Company
Portfolio Data
Back to Company SearchDIVERSIFIED TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
UEI: ZNG4WKWT2YM4
Number of Employees: 123
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
SBIR/STTR Involvement
Year of first award: 1989
114
Phase I Awards
61
Phase II Awards
53.51%
Conversion Rate
$12,664,911
Phase I Dollars
$56,852,262
Phase II Dollars
$69,517,173
Total Awarded
Awards
Smart Drone Antenna System
Amount: $239,862 Topic: N243-106
The Navy is reliant on communications to function in all operating environments and needs an improved HF and VHF antenna system with Digital Modular Radio that is mobile and easily deployed. However, installing traditional antenna systems on Navy platforms are costly and time consuming. The DRONE (Drone RF Optimized Nodal Element) Antenna System will provide redundancy and resiliency of communication abilities. Diversified Technologies, Inc. (DTI) proposes to design the DRONE Antenna System using an antenna array hoisted by tethered RF-hardened drones. The antennas are fed by high impedance transmission line. The DC power for the drone goes up the same wires as the RF power, and the antennas are very broadband.Many antenna-drone assemblies can be installed on any given Navy platform, depending on application and space available. Each unit is self-contained, providing easy scalability, and all the units are controlled by one control system. The desired broadcast frequency and direction of intended beam projection is input, and if the control system detects undesired interfering signals it automatically determines the array amplitude weightings to direct nulls towards the interferers. The control system then commands the drones into the position to satisfy those requirements without tangling their tethers. The mobility of the drones allows many array configurations for the antennas. The array could adjust its own beam pattern to null interfering signals and select desired signals, as well as transmit a return signal to the same direction from which it received a signal. Current commercial drone light shows have already demonstrated accurate positioning and control of battery-operated drones (no tethers), and DTI can use a similar, more robust, technology to position the drones. DTI will investigate the best antenna for various frequencies considering weight, power, bandwidth, and beam-forming. During Phase I, DTI will design and resolve the several analytical questions for a drone-lofted phase array (e.g., best antenna for each frequency band), develop a conceptual design of a complete DRONE Antenna System, simulate various flight configurations, minimize radar signature of the system and RF harden the drone, and fabricate and demonstrate a small drone-lofted phased array. This will demonstrate Phase II feasibility and inform the future design.
Tagged as:
SBIR
Phase I
2025
DOD
NAVY
High Power Mechanically-Phased Helix Array
Amount: $1,799,361 Topic: AF233-0026
Electronic warfare, and drone warfare, in particular, is growing in prevalence and is projected to be a pivotal aspect of future conflicts. Many countries have invested heavily in the proliferation of cheap and versatile drone technologies. Drones are also a domestic concern, as commercial off-the-shelf options grow cheaper and more advanced. They interfere with civilian and military aircraft traffic, alarm the public, and raise national security concerns with the potential threat of domestic attacks. Control of airspace both in the US and in operational military environments abroad is essential to the protection of US assets and is required to maintain a strategic advantage. High Power Microwave (HPM) technologies can be used for counter-drone operations.In Phase I, Diversified Technologies, Inc. (DTI) developed a compact, broadband, mechanically-phased, high power density, helical HPM array antenna and demonstrated its feasibility by simulation and hardware fabrication and measurements. Element phasing and amplitude weighting were shown to support low sidelobe levels and beam- and null-directing as desired. The antenna covers the entire X-band (8 to 12 GHz), has a gain of greater than 30 dBi, (Objective), is capable of power density levels of 100 MW/m^2 (Objective), and supports scan angles greater than +/-20 degrees in azimuth and elevation with sidelobe control. It is essentially a high power phase shifter built into a phased array antenna. In Phase II, DTI will develop a high power density X-band phased array antenna with high-power feed, agile steering, high gain, reduced sidelobes, and