most systems in use today are model based, but the models are difficult to develop and are generally very imprecise. There are non-model based schemes but these require data from systems with specific failures to be able to diagnose failures. In practice, such failure data is very difficult to obtain. Our Isolation-enhanced PCA approach supports fault detection, and diagnosis of certain failures with no model, and without specific failure data. Only date for nominal operation is required.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
Our commercialization goal is a set of software tools which allow detection and diagnosis locally or even across the Internet. Other tools we are developing provide support for remote repair actions, with video and audio provided across the Internet.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Dr. Chiman Kwan
Intelligent Automation, Inc.
2 Research Place, Suite 202
Rockville , MD 20850
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
Intelligent Automation, Inc.
2 Research Place, Suite 202
Rockville , MD 20850
PROJECT TITLE: Automated On-line Health Monitoring, Failure Detection and Identification using Interacting Multiple Models (IMM) Kalman Filters
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
On-line autonomous sensor and actuator Health Monitoring-Failure Detection and Identification (HM-FDI) is becoming a critical issue in aircraft health monitoring, as the number of on-board and off-board sensors and actuators, as well as the complexity of each one of these sensors, has increased substantially during the recent past. SSCI propose an innovative approach to on-line autonomous Health Monitoring, Failure Detection and Identification for aircraft and spacecraft systems based on a novel combination of the Interacting Multiple Model (IMM) approach and on-line System Identification (SI), that will be called ``adaptive IMM''. The IMM algorithm was originally developed, and has been successfully used, for tracking maneuvering targets, but its application to FDI is completely new. In this new approach, each possible (anticipated) failure is mapped into a different state space model. For each one of these models, a Kalman filter (KF) computes the individual state estimates and the likelihood function corresponding to that model. The individual estimates are weighted with the probability of each model being correct (derived from the likelihood functions) to give a single (accurate) state estimate. SI is needed for detecting and identifying unanticipated failures (for example, partial degradation due to battle damage of an actuator surface or aircraft surface). On-line SI is performed using an approach based on Deterministic/Stochastic Realization Algorithms (DSRA) which identifies a state space model of the system from the multi-input multi-output (MIMO) measured data.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The Health Monitoring/FDI system to be developed during this Phase I will be of direct application to Bell Helicopter's Eagle Eye UAV (already being fly-tested). Bell has expresed its interest in the HM/FDI system proposed here, and a succesfull completion of Phase I will lead to a prototype implemetantion during Phase II to be tested at Bell's flight lab and hot-bench facilities, and commercialization during Phase III. There is also an increasing number of industrial application where advanced process control is heavily dependent on sensor information, and a sensor FDI system would be of direct application. In essence, any closed loop system that use information provided by a sensor will benefit from an FDI.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Constantino Rago
Scientific Systems Company, Inc
500 West Cummings Park, Suite 3000
Woburn , Ma 01801
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
Scientific Systems Company, Inc.
500 W. Cummings Park Suite 3000
Woburn , MA 01801-6503
PROJECT TITLE: Detecting the Onset of Fire in an Aircraft by Employing Correlation Spectroscopy
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
In-flight fire is a potential catastrophe. The incident on July 17, 1996, involving TWA Flight 800, is one example. Damage to life and property can be minimized, if not entirely eliminated, by employing a device that would detect the onset of fire and provide early warning. A fire is preceded by an induction stage in which some marker compounds are released in the air. For example, one can smell odors from an overheated electrical wire. Examples of these markers include carbon monoxide, hydrogen chloride, oxides of nitrogen and hydrogen cyanide. By detecting marker compounds selectively and sensitively, this Phase I project will demonstrate the feasibility of a commercially viable fire onset monitoring system (FOMS). FOMS, an all fiber optic device, will use an intracore tunable filter to perform correlation spectroscopy a form of absorption measurements. Intelligent Optical Systems (IOS), Inc. will construct and test these filters tailored to precisely match the spectral characteristics of the marker compounds in the near infrared region. The use of intracore tunable filters will lead to a low cost, intrinsically safe, and field deployable system without using expensive wavelength-tunable laser diodes or bulky "reference cells" filled with target gases.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
Aside from aircraft use, FOMS can be installed in large buildings for fire protection. Spin-off products for chemical detection will have great commercial value in the remote monitoring of environmental contaminants, chemical process control, oil exploration, and mine safety. NASA will directly benefit by installing FOMS in spacecraft and space stations.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Kisholoy Goswami, Ph.D.
Intelligent Optical Systems, Inc.
2520 W. 237th Street
Torrance , CA 90505-5217
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
Intelligent Optical Systems, Inc.
2520 W. 237th Street
Torrance , CA 90505-5217
PROJECT TITLE: Study of Agent Effectiveness in Suppression of Aircraft Post-Crash Cabin Fires Using Advanced FT-IR Diagnostics
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The life safety problems in post-crash aircraft fire scenarios are particularly complex, as one needs to address a number of critical issues: high environment temperatures, high radiative heat fluxes, flammability of the polymeric cabin materials, toxicity of pyrolysis and combustion products, and interactions of the fire suppression agent (if used) with material pyrolysis and combustion products. Advanced Fuel Research, Inc. (AFR) and its affiliate, On-Line Technologies, Inc. (On-Line) have developed advanced FT-IR diagnostic methods for combustion systems and incorporated these methods into advanced material evaluation instruments, such as a high temperature Oxygen Index (OI)/FT-IR apparatus developed for the Army Materials Laboratory. The overall objective of the proposed program is to evaluate a test procedure and apparatus to investigate the interaction of fire suppression agents with pyrolysis and combustion products of representative polymeric aircraft cabin materials in high temperature, high radiative heat flux environments. This work will be comprised of four tasks: 1) selection of representative polymer samples; 2) modification of an existing OI/FT-IR apparatus, followed by fire suppression tests with the measurement of gaseous products and smoke by FT-IR spectroscopy; 3) analysis of data and evaluation of product toxicity; and 4) final evaluation of this method/apparatus.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The potential commercial applications of the enhanced OI/FT-IR instrument and testing/procedure include product development, fire suppression agent screening materials testing, and quality control in private laboratories for transportation or building construction needs. This system could also be used by the DoD, NASA, NIST, or the FAA in a similar manner to develop safer materials.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Yonggang Chen
Advanced Fuel Research, Inc.
87 Church Street
East Hartford , CT 06108-3742
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
Advanced Fuel Research, Inc.
87 Church Street
East Hartford , CT 06108-3742
PROJECT TITLE: Atmospheric Ionizing Radiation Dosimeter for Aircrews on Supersonic Transport Aircraft and Commercial Airliners
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
As a preliminary step towards the development of a low-cost portable Atmospheric Ionizing Radiation (AIR) Dosimeter for use by aircrews and frequent travelers aboard a future supersonic transport and on current subsonic airliners, a number of different passive and active ionizing radiation detectors will be investigated. Instrumentation and Methodology developed to meet NASA's radiation dosimetry needs aboard the Space Shuttle and on unmanned satellites is well suited for adaptation to dosimetry needs aboard both supersonic and subsonic aircraft. The complex composition of the radiation environment at stratospheric altitudes makes it unlikely that a single detector type will adequately measure all of the radiation components. In Phase I a complimentary selection of passive and/or active detectors will be sought that measures those particle species, in the energy ranges present at high altitudes, that are known to be of greatest risk to human health. Mass and volume constraints, ease of use, power consumption, and costs of manufacturing, processing and data analysis for each detector type will also be assessed. An initial market study is included in Phase I. In Phase II a functional prototype of the AIR Dosimeter will be developed, flight-tested and demonstrated to potential customers and investors.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The primary commercial market for an AIR Dosimeter is the airline industry. An AIR Dosimeter would be used to monitor personnel radiation exposure of pilots and flight attendants aboard future High Speed Civil Transport aircraft and who routinely fly routes at Northern latitudes aboard subsonic aircraft. Additional customers may include the United States Air Force and individual pilots, flight attendants, and frequent travelers who are concerned about the health risks associated with their radiation exposure.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Eugene V. Benton
Eril Research, Inc.
