1999 NASA STTR Phase-I Proposal
Proposal #: 990044 

1. Research Topic:  04 - Turbomachinery 
2. Project Title:   Active Turbine Flow Control Using Microelectromechanical 
Systems (MEMS) 

3. Small Business Concern                            4. Principal Investigator 
   Name:     Systems Planning and Analysis, Inc.        Peter C. Chen, Ph.D. 
   Address:  2000 N. Beauregard St. Suite 400 
   City:     Alexandria 
   ST:       VA Zip:22311 

5. Research Institution 
   Name:     University of Maryland 
   Address:  Baltimore Ave 
   City:     College Park 
   ST:       MD Zip:20742

6. Technical Abstract (Limit 200 words)

The goal of the proposed Phase I STTR effort is to develop silicon-based microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) synthetic microjets to actively control aerodynamic flow in turbine engines. Synthetic microjets are small, lightweight fluidic actuators that create small-scale flow perturbations to effect large- scale changes in the overall flow field. The inherent size and weight advantages of silicon-based synthetic microjets make them highly attractive for flow control in aerospace systems, where macro-scale actuators and complex flow control systems are generally not feasible. In Phase I, microfabrication technology for silicon-based synthetic microjets will be developed to manufacture a 3 by 3 array of microjets to be characterized using Schlieren photography and hot-wire anemometry. In parallel with hardware development, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) calculations will be performed to investigate the feasibility to improve the compressor flow separation characteristics and to control the aerodynamic vibration and noise of the turbine.

7. Potential Commercial Application(s)(Limit 200 words)

The proposed effort will develop a design methodology and manufacturing process to fabricate miniaturized MEMS-based microjet devices, thereby reducing the size, cost, and integration issues associated with conventional flow control systems. This enabling technology will yield performance benefits to a wide range of NASA and commercial applications including turbine engine rotor/stator flow control, aircraft flight control augmentation, aircraft performance enhancement, and active rotorcraft vibration and noise reduction.