N093-184 TITLE: Innovative Bearing Concepts For High Speed Rotating Machines

TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Air Platform

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: PMA265, F-18 Super Hornet, Hornet, and Growler Program Office

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: Develop and demonstrate bearing concepts with improved reliability for high speed rotating machinery applicable to naval aircraft environmental control systems.

DESCRIPTION: The F-18 and other military platforms utilize environmental control systems in a variety of configurations. These systems contain rotating components that operate at velocities between 60,000 and 100,000 rpm and weight between four to eight pounds. Bearings that are currently being utilized exhibit degradation prior to the expected end of life. The current bearings are hydrodynamic air bearings, and consist of both journal and thrust bearings. The premature degradation is due to contamination or bearing overload. Current environmental control system assemblies (housings, turbine, compressor, bearings, and shaft) weigh approximately 15 pounds and provide approximately 40,000 Btu/hr of cooling. Innovative approaches are required that provide alternatives to the existing configurations.

Innovative concepts should take into consideration the unique naval operating environment such salt-fog and G-loading from carrier arrestments and launches. The proposed concept should also be compact, light weight, and oil free.

PHASE I: Develop innovative bearing concepts that provide improved durability for high speed rotating machinery applicable to naval aircraft environmental control systems. Demonstrate the feasibility of the developed approach through analysis or limited concept testing.

PHASE II: Fully develop the detailed designs for the bearing concept. Produce a prototype bearing system and demonstrate the capability of the bearing to perform its functions in the high speed operating environment.

PHASE III: Perform complete qualification and certification of the developed bearing concept. Transition the approach to F-18 and other high speed machinery applications.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: Advanced bearing concepts have the potential to transition to commercial industry turbomachinery.

REFERENCES:
1. "Oil-Free Turbomachinery Program - Advanced Foil Bearings", http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/Oilfree/bearings.htm

2. B. Dykas and S.A. Howard, "Journal Design Considerations for Turbomachine Shafts Supported on Foil Air Bearings", Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers, Oct-Dec 2004

3. C. DellaCorte and M.J. Valco (2002), "Load Capacity Estimation of Foil Air Jounal Bearings for Oil-Free Turbomachinery Applications", (NASA/TM-2000-209782), (ARL-TR-2334), http://gltrs.grc.nasa.gov/reports/2000/TM-2000-209782.pdf

4. NASA - Creating a Turbomachinery Revolution Fact Sheet, FS-2001-07-014-GRC, "Research at Glenn Enables an Oil-Free Turbine Engine", http://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/about/fs14grc.html

KEYWORDS: bearing; turbomachinery; oil-free; high-speed; contamination-tolerant; maintenance-free

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