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GENERATING SYSTEMS

Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Air Force
Contract: N/A
Agency Tracking Number: 4140
Amount: $75,000.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: N/A
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: N/A
Award Year: 1986
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
192 Worcester St
Wellesley, MA 02181
United States
DUNS: N/A
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 DR THOMAS W MIX
 (617) 235-6630
Business Contact
Phone: () -
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

MEMBRANE BASED INERT GAS GENERATING SYSTEMS FOR INERTING OF FUEL TANK ULLAGE SPACE TO CARRY A LOWER AIRCRAFT PENALTY THAN SYSTEMS BASED ON MOLECULAR SIEVES AND SYSTEMS BASED ON STORAGE OF CRYOGENIC NITROGEN. WITH CURRENT TECHNOLOGY, APPROXIMATELY 30 LBS OF MEMBRANE MATERIAL ARE NECESSARY PER LB/MIN OF INERT GAS REQUIRED. MERIX PROPOSES A NEW APPROACH FOR PRODUCING A COMPOSITE AIR SEPARATION MEMBRANE WITH IMPROVED FLUX AND SELECTIVITY, WHICH SHOULD REDUCE REQUIRED MATERIAL WEIGHT BY AN ORDER OF MAGNITUDE. IN THIS APPROACH, AN ULTRA-THIN SELECTIVE BARRIER IS DEPOSITED VIA GLOW-DISCHARGE ONTO A HIGH-FLUX MATERIAL UNDERCOAT SUPPORTED BY A PROOUS SUBSTRATE. EXTENSIVE WORK PERFORMED BY MERIX HAS DEMONSTRATED THE FEASIBILITY OF THIS APPROACH, AND HAS LED TO THE CONCEPTION OF A NOVEL GLOW DISCHARGE PROCESS WHICH SHOULD ENABLE SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENTS IN BOTH SELECTIVITY AND PERMEABILITY OF MEMBRANE MODULES FOR O(2)/N(2) SEPARATION. THIS PHASE I PROPOSAL OUTLINES A PROGRAM FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF THIS NOVEL PROCESS, THE OPTIMIZATION OF THE MERIX COMPOSITE MEMBRANE, AND THE FABRICATION OF A LABORATORY SCALE TEST UNIT.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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