advanced beamforming. The 30+ dBi (Objective) full array will be designed, and a 24+ dBi (Threshold) subscale array will be designed, built, and tested. The array will be capable of steering more than +/-20 degrees from boresight in azimuth and elevation, have power density in excess of 20 MW/m^2 (Threshold) up to 100 MW/m^2 (Objective) and will meet these metrics across the X-Band. DTI will perform low power measurements of the system to evaluate antenna performance and perform high power testing (>200 kW) of the major repeatable array segment to demonstrate power handling capability.Phase II will result in a subscale high power density electrically-controllable hardware prototype helical phased array antenna with mechanical phasing and amplitude control motors implemented. The control electronics will convert data input (desired frequency, beam and null elevation/azimuth, and sidelobe levels) to phasing and amplitude weighting of each element and drive the motor coils to the correct position. Low and high power testing will validate array performance.All work will be performed in Bedford, MA except for low power array antenna performance measurements, as well as possible high-power testing at AFR
Tagged as:
SBIR
Phase II
2025
DOD
USAF
Cryogenic Power Control for HTS and LTS Combined Magnets
Amount: $199,869 Topic: C59-26b
DOE high-field magnets provide advanced accelerator capabilities for improvements in various physics, health, and material science applications. High Temperature Superconducting (HTS) conductors can develop a quench, i.e., localized hot spots due to a variety of physical phenomena causing the conductor to go resistive likely causing burnout and damaging the high-value high-field magnet. This research will provide a reliable cost-effective method for preventing HTS magnet quench. The fundamental idea is to Detect and Protect: Detect the incipient quench and Protect the HTS magnet through re-balancing the internal currents. The specific objectives are to identify, design, fabricate, and demonstrate advanced active cryogenic solid-state current-modulators for use in HTS magnets to prevent quenching. A digitally-controlled high current cryogenic driver for control of HTS cable component currents will be developed and demonstrated for use in HTS magnets to prevent quenching. This will also provide the opportunity to increase the maximum HTS magnet current-carrying capability and thereby increase magnet performance. Control circuity to operate multiple parallel FET devices independently with digital input will be designed, fabricated, and tested at cryogenic temperatures. Current steering utilizing solid-state devices will be demonstrated by independently controlling arrays of FET devices along a pair of HTS cables at 5 to 77 K. In addition, cryogenic current control for a small HTS coil will be implemented and demonstrated. High-field magnets have opened up accelerator capabilities for advancements in various physics, health, and material science applications. As stated in the recent P5 Report, the development of very-high-field magnets beyond the present state of the art is crucial for advanced colliders, and “high-temperature superconductors suitable for high field and temperature—are essential to this effort.” It was also stated that HTS materials, operated at temperatures greater than superfluid or liquid helium temperatures, can play a key role in the sustainability of future particle accelerators by significantly reducing their energy consumption. Quench protection methods for reliable, stable operation of these high-field HTS magnets are still under development, thus presenting good commercialization opportunities for this program.
Tagged as:
SBIR
Phase I
2025
DOE
Reliable High Voltage Fireset System
Amount: $1,799,979 Topic: AF242-D016
Fireset systems are used to safely and efficiently conduct detonation research in order to characterize and optimize the performance of explosive trains for future weapon systems. Efficient, systematic experimental methods are critical for rapid energetic materials development, especially explosive material property measurements. Work in this Direct-to-Phase II program will optimize the fireset system for reliable high current operation including stable capacitance, low maintenance (10,000 shot lifetime), and reliable triggering to ensure jitter is <200 ns with 5 kV to 60 kV capacitor discharge switching. The fireset system in this program will be fabricated, delivered, and installed, and AFRL personnel will be trained in operation of the fireset unit.