P. O. Box 150788
San Rafael, , CA 94915-0788
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
Eril Research, Inc.
P. O. Box 150788
San Rafael , CA 94915-0788
PROJECT TITLE: Low Viscosity PETI-5 for RTM/RFI Processing
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
To address the NASA requirement for high temperature (350 oF, 60,000 hours) RTM resins Eikos has assembled a world class team of product development specialists that is best qualified to evaluate and develop processable, state-of-the-art, RTM / RFI resin systems based on the NASA Langley low viscosity PETI-5 or PERA-1 resin. Eikos LLC will rapidly push the development and qualification of a 350oF RTM / RFI system into a commercial product with the use of private-sector investment. For end-user qualification Eikos LLC has teamed with McDonnell-Douglas to evaluate these resins in RTM and S/RFI (stitched resin film infusion) panels. Mr. Corey Arendt, (Boeing/MDC) will oversee the fabrication of composite panels / parts, along with neat resin samples of 3 structural variants of the NASA PERA-1 RTM resin and enhancement of the curing package for enhanced toughness and additional thermo-oxidative stability. Mr. Piche is currently involved in the development and evaluation of high temperature RTM and RFI resins for a prime defense contractor and WPAFB, Materials Lab. In addition to providing a thorough evaluation of these PERA-1-based resin systems (TOS, DMA, TGA, hygrothermal testing) we will test these resins with the MDC proprietary stitching technology, (the state-of-the-art in Z direction reinforcement) for Damage Tolerance Improvement.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The development of this novel resin system will allow for the low cost fabrication of advanced composite parts with complex geometries. This is an enabling technology that will reduce the weight of key aircraft components required to endure the increasing thermal requirements of advanced aircraft designs.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Joseph W. Piche
Eikos, L.L.C.
115 Dean Ave.
Franklin , MA 02038
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
Eikos, L.L.C.
115 Dean Ave.
Franklin , MA 02038
PROJECT TITLE: High Resolution CMOS Active Pixel Sensor for Flight Deck
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The proposed innovation to be addressed in this work is the development of a cost efficient, high-resolution CMOS Active Pixel Sensor (APS) digital camera-on-a-chip with potential opportunities for high bandwidth real time video image processing and image-based object detection (especially in the area of machine algorithms for air-to-air collision and near-miss target detection from on-a-chip image sensors). The CMOS APS camera-on-a-chip technology was recently invented and developed by the Photobit's founders during their former employment with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and in the past three years at Photobit. It is a high performance, low power, very compact and cost efficient CMOS image sensor technology that provides resolution, sensitivity and dynamic range competitive with CCDs yet offers significant system advantages. In Phase I, optimal architectures to achieve both excellent image quality and a reasonable chip size will be investigated. The technical feasibility of obtaining ultra-high resolution conforming to HDTV standard (1,920 x 1,080), dynamic range over 60dB (10bit), frame rate up to 60Hz and output data flow around 1Gbit/sec will be studied. Main circuitry to implement the multi-million pixel camera-on-a-chip will be designed and simulated. Special considerations for post-camera image processing and signal compression will be performed.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
Color digital CMOS APS technology is expected to be applicable to many consumer, commercial and military applications, ranging from astronomy and biology, HDTV and electronic photography, medical and computer imaging, security and home video to star tracking, target detection, vehicle navigation, automatic inspection and the other CCTV and machine vision systems.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Dr. Vladimir Berezin
Photobit Corporation
135 N. Los Robles Ave., 7th Floor
Pasadena , CA 91101
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
Photobit Corporation
135 N. Los Robles Ave., 7th Floor
Pasadena , CA 91101
PROJECT TITLE: Design of Damage-Tolerant Composite Sandwich Panels with Tear Straps
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The objectives of the Phase-I research address the development of mechanics-based structural integrity analysis methodologies for composite sandwich panels with cracks. The methodologies and models will be implemented in a finite element code with STAGS which represent fracture mechanics capability for predicting the crack turning, the direction of failure progression, and residual strength. Further the line integrals developed will remove the complicated and time-consuming task of remeshing or adjusting the mesh direction as the crack extends or kinks, thereby accurately evaluating the critical crack-tip parameters for crack growth direction. Using the established fracture criteria for crack initiation and propagation, the direction of crack growth and residual strength of sandwich panels can be evaluated. It aims at establishing novel modeling capability of assessing and optimizing the residual strength of flat and curved sandwich panels.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The analytical and computational development of anisotropic fracture mechanics-based models will be combined to greatly improve our predictive capability on the damage tolerance of composite panels. The integrated design tool will allow, for the first time, the composite structures to be designed for aircraft applications with confidence. Airframe designers will use this tool by varying major design parameters to produce an optimal structure which not only provides fail-safe capability but also would improve the performance with the new technologies.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Gary X. Cai
Structures Technology, Inc.
2016 Cameron Street, Suite 213
Raleigh , NC 27605
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
Structures Technology, Inc.
2016 Cameron Street
Raleigh , NC 27605
PROJECT TITLE: High Speed Civil Transport Engine Cost AssessmentProgram
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Currently the engine companies have no reliable means for estimating and projecting the cost of the High Speed Civil Transport(HSCT) propulsion system. While HSCT development efforts concentrate on performance of component demonstrators and slave hardware made from conventional materials affordability and producibility issues have yet to be addressed. Studies conducted by NASA and industry between 1987 and 1989 (ref. 1 & 2) indicated that a substantial market for HSCT exists early in the next century provided the plane is environmentally friendly and the fare premium over a subsonic does not exceed 20%. The latter depends, to a significant extent on acquisition affordability. In order to get a handle on affordability, a tool that could provide the design community a quick way of assessing cost and evaluating impact of design changes on cost is highly desired. An endorsement of this effort by the GEAE-HSCT Project Office (p.22) and allowing a link-up with the engine team underscores the importance of this innovation. Due to the presence of new materials, unique manufacturing processes, and challenging applications whose economics has not been modeled before, this program will be breaking new ground. In addition, manufacturing process oriented approach captures opportunities for cost reduction/avoidance, an imperative for targeting affordability.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The HSCT Engine Cost Assessment Program will result in an enabling technology for the HSCT propulsion system permitting the design community to view cost as a variable during numerous design studies.This technology will quickly find home with the OEMs and have a favorable impact on affordability of the HSCT propulsion system. Phase I (conducted in close collaboration with the engine team) will demonstrate the concept of a user- friendly system, that can estimate cost by inputting physical parameters, normally available in the early phases of product development. In Phase II, we envision development of a stand-alone system for use by the HSCT engine OEMs and technology vendors. In Phase III, two products are to be targeted: Adapating this system for use by the turbine industry (code named CAC-Computer Aided Costing), and a second product to be integrated with CAD systems like Unigraphics, Auto Desk, Parametric Tech, etc. (code named C3AD-Cost Conscious Computer Aided Design) therby pushing the state of the art of design technology to a new frontier.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Jerry Evans
American Technology & Se, Inc.
