SBIR 95-1 SOLICITATION
PROJECT SUMMARY
Proposal Number:
Project Title:
GUIDED-WAVE ACOUSTO-ELASTIC STRESS MONITOR
Technical Abstract:
It is proposed here to develop an Acousto-elastic Bi-refringence
system for the life-time stress measurement and monitoring in
cryogenic-storage-tanks with the capability for real-time
report and alarm. Broad-band ultrasonic, contour following,
guided sub-surface wave modes will be generated and received
using a thin film peizo-electric transducer based sensor system
and the ultrasonic wave velocities will be measured. A
birefringence algorithm, using the travel speed of the two
unique sub-surface guided wave modes (longitudinal and shear),
will be used in an expert system to compute the stresses
characteristics. The birefringence method is predominantly
sensitive only to applied stress and is relatively unaffected by
other normal material and environmental variations. The
principal stresses direction will also be continously reported
using an ultrasonic stress-rosette. The utilization of the
proposed sensor system enables a low cost, nondestructive, in-
situ, quantitative, continous monitoring of stress field. Dvani
Innovation Inc. will team up with Mississippi State University
in this research and development.
Potential Commercial Applications:
The commercial potential for stress monitor is significant in a
wide spectrum of industries. The utilization of the sub-surface
waves represents new frontiers in stress monitoring which hold
key potential for similar applications in the other federal
agencies and industries for cyogenic and non-cryogenic
applications and materials. Infrastructure maintenance
applications such as steel bridges, railway, offshore,
shipping, aircraft and space craft structures as well as
advanced launch systems will open new markets for the proposed
system.
Name and Address of Offeror:
Dvani Innovation Inc,
123, Formosa Drive,
Brandon, MS 39042
Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) &
Small Business Technology Transfer Program (STTR) Programs
Electronic Management System (EMS)
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
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Hu, Hughes STX.
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Updated: Feb. 7, 1996