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Autonomous Satellite Docking System

Award Information

Agency:
Department of Defense 		Branch:
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency 		Award ID:
44691 		Program Year/Program:
1999 / SBIR
Agency Tracking Number:
99SB20113 		Solicitation Year:
N/A 		Solicitation Topic Code:
N/A 		Solicitation Number:
N/A
Small Business Information
Michigan Aerospace Corporation
1777 Highland Drive, Suite B Ann Arbor, MI -
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Woman-Owned: No
Minority-Owned: No
HUBZone-Owned: No
 
Phase 1
Fiscal Year: 1999
Title: Autonomous Satellite Docking System
Agency / Branch: DOD / DARPA
Contract: 99SB20113
Award Amount: $94,657.00
 

Abstract:

Not Available The heating of high pressure sub-cooled liquid coupled with liquid-injected two-phase expansion is proposed as a pathway to a compact and high-efficiency combined cycle diesel engine. The concept is a novel and non-obvious departure from earlier industry efforts to develop high efficiency diesel engines. This new engine concept avoids the high temperature materials problems of prior high-efficiency engine concepts and has significant thermodynamic advantage over earlier combined diesel and Rankine cycle engines. The liquid injected expander eliminates the liquid-vapor phase separation requirement of conventional Rankine bottoming cycles and enables the miniaturization of system components. Also, the liquid injection cycle has a significant thermodynamic efficiency advantage over Rankine bottoming cycles in this combined cycle and enables the miniaturization of system components. Also, the liquid injection cycle has a significant thermodynamic efficiency advantage over Rankine bottoming cycles in this combined cycle application. This thermodynamic advantage stems from the ability to utilize the waste heat of the diesel engine over a wide temperature range. The combined diesel and liquid-injected expander engine concept allows for an economic breakthrough to a practical and highly efficient combined cycle diesel engine with a minimum of technical development. The economic feasibility of this new engine concept is an outgrowth of technology developments in compact heat exchanges, two-phase expanders, small high pressure pumps, and electronic controls. The power-to-weight ratio of the combined cycle engine should exceed that of conventional diesel engines.

Principal Investigator:

Michael Dobbs
7349758777

Business Contact:

Small Business Information at Submission:

MICHIGAN AEROSPACE CORP.
1050 Highland Drive, Suite E Ann Arbor, MI 48108

EIN/Tax ID:
DUNS: N/A
Number of Employees: N/A
Woman-Owned: No
Minority-Owned: No
HUBZone-Owned: No