4015 Executive Park Dr, Suite 150
Cincinnati , OH 45241
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
American Technology & Services, Inc.
4015 Executive Park Drive, Suite 150
Cincinnati , OH 45241
PROJECT TITLE: Metal Matrix Composite Actuators for the Mixer-Ejector Nozzle of the HSCT Engine
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Triton Systems, Inc. proposes to develop the materials and processess to fabricate a chopped fiber interface for wound fiber preforms that functionally grades teh coefficient of thermal expansion to minimize thermally induced stress at reinforcement volume fraction discontinuities in cast metal matrix composites. This development will enable the fabrication of engine exit nozzle actuators for the High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) program that are half the weight of titanium with identical or longer service life. The innovation is a technique to inject chopper fiber into the tow during the winding of the last few layers so that the chopped fibers will orient in the Z-direction on the outboard side of the winding. No binders are required and a graded high strength interface structure is produced. This stress minimization at volume fraction discontinuities will enable actuator designs taht can accommodate continuously reinforced material in actuator designs is necessary to fabricate all of the complex structural features of high performance actuators without using expensive braiding techniques. The proposed phase I program will pave the way for HSCT exit nozzle actuator fabrication in phase II.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The proposed interface preform technology will enable the fabrication of high temperature, lightweight, affordable, actuators for the High Speed Civil Transport Program. Other high temperature, weight sensitive applications include actuators for military aircraft such as the F-22 and JSF. Commercial flight applications include lightweight actuators for flight control surfaces and exit nozzle actuators. Additional applications included temperature and weight components in automative applications.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Mr. James Burnett
Triton Systems, Inc.
200 Turnpike Road
Chelmsford , MA 01824
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
Triton Systems, Inc.
200 Turnpike Road
Chelmsford , MA 01824
PROJECT TITLE: A Low-Noise 3-Blade Composite Propeller for General Aviation Aircraft
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The proposed innovation is a 3 blade composite propeller optimized for low noise. This will use the Quasi-Constant Speed (QCS)flexible composite propeller concept developed by Global for 2-blade propellers. The QCS propeller changes the pitch of the blades, without the complexity of existing constant speed propellers, by use of flexible composite blades that deflect to the optimum blade angle for takeoff and the optimum angle for cruise. The design of QCS propellers has been difficult since the interaction between aerodynamics, acoustics, structures, and manufacturing limits are inter-related. This has required exhaustive iterative design work by various specialists which took 6 months before all of the requirements for a single blade design were satisfied. In the proposed program, a PC based optimization method will bring together the experience and software needed to do the tasks in previous designs and allows these tasks to run iteratively to define an optimum QCS blade design. The potential of the method will be demonstrated in Phase I in a preliminary design of a 3-blade QCS propeller that meets stringent European noise certification requirements. In Phase II, the method will be completed and an optimum QCS propeller will be designed, tested, and publically demonstrated. The proposed project meets the objectives of Subtopic 03.01 for improvement in the environ-mental compatibility of subsonic aircraft through reduction of noise and improvement of passenger comfort.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The direct commercial potential for the proposed project is the manufacture and sale of:· A GA airplane incorporating the proposed low-noise, 3-Blade composite propeller. · Production and sale of low-noise 3-Blade composite propellers to existing aircraft owners. · Production and sale of low-noise 3-Blade composite propellers to other light aircraft manufacturers. Global Aircraft Corporation is currently certifying its GT-3 Trainer airplane under FAA Part 23 Regulations. The Company currently has available funding to construct the initial production facility by November 1998. Global has adequate financial reserves in the current credit facility to finance production of the low-noise 3-Blade composite propellers to be developed and FAA certified in Phase II.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Michael R. Smith
Global Aircraft Coporation
P.O. Box 850
Starkville , MS 39760
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
Global Aicraft Corporation
P.O. Box 850
Starkville , MS 39760
PROJECT TITLE: Broadband Aircraft Cabin Noise Attenuation
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Noise is an important source of passenger and crew discomfort in commercial jetliners and military aircraft. Frequent travelers will attest to the fatigue generated by several hours of exposure to this continuous, although not ear-piercing, rumble. Broadband cabin noise is generated by turbulence propagating along the airframe and by adjacent jet exhaust, depicted in Figure 1. The airframe vibration causes the trim panels to vibrate via structural and acoustic paths through the trim panel cavity. This creates 85 to 90 dB(A) of noise in the cabin. Typically, the noise energy is concentrated at the lower end of the spectrum from 100-600 Hz. The proposed work addresses solutions to the problem of low-frequency broadband turbulent boundary layer and exhaust noise in aircraft. Prior art, including low-Q elastomeric frame vibration absorbers, soft-mounting of trim panels, and passive Helmholtz resonators, is compared with Hood Technology's innovative concept of an array of independent active acoustic cells in the trim-panel cavity. These cells, consisting of an acoustic actuator, a microphone, and feedback electronics, null the sound pressure at their microphones, effectively reducing the acoustic impedance of the trim panel cavity. These methods of cabin noise attenuation will be compared on the bases of performance, weight penalty, complexity, and cost.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The ultimate goal of this research is to develop a scheme to reduce broadband noise on aircraft. If the research yields an effective solution which is low-cost and adds little weight, the commercial potential is vast. The airline crew would benefit from the more pleasant work environment. Travelers would have a much more enjoyable ride. And every commercial airline would need to retrofit their aircraft to keep pace with their competitors.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Peter M. Tappert
Hood Technology Corporation
1750 Country Club Road
Hood River , OR 97031
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
Hood Technology Corporation
1750 Country Club Road
Hood River , OR 97031
PROJECT TITLE: A Novel Approach for Mitigation of Rotor Tip-Clearance Induced noise in Turbofan Engines
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
During aircraft landing and takeoff, the propulsive (engine) noise associated with a modern jetliner is a major contributor to the overall radiated sound. With the enforcement of stricter noise regulations at most airports, further reduction and suppression of the noise generated by the various engine components has become an issue of great importance. In particular, tip-clearance vortex noise has received little attention, even though the tip-clearance vortex competes with the rotor wake as the major source of fan noise for incoming aircraft. An effective approach for reducing tip-vortex noise is through application of a proven passive control technique to the rotor tip thereby altering the vortex initiation regime and reducing the intensity of the vortex roll-up process. The approach is innovative in the extension of a viable passive control strategy to complex unsteady flows, specifically to turbulent flows near airfoil tips as encountered in rotor tip-clearance spacing. The effort focuses on the reduction of tip-clearance noise of an engine fan and simulation of the modified tip-clearance-vortex flowfield. The lowering of engine fan noise will help NASA to meet its noise reduction goals under the agency's strategic pillars for success.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
Design of low-noise aircraft fan-rotor blades, fan noise suppression for automobiles, computer hard disks, heating and ventilation system, and application of the developed passive control technique for reducing auto-frame noise.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Mehdi R. Khorrami
High Technology Corporation
28 Research Drive
Hampton , VA 23666
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
High Technology Corporation
28 Research Drive
Hampton , VA 23666
PROJECT TITLE: High-Accuracy Solution-Adaptive Method for Turbomachinery Noise Prediction
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The proposed work involves a new unstructured macro-cell algorithm for computational aeroacoustics (CAA), which may be two to three orders of magnitude more efficient than most current methods. The unstructured macro-cell algorithm has features of both structured and unstructured grid methods; it retains the efficiency and accuracy of structured grid methods and much of the adaptability of unstructured grid methods. The governing equations are solved on a macro-cell, a structured grid consisting of roughly 15 grid points in each spatial direction, using high-accuracy, explicit or implicit, finite-volume methods. A full computational domain is composed of perhaps thousands of macro-cells, arranged in an unstructured manner. The elements contributing to high efficiency include high-accuracy spatial discretization, good time integration, and spatial and temporal solution adaptivity. An advanced treatment of the slip-interference between domains in relative motion will be based on macro-cell boundary methods. These technologies will be validated on suitable CAA test cases and applied to blade/wake interactions representative of fan noise generation. The accuracy and computational efficiency of the new unstructured macro-cell method will be demonstrated.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The proposed method will provide significant accuracy and efficiency advantages over existing methods used to predict noise generation in turbomachinery. These methods can be used in the design of advanced aircraft engines, and in other industries concerned with aeroacoustic noise generation.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Robert E. Childs
Nielsen Engineering & Research, Inc.