Tagged as:
SBIR
Phase II
2025
DOD
USAF
ICRF DCC Solid State Transmitter
Amount: $1,149,854 Topic: C57-25c
Recent advances in fusion technology are accelerating the development and integration of commercial fusion devices. In order to maintain controlled fusion reactions, the plasma must be heated to great temperatures and efficient current drive must be established. The Ion Cyclotron Range of Frequencies (ICRF) have been demonstrated to be effective for these purposes, and for high magnetic field devices, 60-240 MHz radio frequency (RF) systems are envisioned. Conventional vacuum electron device (VED) RF sources have a high life cycle cost with frequent maintenance, a large footprint, poor efficiency, and a fragile supply chain. Additionally, current solid-state solutions face similar footprint, costly combining and cooling obstacles that are resolved in DTI’s solid-state approach. Beyond fusion, the work completed in theses DOE efforts has close synergy with VHF radar systems, such as the ARPA Long-range Tracking and Instrumentation Radar (ALTAIR) in the South Pacific Kwajalein atoll and could be a substantial upgrade to expand radar capabilities. This proposal addresses the development of a scalable, solid-state Direct Cavity Combiner (DCC) that hundreds of identical RF modules into a high-power RF source. The approach constitutes the design and fabrication of a 500 kW SSPA for pulsed peak power testing, as well as a Continuous Wave (CW) demonstration at 100 kW to show scalability of the DCC to megawatt levels. The DCC offers high power density as well as a simple and efficient combining scheme, that greatly reduces cost. Some added benefits are the high efficiency of solid-state devices, improved life cycle, and modularity of devices for replacement and upgrades. In Phase I, a partial population of 31 modules generated an RF output of 43 kW at 81% efficiency on the full-scale 120 MHz cavity to demonstrate efficient scale-up. Phase II will utilize the Phase I cavity, improve it, and iteratively improve the performance and increase the number of modules. The work will be performed in stages to build greater and greater numbers of modules, increasing the peak output power iteratively. The further development of the DCC technology will address the large combining footprint, complexity and high costs associated with conventional SSPAs or VEDs. The application of this advanced architecture lends itself well to fusion ICRF, VHF radar transmitters, and high-energy physics experiments.
Tagged as:
SBIR
Phase II
2025
DOE
Novel Insulation for Liquid Metal Electromechanical Pump
Amount: $186,807 Topic: C58-29e
Statement of Problem & DOE/Public Interest: Nuclear fission is a proven carbonless technology for electric generation, at present generating approximately 20% of US electricity1. The next-generation (Generation IV) advanced reactors will address many of the issues with current and past reactors including improved safety, far better utilization of the fuel, dramatic reduction in high level waste and higher thermal efficiency. Liquid sodium is desired as reactor coolant since it has high electrical and thermal conductivities, low viscosity, and low fast-neutron cross-section. Primary (submerged) liquid sodium pumps are located in the core of the reactor to convert fission energy to power generation in an SFR. Liquid sodium is a corrosive media, and mechanical liquid sodium pumps suffer from low impeller lifetime so a non-contact pump is desirable to offer maintenance free operation for lifetime of the reactor. How the Problem Will Be Addressed: An electromagnetic primary pump with high temperature insulation system will be developed and can be readily scaled to commercial power plant size. Having no contact with liquid sodium and no moving parts (other than the fluid being pumped) this technology is a robust, reliable, and economical way to perform the high temperature primary coolant pumping required in a sodium-cooled fast reactor. This technology avoids the drawbacks of mechanical pumps including rotating parts in a high temperature reactive environment and the need for seals or other mechanical couplings between the pump motor and impeller. Phase I & II Work: Diversified Technologies, Inc. (DTI) proposes to develop a high temperature insulation system for an electromagnetic, submersible, liquid sodium primary pump for SFRs. The insulation system will be electrically-insulating, thermally-conducting, mechanically stable, and radiation resistant. In Phase I DTI will design, analyze, simulate, fabricate the coils using the high temperature insulation system, and demonstrate and test them on a DTI-produced liquid metal test bed. In Phase II, DTI will work with liquid sodium experimental facilities at Argonne National Laboratoryĺs Mechanisms Engineering Test Loop Facility (METL) to develop and test a larger submerged prototype electromagnetic liquid sodium pump and evaluate its performance. Commercial Applications and Benefits: Liquid sodium and lead / lead-bismuth pumps have markets in research and approved reactors for fission reactors. Liquid lithium alloy pumping is required for fusion breading of tritium and is a very similar technology to the electromagnetic pump developed for the SFRĺs representing an additional market application. Importantly, apart from nuclear applications, the high temperature insulation system developed here will have uses in other fields requiring high temperature electric coils. Aerospace, other transportation (automotive and rail), oil and gas production especially downhole technologies, rare-earth material recovery, and industrial applications such as metal smelting and manufacturing, medical application such as sterilizing, etc.
