Type of Awards: SBIR Phase I with IEDC and Phase II Contract Numbers: FA8650-07-M-2781and FA8650-08-C-2859 Agency: U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory Status: On Going Periods: 4/2/07 to 1/2/08 and 4/2/08 to 8/11/11 Principal Investigator: B. P. Loop Abstract: The primary objective of the proposed work is to investigate design techniques to improve torque density, power density, and efficiency in wound-rotor synchronous machines. The underlying principle of the proposed design technique is to alter the flux paths in the machine to increase torque production. This will be achieved through optimally altering the stator tooth geometry, rotor tooth geometry, and magnetic material properties. The design process is automated by an evolutionary optimization algorithm that employs a finite element analysis program as an objective function evaluation engine. Finite element modeling in the Phase I effort showed a potential increase of 12.2% in average torque production for the F18E/F generator. In the proposed Phase II effort, prototype machines will be built based on the designs obtained in the Phase I. Hardware validation of the approach will be performed with the help of GE Aviation. In order to investigate optimization of machines at high-speeds, additional research will be carried out to enhance the finite element modeling capabilities. These enhancements include saturation, eddy current effects, and skew. Finally, extensive statistical analysis of the performance of the genetic optimization procedure will be carried out to improve the design technique. The result will be a commercially viable machine design software package that could be adopted by government agencies and...
Read MoreTransient Electrical Power Response Enhancement for Turbine Drive Generators
Type of Awards: SBIR Phase I with IEDC and Phase II Contract Numbers: N00014-07-M-0328 and FA8650-08-C-2943 Agency: U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory and U.S. Office of Naval Research Status: On Going Periods: 5/4/07 to 3/9/08 and 07/30/08 to 11/30/10 Principal Investigator: J. R. Wells Abstract: Airborne electrical power requirements are increasing significantly to support Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) sensors, electronic attack suites, and directed energy weapons for military applications. When the electric generator is directly coupled to the propulsion engine, relatively large electric torque transients are often introduced with dynamics faster than previously handled by the engine control system. These transients may have serious implications with regard to stall margins, mechanical stress, speed regulation, and available thrust. To address challenges posed by such transients, this work is developing and demonstrationg novel architectures and system control strategies to maximize transient turbine engine performance utilizing modeling, simulation, and analysis (MS&A). A high-mach missile system is chosen as the prototype for optimization process demonstration and likely candidate for initial technology insertion. This work will expand upon the Phase I efforts through refined modeling and expanded optimization...
Read MoreAdvanced Heat Exchanger (HEX) Scaling Methodologies for High-Performance Aircraft
Type of Awards: SBIR Phase I and Phase II Subcontractors: Mezzo Technologies and Honeywell Aerospace Contract Numbers: FA8650-08-M-2843 and FA8650-09-C-2400 Agency: U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory Status: On Going Periods: 9/18/07 to 9/18/08 and 5/28/09 to 9/13/11 Principal Investigator: A. Heltzel Abstract: The current thermal management effort for high performance aircraft focuses much attention on more efficient energy rejection through the development of advanced heat exchanger technologies. PC Krause and Associates (PCKA) is currently filling a much-needed gap of scaling and performance knowledge in the Air Force Phase I SBIR effort. 3-D computational fluid dynamics models have been constructed, which have been shown to accurately predict microstructured heat sink performance where conventional analysis methods fail. The ability to collapse high-fidelity data into a performance database is allowing PCKA to develop a rapid analysis software package for advanced heat exchangers. In Phase II, PCKA will team with both Honeywell Aerospace and Mezzo Technologies Inc., two manufacturers of candidate heat exchangers. This collaboration will enable the application of the analysis tool to near-term heat exchanger design projects, in addition to providing validation, manufacturing, and non-core effect information to the analysis method. PCKA will expand the modeling and simulation effort to encompass additional heat exchanger designs, materials, working fluids, operating conditions, and the true dynamic response of candidate heat exchangers. The software tool to be developed in Phase II directly addresses the stated goal of this project: accelerating the design concept to development to fabrication...
Read MoreF-35 Three-Bearing Swivel Nozzle (3BSN) Door Actuator
Type of Awards: SBIR Phase I with IEDC Contract Numbers: N68335-08-C-0060 Agency: U.S. Naval Air Systems Command Status: On Going Periods: 12/11/07 to 5/30/09 Principal Investigator: J. R. Wells Abstract: The lowered cost of maintenance, lowered weight, and reduced installation complexity of smart electric actuators continues to justify the transition from hydraulic actuation to EMAs/EHAs. This SBIR proposal will extend the advantages of EMA technology into high-temperature, high-vibration applications with a first commercialization target being the JSF F35 Lightning II aircraft platform. During the SBIR Phase I research, PCKA will collaborate with NAVAIR and Lockheed Martin to establish the actuator requirements. Once the requirements are defined, PCKA will identify suitable actuator architectures for the application and then optimize the design in terms of weight, reliability, maintainability, manufacturability, and cost. Key design constraints will be the thermal and vibration environment which may necessitate the use of specific motor technologies, high-temperature wire insulation, lubrication, and electronics. In Phase II, PCKA will fabricate a prototype of the optimal design and perform qualification tests including EMI/EMC, vibration, shock, and altitude. If successful, developed technologies will ultimately transition to DoD programs under a Phase III...
Read MoreEfficient Multi-Scale Radiation Transport Modeling
Type of Awards: SBIR Phase I Contract Numbers: NNX09CF07P Agency: NASA Glenn Research Center Status: On Going Periods: 1/22/09 to 7/22/09 Principal Investigator: A. Heltzel Abstract: Focusing on a reduced-dimension problem of a hypersonic orbital/lunar reentry capsule, an algorithm will be built which combines the stochastic Monte Carlo method for treatment of radiation transport in optically thin to moderate domains, with a single-term modified differential approximation (MP1) for use in optically thick domains. This numerical method will be verified against a known benchmark case before application to the reentry problem. The bandwise and cumulative distribution function (CDF) methods will be combined within the Monte Carlo framework, creating an efficient, dual-hybrid radiation transport algorithm. A detailed plan for the generation of the full algorithm will be developed, with a focus on parallelization and compatibility with existing commercial transport software. This plan will include thorough testing and validation...
Read MoreAffordable Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) Power System Architecture
Type of Awards: SBIR Phase I with IEDC Subcontractor: University of Illinois Contract Numbers: N00014-09-M-0330 Agency: U.S. Status: Completed Periods: 8/20/2009 to 1/25/2010 Principal Investigator: J. R. Wells Abstract: The primary objective of the proposed work is to develop an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) power system architecture that is simultaneously scalable to multiple UUV sizes, light weight, affordable, and adaptable. This will be accomplished through the development of “smart” power units (SPU’s) that can be readily interconnected to provide distributed and coordinated power management for the UUV while providing battery cell balancing and charge monitoring. The SPU’s will contain integrated power converter/controllers capable of providing for the vehicle hotel and propulsion loads, and compatible with multiple battery chemistries through the use of an automatic identification scheme. The SPU’s will facilitate universal charging through a standard interface port, be modular enough to be deployed in a wide range of UUV sizes and dimensions, and be capable of communicating both with other SPU’s and with the user using standard communication protocols. Deployment of the proposed SPU’s will be greatly enhanced by accompanying software capable of rapidly sizing and configuring the modules for a given UUV size while minimizing size and...
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