526 Clyde Avenue
Mountain View , CA 94043-2212
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
Nielsen Engineering & Research, Inc.
526 Clyde Avenue
Mountain View , CA 94043-2212
PROJECT TITLE: Combined Laser Induced Incandescence and Multi-wavelength Scattering/Extinction Techniques for Real-Time Soot Size Measurement
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This proposal explores a variation of the Laser Induced Incandescence (LII) technique, and its integration with a multi-wavelength laser scattering/extinction technique, for measuring the soot concentration, soot primary size, and soot size distribution in the exhaust of aircraft engines with high temporal and spatial resolution. Recent research results show that the decay characteristics of the LII signal in the post-evaporative region could be used as a sensitive measure of the primary particle size. We seek elegant means of analyzing the LII signal. Furthermore, the novelty of our proposed research is that it seeks to combine the capabilities of LII with that of multi-wavelength extinction and scattering techniques to yield an integrated instrument that could be used for measuring soot concentration, size, and size distribution. The rationale is that the additional pieces of information provided by LII (namely, soot concentration and primary particle size) could be used to offset the one major limitation of laser based multi-wavelength scattering and extinction technique, namely the ambiguity of the refractive index. This proposal is a direct response to the NASA Subtopic 3.03 which calls for new instrumentation techniques for measuring engine emissions including size and size distributions of aerosols and particulates.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The potential for a measurement instrument of this kind is quite large and includes particulate emission measurement from Diesel engines, gasoline injection engines, gas turbine, and industrial burner related applications. In addition, there is the potential of using this instrument for monitoring and enforcing strict environmental laws.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
William D. Bachalo
Artium Technologies
34211 Petard Terrace
Fremont , CA 94555-2611
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
Artium Technologies
34211 Petard Terrace
Fremont , CA 94555-2611
PROJECT TITLE: Low Frequency, High Amplitude Fuel Modulator to Enhance Lean Blowout and Reduce Emissions in AST Combustors
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This SBIR project proposes to develop a fuel pulsing Lean Direct Injection (LDI) nozzle that reduces nozzle blowout equivalence ratio (phi) and reduces NOx emissions by 90% compared to ICAO 1996 standards. In contrast to high frequency (> 10,000 Hz), low motion piezoelectric actuators studied in the past, the proposed LDI will utilize an innovative low frequency (< 1000 Hz) magnetic actuator with up to full off/on modulation. It is expected that the nozzle blowout phi will be reduced by 33% compared to previously demonstrated lean blowout. This will allow the nozzle phi at full power conditions to be reduced by 33%, resulting in a potential 35-fold reduction in NOx. An existing simplex-piloted airblast LDI fuel nozzle will be employed, and the pilot fuel flow will be pulsed off/on at a frequency (to be determined) between 200-1000 Hz in order to anchor the flame within a 5 msec recirculation zone. Since half of the time the fuel will be twice the average fuelflow, the nozzle blowout phi can be theoretically halved. A magnetic fuel actuator proposed by our selected small business subcontractor, Fluid Jet Associates, will be used to pulse the pilot fuel and parametrically vary the frequency and amplitude. Prototype LDI hardware will be fabricated using CFDRC?s past experience and CFD analysis. Experimental tests will then be run at atmospheric pressure and idle inlet air temperatures to show the overall feasibility of improving lean blowout and maintaining low CO levels at idle. In Phase II, single nozzle flametube rig testing will be performed at NASA LeRC to determine CO and NOx emissions at various operating conditions, and to assess fuel pulsation strategies for active control of thermoacoustic oscillations at lean, takeoff conditions. To fully demonstrate the design, engine-quality fuel modulators and LDI nozzles will be fabricated and tested in a full annular combustor at an engine company (e.g. GEAE).
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The fuel modulator and fuel pulsing LDI nozzle developed in this SBIR have the potential of significantly reducing NOx emissions in gas turbine engines, both aero and industrial versions. Gas turbine engine manufacturers (e.g. General Electric and AlliedSignal) have expressed interest in the concept. The rights to fabricate the nozzle will be sold to a fuel nozzle vendor in exchange for a royalty fee for every production nozzle.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Dan Nickolaus
CFD Research Corporation
215 Wynn Drive
Huntsville , AL 35805
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
CFD Research Corporation
215 Wynn Dr.
Huntsville , AL 35805
PROJECT TITLE: An Integrated Tool for Launch Vehicle Base-Heating Analysis
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
An innovative integrated design tool using unstructured grid method with solution-adaptation and parallel computing strategy is proposed to predict the base heating and plume radiation. The CFD flow field with solution-adaptation and viscous/turbulence effects will be used for the heat transfer and fluid flow analyses. The proposed unstructured grid method can import grids from computer aided design (CAD) geometry and will simplify the grid generation and grid adaptation procedures for the numerical simulation of flow field around complicated geometries. Computational efficiency will be highly enhanced through parallel computing using multiple CPUs or network computers. Test cases of fluid flow and radiative heat transfer problems under limited conditions will be investigated in the Phase I effort. Complex three-dimensional analysis, the solution-adaptation procedure and user friendly graphics interface will be fully integrated with CAD systems in the Phase II proposal. The basic study and development of the proposed unstructured grid CFD method will enhance the cost effectiveness of the design and evaluation of fluid flow and heat transfer processes for launch vehicles.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The proposed integrated tool will significantly benefit the areas in which complex radiative heat transfer processes and fluid flow are involved. The technology to be developed in this SBIR project will be very useful in commercial applications for the design and analysis of advanced launch vehicle and propulsion systems. The other immediate applications can be found in the evaluation of the performance of gas turbine combustor, automobile combustion engine and industrial furnace etc.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Huan-Min Shang
Engineering Sciences, Inc
1900 Golf Rd, Suite D
Huntsville , AL 35802
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
Engineering Sciences, Inc.
