PROJECT TITLE: High-Temperature Optical Fiber Skin Friction Sensors for Aeropropulsion Flight Tests
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Sensors that can withstand extremely high-temperature environments are required for 1) monitoring the performance of combustion engines, including aeropropulsion and power generation turbine systems, 2) process monitoring of new high-temperature, high-performance materials, such as metal- and ceramics-matrix composites and 3) evaluation of advanced aerospace structural materials at high temperatures. Currently, no reliable electrical or optical fiber-based sensor instrumentation is commercially available which can survive the high-temperature environment and provide continuous calibrated measurements. Optical fiber sensor technology is ideal for these applications due to the extremely high operating temperature of silica-based optical fiber waveguides (1650°F/900°C) and even higher operating temperature of sapphire-based optical waveguides (3600°F/2000°C). F&S, Inc. is developing optical fiber physical sensors for measurement of strain, temperature, pressure, acceleration, and skin which, in addition to their high-temperature capability, possess a number of practical advantages over traditional electrical-based instrumentation. F&S has been a world leader in the development of optical fiber sensor instrumentation for relatively low-temperature strain sensor instrumentation and proposes to add to their product line new sensors and systems that will withstand the rigorous demands of the high-temperature aeropropulsion environment.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
In addition to addressing NASA's requirements for monitoring the high-temperature aeropropulsion environment, the proposed optical fiber sensors will compete within the multibillion dollar market for high-temperature sensor instrumentation for monitoring turbomachinery, power generation systems, advanced materials during high-temperature testing, and high temperature industrial process monitoring.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Wade Pulliam
F&S, Inc.
2851 Commerce Street
Blacksburg , VA 24060
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
F&S, Inc.
2851 Commerce Street
Blacksburg , VA 24060