SBIR-STTR Award

Optical Flowmeter for In-Line Flow Velocity and Fluid Quality Characterizations for Aerospace Fuel Systems
Award last edited on: 2/3/2026

Sponsored Program
SBIR
Awarding Agency
DOD : AF
Total Award Amount
$177,448
Award Phase
1
Solicitation Topic Code
AF242-0006
Principal Investigator
Thomas Cantey

Company Information

K Sciences GP LLC

4440 Evangel Circle Nw
Huntsville, AL 35816
   (256) 683-4743
   simplysolutions@k-sciences.com
   www.k-sciences.com
Location: Single
Congr. District: 05
County: Madison

Phase I

Contract Number: FA9101-24-P-B098
Start Date: 9/16/2024    Completed: 6/23/2025
Phase I year
2024
Phase I Amount
$177,448
K Sciences proposes the development of a novel and innovative optical flowmeter is proposed to provide unparalleled high-speed data acquisition and high accuracy flow rate measurements of gases, liquids, two-phase, and multi-phase fluids as well as fluid quality in support of instrumented flow calculations. The optical flowmeter envisioned for pyrophoric fluid flow metering has a heritage of operation in multi-phase cryogenic and non-cryogenic testing environments within both NASA and the oil and gas industry. The proposed optical flowmeter can offer a multitude of functionalities including liquid presence for valve shutoff, flow velocity, fluid quality or gas fraction, bulk fluid density, robust operation in harsh environments (temperature, pressure, vacuum, corrosive, etc.), non-intrusive and minimal fluid flow perturbation, inherent explosive proof operation, no limitations to flow or quality regimes (all gas to all liquid operating envelope), real-time response, and no installation requirements (upstream or downstream conditions). The optical flowmeter product is anticipated to provide sub-millisecond response times, high repeatability and accuracy of <0.1% over a wide range of flow rates (0.05 ¢ 30 gal/min) and pipe geometries (0.25 ¢ 3.0 inch diameters) in a multi-phase flow at any gas fraction.?

Phase II

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