1900 Golf Road, Suite D
Huntsville , AL 35802
PROJECT TITLE: A Thermally Integrated Structure Using Aerogel and Innovative Manufacturing
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
A scheme for combining the space vehicle functions of cryogenic storage,cryogenic insulation, structure and thermal protection (TPS) in a thermally integrated structure, ThIS, will be investigated. The scheme uses aerogels for TPS and insulation and an innovative cryogenic tank/structure manufacturing process. Aerogels are very light-weight and have extremely low conductivities making them highly desirable for future space vehicles. The innovative technique of using thermally sprayed metals on polyurethane molds to form cryogenic tank/structure; then melting the mold out of the resultant assembly offers savings in cost and weight. To optimize the concept, Phase I will address the following: 1) the best form and curing process for the aerogel, 2) the need for aerogel reinforcing, and 3) the choice of an outer layer to be applied to the aerogel to make it impervious to moisture and other environmental conditions. During Phase I thermal and structural tests will be performed on small, sample configurations. Manufacturing techniques will also be examined to assure feasibility. Phase I will determine the feasibility of the proposed ThIS concept and provide a comprehensive plan for more elaborate development and testing in Phase II. Manufactured versions of the ThIS concept have great potential for Phase III commercialization.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
Light-weight, relatively inexpensive, extremely effective structure forfuture expendable and reusable space vehicles.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Richard E. Somers
Qualis Corporation
3225 Bob Wallace Ave., Suite C
Huntsville , AL 35805-4068
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
Qualis Corporation
3225 Bob Wallace Ave., Suite C
Huntsville , AL 35805-4068
PROJECT TITLE: Pulsed Inductive Plasma Source Development for Advanced Propulsion Systems
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
We propose to develop an empirical model for design of inductively generated plasma sources which operate in the presence of background magnetic fields. No such model exists for inductive breakdown in magnetic fields, though scaling rules have been developed for electrostatic breakdown between electrodes, and breakdown using radio-frequency fields. Plasma generation in the presence of a background magnetic field enables the background and plasma source magnetic fields to be used to control the location and movement of the plasma. Inductively generated plasma sources eliminate electrode contamination and wear, which are key lifetime considerations. Electrodeless (inductive) operation and the ability to generate plasma in a magnetic field are fundamental to several advanced propulsion schemes, from simple acceleration of a plasma in a magnetic nozzle, to propulsion based on magnetic fusion. Industrial applications for inductively generated plasma sources include an ion beam surface treatment process currently being commercialized. We propose to develop a model for the design of inductively generated plasma sources, to build and test an experimental plasma source (5cm diameter plasma slug, 1 kG background field, 10E16 cm(-3)density, 4 eV), to compare its performance with the model's predictions, and to refine the model.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
Three applications of particular interest to APP are electric (plasma) thrusters for satellite station keeping and interplanetary spacecraft propulsion, pulsed plasmas used as ion sources for surface treatment of materials, and plasma sputter etch systems used extensively in the manufacture of semiconductors.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Steven C. Glidden
Applied Pulsed Power, Inc.
Box 1020, 207 Langmuir Lab
Ithaca , NY 14850-1257
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
Applied Pulsed Power, Inc.
Box 1020, 207 Langmuir Lab
Ithaca , NY 14850-1257
PROJECT TITLE: A Breakthrough Fusion Power unit for Space Applications
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Experiments to prove the feasibility of developing a D-He3 fusion power plant for space applications (both station/site keeping and propulsion) are proposed. Prior conceptual studies by various groups have concluded that the high power-weight ratio of the IEC makes it one of the most attractive power units for space application. Due to breakthrough physics associated with potential structure formation in the IEC plasma core, scaling up in fusion energy gain appears possible without a significant increase in size beyond present laboratory experiments. Thus a "fast tract" physics proof-of-principle scale-up is feasible. Pulsed operation will be employed to obtain high peak currents such that the plasma physics can be studies during the pulse, minimizing power supply and other technogical requirements. The proposed Phase I unit would be designed to achieve an energy gain (fusion energy out/energy in) during a pulse of 10-4 . This would provide a physics demonstration of the concept and the design basis for the Phase II Q=1 (during a pulse) experiment. If successful, these two experiments would justify the R&D funding needed to develop the technology (high rep rate power supply, active grid cooling, energy extraction/conversion) necessary for a Phase III demonstration D-He3 fusion power unit.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The high specific power D-He3 IEC fusion unit represents a most attractive power supply for a variety of space applications, ranging from station keeping to landing site power and, in a modified version, deep space propulsion. Commercial involvement would range from system engineering of overall units to supplying individual components. In addition, a number of spin-off commercial applications appear feasible for intermediate scale units providing intense neutron or proton fluxes, including medical uses such as isotope production, tomography, and radiation therapy. Indeed, smaller IEC units are already in commercial use for portable neutron sources for neutron activation analysis, and higher neutron intensities could extend this to luggage inspection and industrial neutron tomography.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Jon Nadler
NPL Associates
912 W. Armory St.
Champaign , IL 61821
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
NPL Associates
912 W. Armory St.
Champaign , IL 61821
PROJECT TITLE: Gamma Absorption Techniques for Converting Induced Gamma Emission from Meta-stable Nuclear Isomers into Heat, Electricity and Momentum for Space Propulsion Applications
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
NASA is faced with the challenge of bringing long range space flight into the realm of economic viability. The Marshall Space Flight Center's expertise has been tapped to evaluate and develop advanced, even exotic, propulsion technologies for the visionary missions of the future. In response to NASA SBIR Topic 04.02 for Advanced/Exotic Propulsion System Technologies, SRS proposes in Phase I to evaluate and define testing for Phase II that will use energy pre-stored in nuclear meta-stable isomers and released by induced gamma emission (IGE) as a propulsive energy source. This concept has been termed Hot Isomeric Transitions (HIT). HIT relies on standard models in nuclear physics, but does not involve nuclear reactions. No fission or fusion is involved. In Phase I SRS will determine the energy conversion characteristics of gamma energy emitted by isomer sources and define surrogate testing approaches that can mimic the gamma emission from isomers to allow a fast track to testing of propulsion concepts while separate research continues in parallel outside this SBIR to achieve meaningfully significant amounts of induced gamma emission of energy stored in isomer materials. Also direct conversion of gamma emission by lasing as a photon momentum drive system will be investigated.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
Include space propulsion systems; defense warhead for lethality against biological agents and other threats such as high explosives, chemical agents and nuclear warheads; medical irradiation source for in situ treatment of cancers; sterilization of medical wastes and instruments; food preparation area sterilization; food preservation treatments; industrial radiography; extra-solar space communication system; high energy probe for instrumentation in nuclear physics; high energy material characterization instrumentation.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Hillary E. Roberts
SRS Technologies
500 Discovery Drive
Huntsville , AL 35806
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
SRS Technologies
500 Discovery Drive
Huntsville , AL 35806
PROJECT TITLE: Variable Reluctance Motor Drive for Spacecraft Electric Auxiliary Power
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
An electric auxiliary power unit (APU) forms an attractive, more flexible alternative to the present hydrazine APU on today's spacecraft. With no impact to spacecraft structure, and with substantial system simplification and significant weight reduction, an electric APU meets NASA's mandates for the creation of aerospace and commercial partnerships and can provide considerable cost, safety, operational and technological benefits. The choice of an appropriate motor drive for driving the hydrazine pump is constrained by weight and electromagnetic interference considerations, and today's technological advancements offer a number of options. In this Phase I program, a variable reluctance motor drive is proposed that will form a higher power density, lower cost, simpler alternative to the hydrazine APU, without sacrificing safety and system reliability. By incorporating the latest and on-going commercial developments in motor and power electronics technologies, the proposed drive can allow for the deletion of individual power assist elements with no impact to overall system weight. The Phase I work will provide the final design and drawings for the drive, configured for direct deployment in an electric APU. Under a Phase II program, SatCon will assemble the motor drive and perform all tests necessary to ensure that the new system meets NASA specifications and the Phase I performance predictions.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The research proposed here has direct commercial application in a number of cost-sensitive electric motor markets, such as electric and hybrid vehicles, aerospace, and the utility power markets, where safety, performance, reliability and cost are the primary needs and product drivers.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Mary Tolikas, Ph.D.
