SBIR-STTR Award

Lanxide Corporation proposes to demonstrate innovative approaches for fabrication of thin wall ceramic sheet. The goal of this project is to make a low weight ceramic recuperator suitable for aero-engine applications. Lanxide will extend current processing techniques using commercial paper mill for forming continuous ceramic preform sheet with goal of reducing recuperator wall thickness from a current developed 0.035 inches (for future hybrid-electric vehicle usage) to 0.015 inches (necessary for flight applications). Reduction in recuperator element wall thickness is key to reduce weight allowing adaptation for aero-turbine engines. A recuperated aero-engine allows efficiency enhancements leading to significant cruise range improvement up to 60%. Design of the thin wall ceramic recuperator and its integration into the Teledyne Model 205-2 turboshaft aero-engine will be performed by Teledyne Ryan Aeronautical. For Phase I DuPont Lanxide Composites will assist Lanxide in hardware fabrication of a demonstration thin wall sector recuperator which will be tested at Teledyne for performance utility characteristics including efficiency, temperature and pressure.