TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Air Platform

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: Joint Strike Fighter

OBJECTIVE: Develop innovative hot-section sensors (or an assembly of sensors) that would be positioned closer to the combustor outlet to better assess the high-pressure, and low-pressure turbine component environments and transients. Rotor-speed variable and time-varied turbine gas-stream and/or component pressures, temperatures and airfoil dynamic responses are needed.

DESCRIPTION: The assembly should enable the determination, monitoring and tracking of failure modes of interest (through near real-time data processing methods not included herein, but in coordination with the other SBIR and/or engine OEMs schemes). Examples of the types of safety related parameters and life limiting failure modes are: the airfoil structural response normality-state tracking (for sudden deviations and with aging), cooling blockages or leakages from cracks or abnormal holes, oxidation, corrosion, thermal-mechanical failure (TMF), creep, life-cycle fatigue (LCF) and high-cycle fatigue (HCF). Abnormal- or damaged-state sensing is needed, especially if coupled with an upstream issue such as a hot-start or an EDO/FOD event.

PHASE I: Define the sensing and interface requirements, to include the expected data transmission approach. Initiate the design to the conceptual-level for one or several engine systems, like the JSF P&W F135 or GE/RR F136, the SH60 GE T700, F/A18E/F GE F414, E-2C RR T56-427 or a similar future naval air systems platform. A prototype sensor assembly may be demonstrated in bench tests if feasible.

PHASE II: Produce detail design(s) and prototype the assembly. This effort should be performed in strong coordination with selected-engine OEM and/or multiple designated 2nd-party partners (especially relating to signal data bus transmission scheme, data acquisition and processing approach, and the specific assembly-interface to the engine case).

PHASE III: Finalize hot section sensor assembly integration with major DOD end users and engine manufacturers and conduct necessary qualification testing.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: This integrated sensing capability, sensing in closer proximity to the combustor would provide better information for control and avoidance of exceedances that damage expensive turbine components. The technology is directly transferable to commercial gas turbine engine applications.

REFERENCES:
1. Von Flotow, "NSMS in a High-Pressure Turbine with Eddy Current and Fiber Optic Sensors," 2005 HCF Conference, New Orleans, LA

2. O. J. Gregory and T. You, "Ceramic temperature sensors for gas turbine engine applications," Proceedings of the 50th International Instrumentation Symposium, San Antonio, TX, 2004

3. A.D. Kurtz, A. Ned, J. Declama, S. Goodman, R.W. Ainsworth and A.H. Epstein, "Advanced sensors for turbine applications, " Proceedings of the 50th International Instrumentation Symposium, San Antonio, TX, 2004.

4. J. Kleppe, "Acoustic Tomography for Jet Engines/Turbines: Proof of Concept," Final Report, NASA Cooperative Agreement NCC3-750 with the U of Nevada at Reno, Sept 2005.

5. D. Ng and G. Fralick, "Use of a multi-wavelength pyrometer in several elevated temperature aerospace applications," Review of Scientific Instruments, Vol. 72, No. 2, p.1522-1530, Feb. 2001

6. Non-contact Blade Vibration Measurement System for Aero Engine Application. http://www.mtu.de/channel/files/pdf/noncontact_blade_vibration.pdf

7. Sporian Microsystems: http://www.sporian.com/press/pr-20040901.html, "�monitor temperature and pressure under extremely harsh conditions up to 1400�C (2500�F)."

8. Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation program, "On-Line Thermal Barrier Coating Monitoring for Real-Time Failure Protection and Life Maximization"
http://www.osti.gov/bridge/servlets/purl/823021IAfMbe/native/823021.pdf
http://www.netl.doe.gov/publications/proceedings/02/turbines/Wiant.pdf

9. J. Xu, G. Pickrell, B. Yu, M. Han, Y. Zhu, X. Wang, K.L. Cooper and A. Wang, "Epoxy-free high temperature fiber optic pressure sensors for gas turbine engine applications," Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering Sensors for Harsh Environments v 5590, 2004.

KEYWORDS: Turbine Engine; High-Temperature Sensors; Operational, High-Pressure; Hot-Section; Diagnostics; Prognostics

TPOC: (301)342-0465

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

DoD Notice:   Between May 1, 2006 and June 13, 2006, you may talk directly with the Topic Author(s) to ask technical questions about the topics. Their contact information is listed above. For reasons of competitive fairness, direct communication between proposers and topic authors is not allowed starting June 14, 2006 , when DoD begins accepting proposals for this solicitation.

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