SatCon Technology Corporation
161 First Street
Cambridge , MA 02142-1221
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
SatCon Technology Corporation
161 First Street
Cambridge , MA 02142-1221
PROJECT TITLE: Mars In-Situ Based Rocket Propulsion Using Methanol
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Methanol (CH3OH) can be produced from the Marian atmosphere with little difficulty. This fact makes methanol an attractive propulsion fuel option for Mars exploration missions. Using methanol as a rocket propulsion fuel also addresses key issues in current state-of-the-art hydrocarbon cooled rocket engines, such as coking, environmental compatibility and ground processing operations, from exhaust product and safety standpoints, respectively. Coking is a major problem that limits the op-eration and performance of such systems. Methanol can be decomposed endothermically, in the presence of a catalyst, into carbon monoxide and hydrogen, absorbing a great deal of enthalpy in the process. It can also absorb more enthalpy for a given temperature change than hydrogen, making it a superior coolant. A methanol fuel rocket system can use the test and operational infrastructure that are currently in place to support current hydrocarbon fueled engine systems. Additionally, it is likely that no exotic, advanced technologies will be required to develop low-cost, modest perform-ance methanol fuel rocket engine systems. Use of this low-cost propulsion system technology should provide significant improvement in life cycle cost, reliability, and safety of future space sys-tems, as well as make both manned and unmanned Mars exploration missions, attractive, realistic cost options.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
There are three major commerical applications that can be identified for a methanol engine. The low freezing point of methanol makes it a promising candidate for a space storable upper stage. Such a stage would be capable not only of restarting, like the Centaur upper stage, but also of operating for extended periods of time in interplanetary space, which the Centaur cannot. Methanol's perform-ance and density make it superior in system performance when compared with other upper stage fuels as well, such as solid propellants and hydrazine. Replacement of the Shuttle's Orbital Maneu-vering System (OMS), as well as booster and maneuvering engines for expendable and future reusable launch systems, are other potential applications. Improved cooling for annular aerospike engines is also a possibility. Finally, there is a concept for a unique type of space transportation ve-hicle called a propellant transfer spaceplane, which gets one propellant from the ground and transfers the other from a subsonic tanker. For nearly every propellant combination of interest, the mixture ratio favors the oxidizer, requiring the development of aerial oxidizer transfer technology and the use of a dedicated tanker aircraft. If a liquid oxygen/methanol engine is used, it may be operated at a mixture ratio of 1:1 with the loss of only a few seconds of performance. This offers the prospect of being able to transfer the fuel instead of the oxidizer, removing the need for a dedicated aircraft and requiring no new technology development.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Dennis G. Pelaccio
Pioneer Astronautics
445 Union Blvd., Suite 125
Lakewood , CO 80228
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
Pioneer Astronautics
445 Union Blvd., Suite 125
Lakewood , CO 80228
PROJECT TITLE: Thin-Film Fresnel Reflectors with Preformed Inflatable Support Structures
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Off-axis Fresnel reflector design methodologies and manufacturing processes will be developed to provide the capability to produce large area flat thin polyimide reflectors which can be attached to precision preformed polyimide film support structures. The design methodologies will be used to determine optimal Fresnel reflector segment configurations that facilitate the assembly of complete reflectors that have the desired concentration ratios and focuses. Segment forming mandrels will be used to quantify and verify polyimide material processing parameters. Different approaches for application of highly reflective film coatings and segment joining will be evaluated to determine their efficacy for operational-scale reflector fabrication. Methods will be demonstrated for attachment of the complete reflector film to preformed inflatable torus-strut support structures that are rigidizable in-space with foam.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
This work will lead to manufacturing processes and design procedures to meet user needs for low-cost, operationally simple, long-life inflatable solar concentrators for solar orbit transfer vehicles, electrical power gereration, and high temperature materials processing in space. Other reflector applications are large antennas, microwave concentrators, and next generation space telescopes.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Rodney Bradford
United Apllied Technologies, Inc.
11506 Gilleland Road SE
Huntsville , AL 35803
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
United Applied Technologies, Inc.
11506 Gilleland Road
Huntsville , AL 35803
PROJECT TITLE: Highly Conductive, Thermooptical Black or White, Highly Adherent, Outgassing Free, UV, Atomic Oxygen and Abrasion Resistant, Space Tether Coatings
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This proposed program will demonstrate feasibility of a cost-effective, rapid, new, radiation & atomic oxygen (AO) resistant white or highly conductive thermooptical black cationic coating technology for protecting high strength organic (PBO, PE etc.) or metallic (Aluminum, etc.) space tethers fibers from the severe low earth orbit space environment. Currently considered atomic oxygen resistant phosphine oxide arylene ether backbone containing thermoplastic candidate polymers in braided fibrous or solvent based coating forms are plagued with weight penalty, space off-gassing and tether fiber adhesion problems. These are inherent problems for high molecular weight thermoplastic polymers processed form environmentally unfriendly solvent based coatings. An innovative cationically cured polymer, known from LDEF experiments for it?s minimal degradation during severe AO attack and low off gassing, has been newly formulated as a flexible and highly adherent solventless coating for organic and metallic tether fibers. Adhesion and offgassing problem prone solvents are not used in this cationic homopolymerization technique since monomer viscosity is very low. Recent tests show 66-75% more weight loss for TOR coating vs. AEROPLAS AOUV coating yet AEROPLAS coatings saw 20-40% more AO Fluence. Organic fibers coated with this new system also provide outstanding UV and wear resistance.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The proposed process is cost effective (does away with the costs associated with toxic solvent removal and is far more advanced and robust than the prior cationic cure systems); rapid (minutes versus hours to cure); environmentally friendly; is a low even sub-ambient temperature process (for less molded in thermal stresses); is less expensive and less complicated; is amenable to large cable scale up with inexpensive tooling. The impact of the proposed concept is tremendous and can revolutionize the wire and cable protective coating industry. The rapid coating cure technology will find immediate application in Infrastructural, Automotive, Electronic, Aerospace and other industries where very long and complicated cable coating runs are required.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
THOMAS C. WALTON
AEROPLAS CORPORATION INTERNATIONAL
265B Proctor Hill Road
Hollis , NH 03049
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
AEROPLAS CORPORATION INTERNATIONAL
265B Proctor Hill Road
HOLLIS , NH 03049-6427
PROJECT TITLE: SEMA-Based Motor for Electric Auxiliary Power Unit
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
There is a need to update the Space Shuttle?s Auxiliary Power Unit (APU), which provides hydraulic pressure to the vehicle?s flight control surfaces. A new high-power-density motor technology, developed by Visual Computing Systems Corporation (VCS) and commercialized by Lynx Motion Technology Corporation (Lynx), will be able to provide the power of the present hydrazine powered APU efficiently and with less weight and cost than with conventional motor technologies. In addition, the new electric APU (EAPU) system will be more reusable, more reliable, and will reduce turn-around time and cost between flights. In the proposed Phase I SBIR effort, the VCS development team, working with Lynx and with support from Boeing North American, will design, construct and test a proof-of-concept, high-speed motor based on commercial Lynx motor products. This will be used to demonstrate the viability of the motor technology. Additional modeling and analyses will be employed to develop a plan for a Phase II motor design, optimized for the EAPU application.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The proposed research could be used to significantly improve the performance of numerous military and commercial systems, including: starting motors and alternators for turbine engines, flywheel motor/alternators, vehicle traction motors for electric cars, buses, trains and earth-moving equipment, surface and underwater propulsion motors, and general-purpose industrial high-power motors.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Roy L. Kessinger Jr.
