N112-123 TITLE: Conformal Packaging and Installation Techniques for In Situ Sensors in Extreme Environments

TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Air Platform, Materials/Processes, Sensors

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: F-35, Joint Strike Fighter

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 packaging methodology and associated installation techniques for encapsulating and mounting passive sensors that are capable of measuring and transmitting wide-bandwidth structural health monitoring data at service temperatures ranging from negative 60 degrees Celsius up to positive 600 degrees Celsius.

DESCRIPTION: Structural testing or structural health monitoring of aerospace components commonly involves installing sensors and wiring them to a data collection system. For example, strain and shear are sensed using this technique. However, wired sensors are generally limited to temperate environments and stationary structures. New types of miniaturized wireless sensors are being developed to address these deficiencies, but conformal, high-temperature packaging and installation methods are not yet available to support these emerging sensors. As the sensor technology evolves to meet the requirements of the environment, new packaging materials and in situ installation methods are needed to facilitate application of these new sensing capabilities in harsh environments.

This topic seeks novel concepts for packaging and installing conformal sensors for in situ measurement of structural health monitoring data in extreme environments at temperatures ranging from negative 60 degrees Celsius up to positive 600 degrees Celsius and accelerations levels up to 56600 g. The packaging should be easily installed, requiring no permanent changes to the engine component or surface on which it is installed. The packaged sensor must be sufficiently small and conformal in order to avoid disrupting aerodynamic flows.

PHASE I: Determine the technical feasibility and identify viable approaches for packaging conformal, high-temperature sensors and installing them in harsh environments. Feasibility must be addressed for operating temperature, high acceleration levels, low mass, aerodynamics, ease of installation, and variable sensor size.

PHASE II: Fabricate and demonstrate operation of a number of sensor packages and install them on a high-speed, high-temperature aerospace component. The operating environment should include temperatures up to 600 degrees Celsius and acceleration forces up to 56600 g.

PHASE III: Integrate into an OEM development program, where demonstration of durability, accuracy, reliability, and repeatability can be verified.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: Although the conformal high-temperature packages are being developed for use in aerospace applications, this technology could be used in a wide variety of industrial testing and structural health monitoring applications.

REFERENCES:
1. Arms, S. W., Townsend, C. P., Galbreath, J. H., & Newhard, A. T. (2004, July). Wireless strain sensing networks. Paper presented at the 2nd European Workshop on Structural Health Monitoring, Munich, Germany.

2. Hagerty, J. A., & Popovic, Z. (2001). An experimental and theoretical characterization of a broadband arbitrarily-polarized rectenna array. IEEE MTT-S Digest, 1855-1858. Retrieved from http://nemes.colorado.edu/microwave/papers/2001/ims_jh_01.pdf

3. Avramov, I. D. (2004). The RF-powered surface wave sensor oscillator�A successful alternative to passive wireless sensing. IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics and Frequency Control, 51(9), 1148-1156.

4. DeAnna, R. G. (2000). Wireless telemetry for gas-turbine applications. Hanover, MD: NASA Center for Aerospace Information. Retrieved from http://gltrs.grc.nasa.gov/reports/2000/TM-2000-209815.pdf

KEYWORDS: strain sensor; wireless sensor; passive sensor; conformal sensor; high temperature sensor; structural health monitoring

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

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