SBIR-STTR Award

Innovative, Low Cost, Highly Durable Fuel Bladder for Naval Applications
Award last edited on: 10/20/2024

Sponsored Program
SBIR
Awarding Agency
DOD : Navy
Total Award Amount
$1,113,588
Award Phase
2
Solicitation Topic Code
N151-008
Principal Investigator
Aureliano Perez

Company Information

Texas High Energy Materials (AKA: THEM)

13581 Pond Springs Road
Austin, TX 78729
   (512) 670-6182
   alperez@txhienergy.com
   www.txhienergy.com
Location: Single
Congr. District: 37
County: Williamson

Phase I

Contract Number: N68335-15-C-0190
Start Date: 5/27/2015    Completed: 8/15/2016
Phase I year
2015
Phase I Amount
$149,352
A proven, cost effective, highly automated, consistent, and predictable manufacturing process with rapid production rates will be implemented to manufacture high quality, self-sealing aviation fuel bladders. Our unique manufacturing process, and our associated polymer technology will introduce a bladder that effectively alleviates fuel leakage potentials, through a material that is highly resistant to fuel, chemicals, puncture, abrasion and ballistic intrusion. Our technology will provide the US Navy with significant reductions to battle damage hazards and loss of assets. Battle damaged, mission-critical assets will remain in service without compromising safety or performance of the aircraft. Our manufacturing process and self-sealing technology will have widespread use in diverse aerospace, marine, automotive, transportation, and general industrial markets.

Benefit:
A self sealing fuel bladder that can be produced through a proven, highly-automated, cost-effective, rapid manufacturing process, using an associated polymer material that greatly outperforms most other thermoset and thermoplastic materials, will eliminate the problems associated with the current bladders delivered to the Department of Defense for aircraft applications. Fuel bladders manufactured through our process will also offer attractive economics to other industries that require cost-effective, high performance bladders. These include marine, transportation, automotive and commercial aviation.

Keywords:
foldable, foldable, fuel bladder, Chemical Resistance, Self-sealing, Fuel tank, Elastomer, Fuel leak, Polymer

Phase II

Contract Number: N68335-17-C-0163
Start Date: 2/7/2017    Completed: 5/22/2019
Phase II year
2017
(last award dollars: 2023)
Phase II Amount
$964,236

A proven, cost effective, highly automated, consistent, and predictable manufacturing process with rapid production rates will be implemented to manufacture high quality, self-sealing aviation fuel bladders. Our unique manufacturing process and our associated polymer technology will introduce a bladder that effectively alleviates fuel leakage potentials, through a material that is highly resistant to fuel, chemicals, puncture, abrasion and ballistic penetrations. Our technology will provide the US Navy with significant reductions to battle damage hazards and loss of assets. With our fuel bladder technology, mission-critical assets, damaged in battle, will remain in service without compromising safety or performance of the aircraft. Our manufacturing process and self-sealing technology will have widespread use in diverse aerospace, marine, automotive, transportation, and general industrial markets.

Benefit:
A self sealing fuel bladder that can be produced through a proven, highly-automated, cost-effective, rapid manufacturing process, using an associated polymer material that greatly outperforms most other thermoset and thermoplastic materials, will eliminate the problems associated with the current bladders delivered to the Department of Defense for aircraft applications. Fuel bladders manufactured through our process will also offer attractive economics to other industries that require cost-effective, high performance bladders. These include marine, transportation, automotive and commercial aviation.

Keywords:
Fuel tank, Durability, Puncture, Bladder, Jet Fuel, Fuel Cell, Leakage, Self-sealing