SBIR-STTR Award

Self-Powered MEMS Sensors for Advanced Turbine Disk/Blade PHM Systems
Award last edited on: 2/21/2007

Sponsored Program
SBIR
Awarding Agency
DOD : AF
Total Award Amount
$99,566
Award Phase
1
Solicitation Topic Code
AF06-165
Principal Investigator
Jon A Greene

Company Information

Lambda Instruments Inc

840 University City Boulevard Suite 4
Blacksburg, VA 24060
   (540) 953-1796
   info@lambdainc.com
   www.lambdainc.com
Location: Single
Congr. District: 09
County: Montgomery

Phase I

Contract Number: ----------
Start Date: ----    Completed: ----
Phase I year
2006
Phase I Amount
$99,566
Previous instrumentation for real-time aircraft turbine blade/disk PHM includes non-intrusive optical, eddy current, and capacitive-based probes as well as blade-mounted transducers for direct measurement of blade condition. Noncontact optical probes have demonstrated higher accuracy than competing eddy current and capacitive-based probes, but are prone to contamination from debris. Fueled by the overwhelming need for NDE sensors for an advanced turbine blade PHM system, Lambda Instruments, Inc.proposes to investigate the feasibility of using self-powered MEMS sensors directly attached to turbine blades for real-time monitoring of blade vibration, temperature, and strain. The salient features of the proposed MEMS sensors include 1) extremely low power, opening the possibility of self-powering using energy harvesting techniques, 2) high sensitivity and resolution using optical interferometry, 3) low-profile geometry allowing sensors to be installed between blade/disk surface and thermal barrier coating (TBC), 4) no slip rings - sensor output will be wirelessly transmitted to remote PHM system computer, and 5) the proposed sapphire optical fiber-based MEMS sensors can operate up to 3600ยง F, the melting point of single-crystal sapphire.

Phase II

Contract Number: ----------
Start Date: ----    Completed: ----
Phase II year
----
Phase II Amount
----