Integrated Turbopump Design System for Improved Performance and Reduced Cost

Concepts ETI, Inc.

White River Junction, VT

Empowers turbopump designers to evaluate performance versus manufacturing cost/assembly efficacy early in, and throughout, the new product development process. Integrates all of the software tools required to perform turbopump scoping evaluations, design work, and manufacturing cost/assembly assessment in an agile PC system for use by well-trained (not necessarily experts) multi-disciplinary design engineers. Turbopumps are a key component in a rocket engine.

• Design for manufacture and assembly (DFMA) procedures and software integrated into the agile engineering design system. 
• DFMA used to analyze NASA’s Fastrac (X-34) turbopump, leading to recommendations for reducing the parts inventory by 1/2 and assembly time by 1/3 (without a major redesign).
• Developed turbopump design guidelines based on 17 different rocket turbopump stages. May be the most complete set of data available for turbopumps.
• Plans set to incorporate NASA’s GFSSP code and more integrated life (including thermal and transient analysis) evaluations into the agile engineering process.
• Over $995,000 in additional (mostly non-government) revenue due to the recently completed Phase II SBIR project. Over $5,500,000 in additional revenue is forecast from 2000 to 2004 as a direct result of the Phase II SBIR project. 

• The entire process is marketed as the Agile Engineering Design System ^® (very similar to NASA’s Intelligent Synthesis Environment, ISE).
• System includes integrated individual software products for centrifugal pump and axial turbine design and development. (Similar products are also available for axial and centrifugal compressors and radial turbines). Marketed to pump, compressor, and turbine manufacturers for both industrial and aerospace applications. 
• During the approximate time period covered by the Phase II SBIR (calendar years 1998 and 1999), select CETI software users known as the Advanced Users Group (AUG) provided $1,147,000 for additional software program enhancements. 
• As AUG members, the companies directly benefited from SBIR funded work, thereby demonstrating the dual-use nature of the Phase II SBIR work. Over $700,000 in non-government AUG funds are being used for ongoing system enhancements in 2000. 
• New users for pump applications as a result of the Phase II SBIR project include: Hamilton Sundstrand, Cryogenic Experts, Bombardier, Westinghouse, and Williams International. (Initial revenue generated equals $422,000.)

• In addition to over 80 industrial and aerospace companies, NASA  MSFC is now a user of the Agile Engineering Design System ^®.
• MSFC has recently used part of the system to evaluate potential design modifications to the Fastrac turbopump.
• SBIR product developed could reduce component development cost by half.
• Tools will be used for future generation Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) turbomachinery systems to help meet cost targets.

Return to NASA SBIR Success Listings