SBIR-STTR Award

The U.S. Air Force has an identified an important need for improving the reliability of sensor systems used for critical control of aerospace engines and vehicles. Reliable sensors are key to achieving a significant reduction in maintenance costs and cost-effectively increasing the reliability of test cell sensor systems. Environetix will leverage extensive expertise in wireless high-temperature sensor materials, devices, packaging, and data acquisition to improve the reliability of its harsh-environment technology for turbine engine test-cell applications. The patented, licensed technology uses SAW devices fabricated with stable high-temperature films, LGS substrates, and proprietary sensor attachment methodology. Continuing interaction with turbine engine OEMs will inform next-generation design of Environetix"s LGS wireless SAW sensor system prototypes, to improve system performance and reliability. Preliminary sensor packaging will be designed and tested and a more capable and reliable sensor electronics system will be developed. A complete sensor system prototype including LGS SAW sensors, RF electronics control system, sensor packaging, and attachment will be fabricated and calibration protocols developed. The reliability of Environetix"s next-generation sensor system LGS SAW temperature sensors will be demonstrated by testing complete prototype sensors in laboratory furnaces and on rotating parts in miniature turbine engines. Reliability improvements over Environetix"s current state-of-the-art technology will be analyzed.

Benefit:
Environetix Technologies Corporation will adapt the commercialization strategy used for its initial product, the EVHT-100 Wireless High Temperature Sensor System, to demonstrate, commercialize and deploy a robust and reliable LGS surface-acoustic-wave (SAW) sensor system specifically for test-cell applications. The strategy involves developing several generations of prototype sensor devices and testing reliability and performance with turbine engine OEMs. It is anticipated that successful wireless temperature sensor technology demonstrations during later stages of Phase II will lead to license agreements between Environetix and several key turbine engine OEMs. The OEMs will then use the sensor systems to improve the design of current and next-generation turbine engines for USAF use. Future development of the technology for flight applications will provide data with far-reaching benefits for the USAF, such as supporting increased thrust-to-weight ratios, decreased fuel consumption and engine validation costs, and material data for life-prediction models informing better component health-management practices. In addition, OEMs will use this technology for aero-frame, turbine engine and material development, since it provides reliable sensing data not now available to the industry. The importance of this enabling technology will go beyond DoD applications into the turbine engine testing industry, commercial aerospace industry, power industry, and industrial control processes that operate under harsh environment conditions.

Keywords:
temperature sensor,

The U.S. Air Force (USAF) and the aerospace industry have a critical need for reliable harsh-environment sensors that can deliver real-time monitoring in a turbine engine environment. During Phase I, Environetix confirmed that most harsh environment technologies that rely on wired sensors or complicated wireless hybrid systems have their reliability compromised by the wires or the connection complexity. Also as part of the Phase I effort, Environetix leveraged its extensive experience in high temperature sensor materials, devices, packaging, and data acquisition, to verify through thermal cycling and maximum temperature tests up to 1000C in laboratory furnaces that the core of its patented technology, the prototype wireless surface acoustic wave (SAW) langasite (LGS) temperature sensor presents stability comparable or better than the thermocouples used as reference. During the Phase II period, Environetix will partner with Pratt & Whitney (P&W), and further improve sensor/antenna connections and packaging in order to validate the wireless LGS SAW sensor technology in P&W laboratories for TRL 4 confirmation, followed by tests in a P&W turbine engine test cell for TRL 6 validation. The Phase II results will allow Environetix and P&W to establish a roadmap for the wireless SAW Environetixs sensor technology commercialization.

Benefit:
Environetixs harsh-environment wireless battery-free small-profile sensors capable of reaching temperatures over 1000C (1830oF) will have a major impact on the aerospace industry by providing the following benefits in turbine engine monitoring: (i) Reliable operation for several thousands of hours or more, and easily reaching the minimum 4,000 hrs operation in hot sections for test cell applications; (ii) Validation of engine modeling and operational conditions by wirelessly monitoring engine conditions at locations not possible by other sensor technologies; (iii) Verification of integrity of seals, shrouds, and other critical engine locations, due to both small size and wireless sensor operation: (iv) Removal of wires to deliver the required sensing information, thus saving significant costs in manpower (sensor installation in the turbine), reduced weight, and simultaneously improving performance and reliability, since wires are a well-known cause of sensor early failure; and (v) Through more reliable temperature monitoring, provide better engine performance, improved fuel efficiency, and increased power at reduced engine operation (or flight) costs. The wireless SAW sensor technology also has many commercial applications in other sectors such a power generation, oil/gas exploration, manufacturing process control, and other high temperature harsh environment processes.