Tagged as:
SBIR
Phase I
2024
DOE
High Power Compact Mechanically-Phased Helix Array
Amount: $179,919 Topic: AF233-0026
Diversified Technologies, Inc. proposes to develop a novel high power, high gain, mechanically-phased array antenna comprised of helical elements. This antenna array is designed to operate over the X-band frequency range (8-12 GHz), at Gigawatt peak power levels for High Power Microwave (HPM) weapon systems. The array combines the fast slewing ability of a conformal phased array with the mechanically-phased high power handling capability of a waveguide-fed antenna providing a high performance and compact solution for an HPM antenna. The helical antenna elements feature a wide bandwidth, high gain and circular polarization, which couples well to a wide variety of targets. In this type of antenna, the outputs from the elements add together to form a beam, with the direction of the beam being determined by the phasing of the elements relative to each other. Phasing is accomplished by rotating the circularly polarized elements via a simple and robust drive system that can provide 360 degrees of continuous phase adjustment. This provides sufficient phase adjustment to allow the beam to be steered +/- 20 degrees or more in both azimuth and elevation from boresight. The phased array architecture of this antenna provides a flexible form factor that can be adapted to a wide variety of spaces allowing for easy integration into many platforms. In the Phase I effort, DTI will design the full mechanically-phased array antenna, design fabricate and test an 8 x 1 element linear array to verify the mechanical phasing, antenna power feed characteristics, and characterize the antenna beam including advanced beamforming (multibeam, multi-targeting) modes. DTI will perform electromagnetic simulations to verify the RF performance of the antenna elements to achieve 30 dBi of gain with low side lobes. Multiple sidelobe reduction techniques such as helical element optimization, amplitude tapering across the elements, element position dithering, and a quarter-wavelength choke around the array perimeter will be utilized.
Tagged as:
SBIR
Phase I
2024
DOD
USAF
Electromagnetic Vertical Launch System
Amount: $1,199,823 Topic: N171-075
This proposed effort will develop vertical electromagnetic launchers to provide cold launch technology for a family of missiles and demonstrate a vertical cold launch demonstration of surrogate missiles with single and multiple projectiles in a multi-packed configuration. This will transition the electromagnetic launcher technology from TRL 6 to TRL 7. The expected launcher system consists of a multi-phase power supply, a launch barrel with phased stator drive coils, and the conductive sabot surrounding the missile. The operating principles of the tubular linear induction motor are well-known: a phased-stator establishes a traveling magnetic field which induces currents in a conductive sabot creating Lorentz forces causing sabot and missile acceleration, then missile release and sabot arresting and capture within the launcher. Multiple launchers can be redundantly powered by multiple power supplies connected through robust switching for high reliability, fault tolerance, and casualty recovery. The overall objective of this effort is to demonstrate readiness for a transition program to support cold launch technology for mid-size missiles.Ā This program will investigate the limits of an electromagnetic vertical launcher system, and demonstrate a sequential multi-missile near-vertical cold launch capability.Ā A system engineering study will be performed for cold launch technology investigating possible electromagnetic inference effects on the missile being launched and adjacent missiles.Ā The system critical components including the sabot, launcher, and sabot arrestor components will be designed, fabricated and verified through testing.Ā Subsequently, an electromagnetic vertical launcher system for the ōHellfire-classö of missiles will be designed, fabricated and tested (near-vertical) in the Option of this program.Ā Single missile and rapid multiple-missile cold vertical launches will be demonstrated.