President, Visual Computing Systems Corporation
9540 Highway 150/ P.O. Box 250
Greenville , IN 47124-0250
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
Visual Computing Systems Corporation
Box 250, 9540 Hwy 150
Greenville , IN 47124-0250
PROJECT TITLE: Thermal control of electrodynamic tethers through surface texturing
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Electrodynamic conductive tethers combined with electrical power sources have the potential to provide propellant-less reboost or deorbit forces to spacecraft in low Earth orbit. Tether performance is limited by heating, which decreases strength and increases resistivity, lowering electrodynamic efficiency. Electrodynamic tethers in space are heated both ohmically and by absorption of radiation from the Sun and Earth, while radiation is the only cooling mechanism. To minimize tether temperature it is desirable to minimize the absorptivity/emissivity ratio, i.e. to reflect insolation and earthshine while radiating efficiently at low temperature. Ion Optics proposes to accomplish this with ion-beam texturing, a blackening process which increases emissivity by carving micron-sized features into the wire surface. Size and spacing of the features can be controlled to provide a relatively sharp transition from shiny at short wavelengths to black at long wavelengths. Tailoring their surfaces to increase long wavelength emissivity from less than 0.1 to greater than 0.9 would allow aluminum tethers to handle three times the power at the same operating temperature and mass. The resulting lighter, more efficient tethers mean dramatic cost savings for NASA?s International Space Station reboost and space debris reduction programs.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
Textured surfaces already have commercial applications; they play a key role in Ion Optics' line of pulsIR infrared sources, extensively used in gas sensing instruments. Texturing has also been suggested as a means to a new class of infrared detectors, to improved electrolytic battery electrodes and better pacemaker tips, prosthetic devices treated for more rapid ingrowth, passive thermal control materials for commercial spacecraft, and perhaps ultimately to miniature gas detection systems built entirely on a silicon chip. The major potential commercial space application is textured tethers for the Terminator Tether spacecraft deorbit systems of Tethers Unlimited, Inc., a Phase I partner on this proposal.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Edward A. Johnson
Ion Optics
411 Waverley Oaks Road, Suite 144
Waltham , MA 02452
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
Ion Optics, Inc.
411 Waverley Oaks Rd. Suite 144
Waltham , MA 02452
PROJECT TITLE: Design-Based Developments for Pump Cavitation Control
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This project offers a design-oriented developmental approach to improve fundamental knowledge and design techniques for high-performance, cavitating inducers. It is built upon an innovative approach to inducer design using bowed blading, sweep, and incidence, plus cover treatment concepts. On a step-by-step basis, this investigation deals with tradeoffs between blade shape, hence loading, and cavitation. It deals with blade design parameters such as solidity, leading edge shape (sweep), cant angle, tip speed, and clearance plus thickness effects. These parameters will be independently investigated in the laboratory with steady and dynamic measurements plus flow visualization. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is evaluated for modeling both non-cavitating and cavitating performance in an effort to more clearly understand this design problem. An advanced inducer is designed and tested in Phase I with low NPSH implying a suction specific speed of 65,000 to above 85,000 with an inducer flow coefficient of over 0.10. Tests will be conducted on CETI's magnetic bearing rig to collect force data. Measured results will be compared to the fundamental modeling. Overcoming current turbopump design thresholds due to cavitation, and related instabilities, is a critical path item for advanced propulsion technologies.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
Improved design methods for cavitating inducers will be of immediate use to aerospace and industrial pumping companies. Information learned will be introduced into CETI's design software system used by industrial and rocket engine turbopump manufacturers. Our "Centrifugal Pump Design and Performance" course material will be updated based upon project results. The ability to optimize suction performance will allow increases in rotational speed. This will lead to smaller, less costly, more reliable turbopumps and industrial pumps.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Dr. David Japikse
Concepts ETI, Inc.
4 Billings Farm Road
White River Junction , VT 05001
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
Concepts ETI, Inc.
4 Billings Farm Road
White River Junction , VT 05001
PROJECT TITLE: Development of ZrC/Cf Composites for Low-Cost, Lightweight Engine Components
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The goal of this program is to develop a low cost, flexible manufacturing method for the production of Cf reinforced composites to meet the performance objectives of future NASA aerospace propulsion systems. The matrix material selected for demonstration of the technology will be ZrC, a material with good oxidation and ablation resistance within the temperature range of 2200 to 3500°C. The program will focus on an innovative method for fabricating ZrC/Cf composites based on melt spinning of thermoplastic/ceramic powder blends. This process, called Continuous Composite Co-extrusion, incorporates Cf into the extrusion process in order to fabricate ?in-situ? ZrC/Cf composites. The fiber will impart the necessary thermal shock resistance and toughness that ZrC lacks as a monolithic ceramic. The process technique will be widely applicable to a large number on material systems such as TaC, HfB2, ZrB2, and HfN. Phase I success will allow future iterations to optimize the composition and fiber volume fraction of the composite for specific applications.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The development of a low cost, high temperature, flaw-tolerant material will have far reaching implications in heat engine systems and other energy conservation systems. The material has potential applications in injectors, combustors, hot gas ducts, erosion throats, uncooled nozzles, exhaust flaps, propulsion engine bodies, radiant burners, as well as hot-section components for power generation systems.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Dr. Mark Rigali
Advanced Ceramics Research
3292 E. Hemisphere Loop
Tucson , AZ 85706
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
Advanced Ceramics Research
3292 E. Hemisphere Loop
Tucson , AZ 85706
PROJECT TITLE: Thick-Section, Lightweight CVI Silicon Carbide Matrix Composite Components via Reactive Joining
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Performance enhancement of next generation rocket propulsion systems can be achieved through the incorporation of components fabricated from high temperature, high specific strength materials, such as continuous fiber-reinforced ceramic matrix composites (CMCs). Design and fabrication of many key propulsion components from CMCs which require thick-section and/or complex geometries has been limited by current manufacturing technologies. Successful implementation of the proposed processing technique will enable the fabrication of thick-section (>1") and/or complex geometry components from high fiber volume, continuous fiber-reinforced CMCs. The objective of this Phase I program is to develop and characterize a reaction-formed silicon carbide (SiC) joint between SiC-based CMC sections. The resultant bond joint is expected to have strength, temperature, lifetime and environmental durability characteristics comparable to the CVI SiC matrix material. Once the feasibility of the joining technique is established, multiple joints will be used to fabricate a bulk, thick-section (nominally 1"-2" thick) part for delivery to NASA for possible NDE and spin testing. The joining parameters will be further optimized in the Phase II program concentrating on the fabrication of full-scale, complex component geometries.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The successful implementation of the proposed technology will enhance the design of SiC-based materials in a majority of current applications, and will enable their use in applications which are currently manufacturing limited. Increased manufacturing capabilities include fabrication of complex-shape, thick-section, large scale components; the joining of lower cost simple geometry components to create complex geometries; and the repair of existing components. These attributes have wide ranging applications in all of the industries which require one, or a combination of, the following material properties for their components; low density, high strength, high temperature, wear resistance, low thermal expansion, nonvolatile, corrosion resistant/environmentally durable, and low observable. These industries include aerospace, energy, electronics, nuclear, transportation, chemical/petrochemical and the pulp and paper industry. Specific thick-section components include turbine wheels and impellers for gas turbine engines, liquid propulsion rocket engines, slurry and other pumps with aggressive operating environments. Applications for joining include manifolds; manifold assemblies; tube to tube joining for ducting, turbine wheel/shaft assemblies, and space truss structures and platforms.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Charlene F. Rusnak
Hyper-Therm High-Temperature Composites, Inc.
