Type of Award: SBIR Phase I, Phase II Proposal Rejected Contract Number: F33615-98-C-2897 Agency: Ballistic Missile Defense Organization – WPAFB Managed Status: Completed Period: 7/24/98 to 2/24/99 Principal Investigator: Steven Glover Abstract: Cryogenic components are being proposed for ground-transportable radar (GTR) systems. Incorporating low-loss components into power-electronic based systems is a concern from the standpoint of system stability due to the inherent low resistance of the cryogenic components which may tend to destabilize the system due to reduced damping. The purpose of the work proposed herein is first to investigate the stability of this type of GTR system. This is to be accomplished by first defining a baseline GRT system configuration and then determining the parameters, and the variation thereof, in order, to approximate the operating characteristics of the proposed cryogenic GTR. The overall goal, however, is to conduct a first-look into optimizing performance, weight, and cost of a GTR system in regard to system stability. Optimization studies will focus first on small-disturbance stability and then on large-excursion stability with a pulsed load present. During this research, a new and innovative means of eliminating negative-impedance instability, which has recently been shown to be effective on a noncryogenic power-electronic based system, will be considered as a means of reducing the weight requirement’s by decreasing the number and size of the system capacitors for a low-loss GTR system. The possible use of this stabilizer control in a pulsed-load environment has not been investigated. Moreover, the possible interaction of the various system controllers, including the stabilizer control, will be investigated with, a focus on achieving optimum system performance through appropriate coordination or modification of the system...
Read MoreMulti-Level Heterogeneous Modeling of the Advanced Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAAV)
Type of Award: STTR Phase I and Phase II with Funded Enhancement Subcontractors: Purdue Contract Numbers: M67004-99-C-0044 and M67854-00-C-3047 Agency: U.S. Marine Corp Status: Completed Periods: 7/13/99 to 6/13/00 and 5/23/00 to 8/31/03 Principal Investigator: E. A. Walters Abstract: The primary objective of the Phase I effort was to determine the feasibility of a heterogeneous modeling environment for the Advanced Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAAV). This has been clearly established. In particular, a method of connecting any number of independent time-domain simulations has been developed and used to demonstrate a detailed heterogeneous computer simulation of the salient components of the AAAV electric power system. The primary objective of the Phase II effort is to establish a flexible and powerful distributed modeling and analysis environment for the AAAV electrical power system that can be used to evaluate design alternatives, predict performance characteristics during normal and abnormal (e.g. battle damage) conditions, and serve as a simulation testbed for future design modifications. This facility will reduce engineering and development costs, identify optimum design choices, and avoid unanticipated problems during development and fielding of the AAAV, thereby increasing affordability over its life cycle. Specific tasks to be performed include: the development and validation of a detailed heterogeneous end-to-end simulation of the AAAV electric power system, the development of a multi-level visualization and control interface, the investigation of high-speed computational clusters to improve the computational speed, and the investigation of multi- and parallel rate integration...
Read MoreAero Propulsion and Power Technology
Type of Awards: SBIR Phase I and Phase II with Funded Enhancements Subcontractors: Purdue Contract Numbers: F33615-03-M-2385 and FA8650-04-C-2482 Agency: U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory Status: Completed Periods: 7/10/03 to 4/10/04 and 6/4/04 to 2/24/09 Principal Investigator: E. A. Walters Abstract: PC Krause and Associates, Inc. (PCKA) has developed two key technologies in modeling, simulation, and analysis for support of the design and optimization of large-scale systems. The first of these key technologies is a partitioned finite-element (FE) technique wherein computation times for transient FE models have been reduced by two-orders of magnitude when compared to a commercial FE simulator and has been applied to permanent-magnet, switched-reluctance, and wound-rotor synchronous machines. This increase in computational speed has enabled FE models to be integrated with circuit simulations as part of a design optimization algorithm wherein tradeoffs can be rapidly evaluated in a systematic search for a globally optimal design. The second technology is a variable-fidelity multi-physics simulation infrastructure that enables the user to select between finite-element models that may require hours to days of simulation time through constructive (algebraic) models that may execute hundreds to thousands of times faster than real...