Tagged as:
SBIR
Phase II
2024
DOD
NAVY
ICRF DCC Solid State Transmitter
Amount: $199,824 Topic: C57-25c
Statement of Problem & DOE/Public Interest: In order to initiate and maintain controlled fusion reactions sufficient for commercial power generation, the plasma must be heated to fusion temperatures of approximately 150 million degrees Celsius. For economical, steady state fusion devices, efficient current drive is also required. Ion Cyclotron Range of Frequencies (ICRF) have been demonstrated in experimental devices to be effective at both plasma heating and central current drive. For high magnetic field fusion devices, RF sources in the range of 40-240 MHz are required, a range of frequencies which are ideal for solid- state devices. This technology will improve RF performance compared to conventional Vacuum Electron Devices (VEDs) and conventional solid-state sources. It is in the publicĺs interest for DOE to develop commercial fusion as a practical energy source. High power RF sources are a key enabling technology for fusion heating and current drive. Advances in this technology will greatly benefit the entire fusion industry. How the Problem Will Be Addressed: High Power RF will be generated by directly combining the output of large quantities (potentially 1000 or more) solid state RF amplifiers into a single high-power output within a tuned cavity, thus eliminating the external combiners and their losses used in conventional solid-state amplifiers. This effort will build on the Direct Cavity Combiner (DCC) work that was previously performed, demonstrated, and patented at DTI, addressing module enhancements identified in DTIĺs previous work. This will be based on theoretical design, numerical analyses, and hardware fabrication and will demonstrate scalability to megawatt power levels. This will be based on previous successful DCC demonstrations at 120 MHz in the previous Phase I, as well as the 650 MHz and 1300 MHz designs. Phase I Work: In Phase I, DTI will make critical improvements to the transistor modules that are the core of the DCC transmitter to clearly demonstrate scalability to megawatt power levels. The cavity and modules will undergo test and evaluation to compare the amplifier performance to that predicted by the simulations and calculations performed as part of the design effort. Commercial Applications and Benefits: The DCC transmitter can reduce the cost of high-power RF for fusion and similar plasma heating applications. The basic transmitter technology can be readily tailored to a wide range of frequencies which makes it applicable in a wide range of applications including high energy physics, radar, and broadcasting.
Tagged as:
SBIR
Phase I
2024
DOE
Medium Voltage Direct Current Disconnect Switches
Amount: $1,375,080 Topic: N221-064
Future U.S. Navy DC power distribution systems will require advanced switchgear technology to enable the reductions in volume, weight, cost, and maintenance possible with high-speed DC shipboard power distribution and protection systems. Disconnect switches are isolation devices which serve a critical role in the power system architecture, configuring buswork and associated equipment while safely isolating unpowered equipment. Under the SBIR Phase I effort, Diversified Technologies, Inc. (DTI) documented the Navy requirements, evaluated disconnect switch operational components in a trade study, and fabricated hardware. Based upon the trade study, a scalable, 100 – 4000 Ampere, two-pole, 12 kV disconnect switch design was selected and developed. A brassboard device was designed and built, demonstrating operation at 2000 A. The disconnect switch showed expected opening and closing performance. Voltage standoff was demonstrated at twice the rated voltage. The contact resistance was tested and measured, yielding an efficiency >99.99%. In addition, DTI developed conceptual models of modular switchgear cabinets capable of containing many internal disconnect switches for high power density configuration of multiple buses, power sources, and loads. MVDC disconnect switch feasibility and practicality were demonstrated by analysis, hardware fabrication, and testing in the Phase I Base effort. In the Phase II effort, DTI proposes to develop a family of air-cooled, high efficiency, high power density MVDC two-pole disconnect switches and accompanying cabinet enclosures for 12 kV MVDC distribution systems. These devices can be used in LVDC systems. DTI will complete the design for a family of full-featured high performance two-pole disconnect switches, and will build and test a 12 kV, 2 kA advanced Prototype with improved performance and network capabilities. In the Phase II Option 1 effort, DTI will continue testing the Prototype to include remote operation and finalize the design of the switchgear enclosure. In the Phase II Option 2 effort, DTI will build the switchgear enclosure, and deliver and install the switchgear enclosure with multiple Prototype disconnect switches in a Navy facility.
Tagged as:
SBIR
Phase II
2024
DOD
NAVY