TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Air Platform, Electronics

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: F-34 Joint Strike Fighter Program

The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals, their country of origin, and what tasks each would accomplish in the statement of work in accordance with section 3.5.b.(7) of the solicitation.

OBJECTIVE: Design a 270 VDC aircraft electrical power distribution and protection device with increased power and fault handling, intelligent control, and improved diagnostic capabilities.

DESCRIPTION: New generation power line contactor and relay technology is required to improve upon current electromechanical and solid state technologies in order to meet emerging and future naval aviation electrical power requirements. Innovation is necessary to develop enhanced power and fault handling, intelligent control, self-diagnostics, power line diagnostics and/or prognostics, and arc fault detection in a device suitable for use in naval aviation applications. Intelligent control for the selected technology will enhance fault tolerance and system reconfiguration capability. It is anticipated that new technology will improve safety and reliability, reduce maintenance costs, and reduce procurement costs by extending the service life of the equipment. The use of wide temperature power electronics/components, prognostics health management (PHM), and/or 270 VDC arc fault detection may be considered. Topic proposals should focus on the development of replacement technologies for main-line contactor power levels between 250 and 300 amps steady-state. Proposals at power levels of 25 - 150 amps steady-state will also be considered if significant innovation is planned to reduce size and weight of current electromechanical and/or solid state technologies, while including the requested enhanced capabilities.

Technical risks include, but are not limited to 1) producing components of sufficient reliability and power density at high power conditions; 2) producing intelligent control capability; 3) producing components that can withstand high operating temperatures; and 4) developing components that can withstand the harsh Navy aircraft operational, electrical, and environmental requirements (e.g. temperature, altitude, shock, vibration, and electromagnetic interference (EMI)).

PHASE I: Demonstrate the feasibility of developing a 270 VDC aircraft electrical power distribution and protection device with the described capabilities. Validate the approach analytically or provide test data or bench top hardware that would validate the approach. Test data can include initial characterization of breadboard components or samples for electrical power and thermal limits per commercial or military standards.

PHASE II: Design, develop, and demonstrate a prototype 270 VDC electrical power distribution and protection device. Development should include electrical, thermal, and mechanical characterization of the equipment per commercial or military standards. Demonstration can include a high-fidelity laboratory environment and/or aircraft ground demonstration.

PHASE III: Complete packaging and integration of the prototype 270 VDC electrical power distribution and protection device for use in a Navy aircraft platform, complete safety of flight certification, and perform a flight demonstration. Transition the prototype equipment to NAVAIR Program Offices for final system integration, flight evaluations, and procurement.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: Private sectors that face similar reliability concerns include aerospace, power utilities, and automotive industries. Commercial airlines are specifically interested in more reliable and longer-life components and equipment.

REFERENCES:
1. SAE document number 2002-01-3210, A Configurable Solid-State Power Management and Distribution System, John Maxwell, Jr, John H. Blumer, Blake Burden, Oct 2002

2. SAE document number 931422, Solid State Power Controller Technology, John G. Nairus, Apr 1993

3. SAE document number 2004-01-3197, Arc Fault Management Using Solid State Switching, David Nemir, Bill Diong, Adriana Martinez, Nov 2004

KEYWORDS: Electrical Power Distribution; Solid State Power Controllers; High Temperature Components; Intelligent Control; Silicon Carbide Devices; Arc Fault Detection

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

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