Read MoreVirtual Prototyping Vehicle Electrical System Management Design Tool
Type of Awards: SBIR Phase I and Phase II Subcontractors: Purdue Contract Numbers: W56HZV-04-C-0126 and W56HZV-04-C-0713 Agency: U.S. Army Tank Command Status: Completed Periods: 3/2/04 to 9/2/04 and 11/4/04 to 5/4/07 Principal Investigator: C. E. Lucas Abstract: Complex engineered systems such as the power systems of tactical vehicles and advanced weapon systems involve a broad spectrum of technologies and interactive subsystems that must work synergistically. Due to the interdependencies between subsystems and he ever present re-design process, it is becoming increasingly important to establish a flexible virtual prototyping design and analysis infrastructure that facilitates the investigation of interactions between subsystems and promotes the collaboration between individual groups and organizations involved in the design, analysis, and/or development of complex “systems of systems.” Moreover, this type of simulation infrastructure would provide system integrators and program managers with a rapid and easy-to-use means of establishing proof-of-concept for new systems, evaluating competitive system configurations or architectures at a system level and, after the candidate architecture is selected and a more detailed design phase is entered, tracking and managing the progress of the detailed system design. Such an infrastructure could also be useful throughout the life cycle of a military platform for analyzing potential field problems, evaluating technology enhancements/retrofits, and/or personnel training. The proof-of-concept and viability of such a capability were established in Phase I. The Phase II research will be focused upon the next steps in the development of this virtual prototyping vehicle electrical system management design...
Read MoreIntegrated Simulation/Design/Analysis Infrastructure for SiC-based High-Temperature Power Conversion
Type of Awards: SBIR Phase I with IEDC and Phase II Contract Numbers: FA8650-05-M-2599 and FA8650-06-C-2663 Agency: U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory Status: Completed Periods: 4/1/05 to 1/1/06 and 5/5/06 to 9/5/08 Principal Investigator: C. E. Lucas Abstract: In order to realize the full potential of Silicon Carbide and to facilitate its deployment in high-temperature power electronics applications, it is important to establish an integrated modeling, simulation, and analysis (MS&A) infrastructure to address the special considerations and numerous technical challenges that must be overcome and to support design at the device, subsystem, and system levels. The viability of such an infrastructure has been established in the on-going Phase I research. The overall objective of the proposed Phase II research is to further its development. In particular, the proposed Phase II effort entails: (1) the continued development of a distributed multi-level (device/subsystem/system) integrated (electrical/thermal) MS&A infrastructure to support SiC device development and their application to Air Force systems, (2) the investigation of how SiC device performance is affected by thermal and material properties and how defects influence thermal-electrical coupling, (3) the partitioning of the geometric physics-based device models for implementation in a distributed computer network, and (4) the investigation of the applicability of this powerful MS&A infrastructure to other areas of interest such as computational fluid dynamics, plasma physics, and...
Read MoreA Noninvasive Sensor/Control Suite for Health Monitoring and Extended Life of Aircraft Generation Systems
Type of Awards: STTR Phase I and Phase II Contract Numbers: N00014-06-M-0281and N68335-08-C-0108 Agency: U.S. Naval Air Systems Command Status: On Going Periods: 08/01/06 to 8/30/07 and 2/25/08 to 2/25/10 Principal Investigator: E. A. Walters Abstract: Catastrophic failures in aircraft electrical power systems can compromise the readiness, safety, and capabilities of the war-fighter. In this effort, a multi-physics suite of tools will be developed based upon the successful Phase I research to provide a comprehensive prognostics and health management system (PHM) for aircraft generators and associated electrical systems. The PHM will be based upon a set of recently developed tools that include a novel sensor to measure torque-ripple-induced vibration created by electric machinery, a thermal condition monitor that can predict the temperatures within an electric machine under healthy and damaged operation, and numerical simulation tools that enable rapid development and solution of component and system-level models of electric machinery and power electronic systems operated in fault conditions. Validation of the PHM concepts and the computer simulations used will be performed with hardware using an F-18 generator as the test...
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