TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Ground/Sea Vehicles, Materials/Processes

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: CVN-78 (PMS 378)

RESTRICTION ON PERFORMANCE BY FOREIGN CITIZENS (i.e., those holding non-U.S. Passports): This topic is "ITAR Restricted." The information and materials provided pursuant to or resulting from this topic are restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120 - 130, which control the export of defense-related material and services, including the export of sensitive technical data. Foreign Citizens may perform work under an award resulting from this topic only if they hold the "Permanent Resident Card", or are designated as "Protected Individuals" as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3). If a proposal for this topic contains participation by a foreign citizen who is not in one of the above two categories, the proposal will be rejected.

OBJECTIVE: Develop a valve actuator that will operate under severe vibration frequencies and amplitudes.

DESCRIPTION: The Navy is working toward reducing operating cost by reducing shipboard manning levels. Remote operation of valves and remote control and monitoring of associated shipboard fluid piping systems is the Navy�s means to meet that goal. To achieve remote operation and control of fluid piping systems valves must be opened and closed by remote actuators using ships power rather than human power and the actuators must respond to both local and network commands and report their status both locally and over a network. Navy Ships have been equipped with fiber optic networks which include control and monitoring stations, sensors, and input/output (I/O) connections at each actuator.

Navy ships drainage eductors used for large scale or catastrophic casualty dewatering of ships main machinery spaces are located low in the ships structure in pump rooms and power plant equipment spaces. This system is a mission critical survivability system. The valves to be opened and closed when operating an eductor are typically co-located with the eductors making it necessary for ships force to travel down 7 decks down steep vertical ladderways and trunks to reach the valves. The drainage eductors create vacuum using energy from the ships firemain to discharge water from the ships bilges overboard. The pressure drop and resultant energy expended by the CVN eductor creates a high frequency high amplitude vibratory force which is transmitted to the piping and components local to the eductor including the eductor valve actuators. Eductor valve actuators must exhibit no mechanical, electrical, electronic component damage including the input-output connectivity ensuring the valve actuator maintains communication with the remote operating station.

As part of the newest CVN ship design the Navy changed from a robust hydraulically controlled actuator, which was able to withstand unusually high and unique vibration amplitudes, to a new more capable electronically controlled actuator. To date ship designers have not been able to develop a reliable actuator for this system.

Current actuators meeting DOD-V-24657 are tested and qualified to standard vibratory frequencies per MIL-STD-167-1 which are much lower than the frequencies measured during CVN-77 eductor operation. The high frequencies and ultra high amplitudes that, as we now know, are unique to the Navy CVN main drainage system, are causing mechanical, electrical and electronic failures of actuators as well as loss of communication between the network and the actuators. There are currently no military or commercial actuators available to the Navy that are able to withstand the high vibratory forces experienced on CVN-77 eductor systems. The actual operating environment parameters will be provided to the successful offeror.

Research should be conducted into advanced severe service technological innovations that would enable to ensure mechanical component, electronic component, and I/O survival of the proposed solution. The resultant actuator should be able to operate the referenced Navy Standard gate, globe, and butterfly valves while maintaining communications with an attached network during severe vibration. Any mechanical or passive communication bypass mounted on the valve must also maintain communications during severe vibration.

GUIDELINES FOR NEW TECHNOLOGY:
1. Capable of operating in a marine environment.
2. Capable of operating Navy Standard multiple turn Gate and Globe valves, and quarter turn Butterfly valves of sizes 6 inch through 10 inch.
3. Capable of utilizing ships power 440 VAC, 3 Phase for motive force, electronic control, I/O signals, and local Human Machine Interface.
4. Capable of receiving commands and reporting out both the communication and physical status of the actuator to the control and monitoring network and use standard communication protocols (such as PROFI BUS).
5. Capable of failing such that the optical loop is not disconnected, or provide a means to bypass the optical repeater in the valve actuator and must be configurable for either loop or direct communication with the network.
6. Shall incorporate a Human Machine Interface that is focused on providing ease of operation for local open/close control and troubleshooting connectivity problems.
7. Capable of full operational performance and I/O connectivity during and following vibratory testing under sinusoidal vibratory forces of translational base input at the lesser of 0.2 inches single amplitude from 4 to 53 Hz inclusive and 50G from 53Hz through 500Hz, when frequency is varied across the range by 1/10 octave steps.
8. Physical envelope of 17"x18"x22".
9. Maximum weight of 240 pounds.

PHASE I: Conduct needed R&D to define and develop a concept for an improved actuator which will improve I/O connectivity while undergoing undergoing the operational vibratory frequencies and amplitudes as specified in guidelines. Longer term and higher amplitude testing is of interest to further prove the ability of the new technology to handle longer and more severe service.

PHASE II: Complete the R&D, detailed engineering and design for the selected actuator concept. Build an actuator prototype(s) and demonstrate I/O connectivity while operating a Navy Standard valve from open to close to open through 10,000 cycles while undergoing vibratory frequencies and amplitudes as specified in guidelines.

PHASE III: Complete engineering development, testing and manufacturing needed for Navy approval. Commercialization of the actuator in combination with a Navy-relevant actuator design. Transition developed technology to interested Navy platforms (including CVN-78).

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: The private sector will benefit from this technology whenever high frequency large amplitude service actuators are required, such as for process control in oil refineries, coal processing plants, air component separation, and energy drilling operations.

REFERENCES:
1. DOD-V-24657 Valve Actuator, Direct Coupled, Gear Driver, Electrically Powered and Auxiliary Systems

2. MIL-STD-167-1 Mechanical Vibration of Shipboard Equipment (Type I-Environmental and Type II � Internally Excited)

3. NAVSEA Standard Drawing 803 2177917K Bronze Flanged Gate 250 PSI WOG

4. NAVSEA Standard Drawing 803 1385541 (L) Bronze Flanged Inline & Angle Stop & Stopcheck, 2-1/2" � 12

5. MIL-V-24624 Valves, Butterfly, Wafer and Lug Style, Shipboard Service

6. MIL-PRF-32307 Valve, Quarter Turn, Triple Offset, Torque Seated, Shipboard Use

KEYWORDS: valve; actuator; vibratory; frequency; amplitude; vibration

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

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