Award Data

As an alternative to near-obsolete double-base or triple-base propellants, Digital Solid State Propulsion (DSSP) is developing Electric Solid Propellants (ESP) as a safe, green, higher performance highly manufacturable alternative for high velocity electro-thermal-chemical (ETC) gun rounds. These electric energetic materials are inherently safe, with ignition only possible via the sustained suppl ...

In this Phase II SBIR effort we will dramatically reduce the size, weight, and power requirements of a passive millimeter wave imaging system based on optical upconversion. To this end, we will integrate custom silicon-germanium low noise amplifiers that have been designed to efficiently couple with our high performance lithium niobate upconversion modules. In Phase I we analyzed the design requ ...

We will use our newly developed smart energetic materials to eliminate flame sensitive pyrogens and the bridge-wire connections for thermal ignition within initiators/squibs which will improve safety for Mil. Std. 1901A compliance. Unlike conventional materials, new pyrogen materials are insensitive to ignition by flame and so can not flame spread by impingement. However, new faster burning formu ...

The principal objective of this effort is to develop an advanced complex compound for ammonia-solid absorption chillers and demonstrate the enhanced sorbent for a 18,000 BTU/hr technology demonstrator in the Phase II effort. Phase I experimental data showed that it is feasible to make a fuel-fired sorption cooling system capable of 18,000 Btu/hr cooling and 105 kg dry-weight with 0.34 gal/hr of JP ...

Proposed is the continuation of development of a High Efficiency Mobile Ice Maker (HEMIM) for the Army that is capable of integrating DC power from solar PV cells. The proposed ice maker will include a variable capacity vapor compression system with variable air flow as per ambient temperatures. The Performance of the high efficiency cycle will be enhanced by the use of advanced variable speed dri ...

In this program, we propose a radio frequency (RF) direction finding sensor for low probability of intercept (LPI) RF radar system. This sensor consists of a dielectric lenses focusing system and an innovative focus plane detector array (FPDA) developed by Spectrum Magnetics, LLC (SM). The focusing system project the RF signal onto its focus plane. A novel FPDA based on emerging spintronic and met ...

ABSTRACT: Thermal energy storage for load smoothing can be beneficial in applications having large transient heat load compared to steady-state heat rejection. Laser weapons and high-power microwave generators are examples where TES can help. Ammoniated complex compound systems can provide heat absorption due to exothermic dissociation of the complex compound. Very high energy density and powe ...

In this SBIR program, AlphaSense, Inc. teamed with the Center for Non-destructive Evaluations at Iowa State University to develop a compact, low cost handheld sensor for non-destructive material case depth verification. In phase I, we have proven the feasibility of using an alternating current potential drop (ACPD) sensor for non-destructive measurements of case depth. Phase II will be focusing on ...

The objective of this research is to enable pre-process milling parameter selection for"first part correct"production. In the proposed solution the Receptance Coupling Substructure Analysis (RCSA) approach will be used to couple the measured spindle-machine dynamics to models of the tool and holder and predict the assembly"s dynamic response. Given this information, frequency/time-domain algorithm ...

Commodity graphics processing units (GPUs) offer tremendous computational throughput for relatively little cost. They have been shown to outperform microprocessors in the important metrics of FLOPS/dollar, FLOPS/Watt, and FLOPS/unit space and have already been applied to a wide range of numerically intense problems. In Phase I of this project, we demonstrated their potential to enhance complex C ...