High-Density Hose for Underwater Bulk Liquid Transfer (HD-HUBLIT) Navy SBIR FY2016.1 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2016.1 Topic No.: N161-023 Topic Title: High-Density Hose for Underwater Bulk Liquid Transfer (HD-HUBLIT) Proposal No.: N161-023-0233 Firm: ADA Technologies, Inc. 8100 Shaffer Parkway Suite #130 Littleton, Colorado 80127 Contact: Thierry Carriere Phone: (303) 792-5615 Web Site: http://www.adatech.com Abstract: Transferring hydrocarbon fuels and water from ship to shore is a common and vital expeditionary operation performed using long, reinforced hoses known as Amphibious Bulk Liquid Transfer System (ABLTS) hoses. ABLTS hoses float on water. By remaining exposed to the ambient environment without specific protection, the hoses can easily be damaged, whether by surface craft, sea motion, adverse weather or saboteurs. As a result, NAVFAC desires a sinking ABLTS hose to mitigate these issues. ADA Technologies has partnered with Angus Fire, Appleton Marine and Hose Solutions to design and build an initial prototype for a sinking hose, called the HD-HUBLIT. This prototype will be short (3 ft long) but in all other respects representative of the envisioned product. Efforts in Phase I will emphasize buoyancy modeling of the hose before fabrication of small square wall coupons. This coupon fabrication will lead to the selection of the design and materials for the HD-HUBLIT prototype. The prototype may be a single or double jacket hose. It will be tested in a water tank for negative buoyancy and its flexibility will be evaluated. This data will support and demonstrate the viability of the hose designed at that point. Benefits: An underwater ABLTS hose such as the proposed HD-HUBLIT would considerably reduce exposure to ambient weather conditions and accidental contact with surface craft. That would presumably significantly prolong its lifetime. By concealing the hose underwater, the Navy would also seriously limit access to the hose to potential adversaries and improve the security of the fuel or water supply to the shore. Consequently, a sinking hose resting on the seafloor and allowing bulk fuel and water transfer at the same rate would last longer and require less frequent repair and replacement than the current ABLTS. The operational cost savings could be significant. The proposed research should find its first commercialization opportunity in military sealift applications as a replacement of the current ABLTS. Sizable commercial applications might also exist in the offshore drilling industry and the marine petroleum transportation industry. Both are very large marketplaces that would provide much greater revenues than military applications. However they are highly competitive and difficult to penetrate. For this reason an experienced manufacturer and distributor will be needed to successfully enter any of these markets. As a result, ADA Technologies plans to license the HD-HUBLIT technology to such a player once the technology has been developed and matured sufficiently. Return