18411 Gothard Street, Unit B
Huntington Beach , CA 92648
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
Hyper-Therm High-Temperature Composites
18411 Gothard Street Units B&C
Huntington Beach , CA 92648-1208
PROJECT TITLE: Very High Speed Video and Data Transmission Techniques
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
NASA has unique data collection requirements to support ground-based testing of rocket engines. Not only is the rapid collection of data important, but the transmission of this information to processing facilities is critical. By combining new electrical interface standards with high speed fiber optic technology, generic transmission systems can be designed which would be capable of transferring data collection samples and video images at speeds approaching 1Gbps using existing fiber optic infrastructures. This system will allow NASA to better utilize digital sampling and encoding techniques, reducing their dependency on antiquated analog processing and transmission methodologies. This should improve their determination of rocket engine status in a more efficient manner.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The outcome of this project will result in transferable technology to the private sector regarding high speed (1 Gbps and beyond) systems for both data acquisition and high definition video channels transmitted over fiber optic cables. Units can be produced for interface into existing hardware through a common electrical standard.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Kim D. Jovanovich, MS, P.E.
Omni Technologies, Inc.
450 31st St. Suite A
Kenner , LA 70065-4102
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
Omni Technologies, Inc.
450 31st St. Suite A
Kenner , LA 70065-4102
PROJECT TITLE: A NON-INTRUSIVE OPTICAL FLUID QUALITY SENSOR
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This proposal describes a novel optical fluid quality sensor (OFQS) and the objectives to produce a prototype sensor for in-line use in a cryogenic test facility. The OFQS is non-intrusive and capable of instantaneous indication of the presence of two phase flow. In addition, the fully developed sensor will be capable of determining relative concentrations of several different fluids and/or gases which may be present. Response time of the sensor will be capable of monitoring flow rates in excess of 17,000 gpm in cryogenic rocket engine test facilities. During Phase I a proof-of-concept experiment will be performed to validate the basic principle of operation. The results of phase I will feed directly into the development of a working prototype sensor to be developed in Phase II.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The proposed OFQS will find applications in many government, civilian and military test stand facilities where fluid phase and quality are a concern. In addition, the sensor could be used anywhere that fluid clarity or relative concentrations of different fluids need to be monitored such as in the medical or beverage industry.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
John F Justak
JUSTAK Research & Development, Inc.
P.O. Box 442
Stuart , FL 34995
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
JUSTAK Research & Development, Inc.
P.O. Box 442
Stuart , FL 34995
PROJECT TITLE: Ultraspectral Imaging for Propulsion System Health Monitoring
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Kestrel Corporation proposes a new technology that generates spatially distributed wavenumber resolution spectral signature fingerprints that allow rocket ignition deviations from nominal to be noted in time to abort a launch or prevent initiation of auxiliary functions. The concept uses the rocket?s exhaust as a source of performance and health data that has not previously been fully exploited. In this Phase I SBIR, we will demonstrate that a new tech-nology called Ultra Spectral Imaging (USI) can be used as a sensor to observe the mid wave infrared (MWIR) to long wave infrared (LWIR) spectral and spatial time varying flow of a liquid rocket engine and that these data can be processed to create a non intrusive rocket health and performance monitoring system. The proposed technique takes advantage of the presence of a predictable time and spatially varying MWIR to LWIR molecular spectra associated with a rocket ignition process. These data, created by the purges, film cooling flows, and fuel-oxidizer flows, have uniquely definable time dependent and spatially distributed spectral features. By using a spatially modulated Fourier transform USI, a spatial map of these signature can be created in real time for comparison to a predicted distribution. Unique to this approach is the wave number spectral resolution available in a USI and the real time data processing required to rapidly assess the exhaust flow.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The proposed optical diagnostic system has use in NASA, military, and commercial launches as well as application to the more general field of combustion diagnostics.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Dr. Leonard John Otten, III
Kestrel Corporation
6624 Gulton Court, NE
Albuquerque , NM 87109
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
Kestrel Corporation
6624 Gulton Court, NE
Albuquerque , NM 87109
PROJECT TITLE: Auto-Coupler System for Engine Test Stands
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
AJT proposes to develop an innovative, automated propellant auto-coupler system, which would be applicable for propulsion ground test facilities. Our approach is similar to the Russian auto-coupler methodologies of simple, rugged and reliable approach. The concept is a scaleable (0.5 to 12" diameter) system which incorporates the coupler, compliance device, motion mechanism, purging elements and all necessary sensors, valves and control mechanism. The auto-coupler system will reduce the time and costs of engine test stand operations. Our recent experience in the design engineering of the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) launch facilities at Cape Canaveral Air Station provided an in-depth experience in the design and implementation of cryogenic control and delivery systems for next generation propulsion systems. The methods developed should help to reduce required labor and associated costs for testing and launch facilities.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
A number of commercial applications exist for auto-coupler tasks including: commercial aircraft refueling, refueling of alternate fuel vehicles (liquefied natural gas, liquid hydrogen, etc.). We are pursuing commercial implementation of this system for EELV RD-180 rocket engine test stands. There a number of other engine test stands which could benefit from this system as well. This process can also be used for new launch vehicles and facilities.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Tracey Post, P.E.
AJT & Associates, Inc.
8910 Astronaut Blvd.
Cape Canaveral , FL 32920
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
AJT & Associates, Inc.
8910 Astronaut Blvd.
Cape Canaveral , FL 32920
PROJECT TITLE: A Vent Control for Optimizing Airbag Performance
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The program will develop a control mechanism to install in airbag vents. The device will help alleviate problems with air bag systems. The control valve mechanism will conserve gas as well as regulate the pressure in the airbag. As a result, gas generators can be made smaller without compromising protection in severe crashes. Even more important, the energy absorbing efficiency of the airbag will be substantially improved. Air bag size can then be reduced 50% without a loss in crash protection capability. This reduced size will prevent many airbag induced injuries otherwise inflicted on out of position occupants. For those occupants still exposed to airbag induced injury, the vent valve can be designed to quickly release gas and thereby minimize injury. Deployment velocity can also be lower without compromising system performamce in severe crashes. The vent control will be compatible wit