SBIR-STTR Award

The Mark 7 Jet Blast Deflector (JBD) Systems function to dissipate jet exhaust of aircraft undergoing catapult launch, but are cooled by active cooling systems that tap the fire mains to circulate seawater through water lines within the deflector panel, causing corrosion, very high temperatures/exhaust plumes, and high maintenance costs. Passively cooled JBD systems would reduce operating and maintenance costs and prevent limiting deck lifetimes. Solution strategies to minimize deck thermal loading via a passively cooled JBD system during VTOL aircraft operations are the focus of this proposal. In this proposal, we envision the implementation of a novel high-strength, high-conductivity, and lighter-weight cerium-aluminum decking combined structurally and thermally with a highly conductive graphite foam used in conjunction with a low-conduction carbon foam or other inexpensive insulator to thermally protect the flight deck. This unique assembly of new materials is currently being applied to novel thermal management challenges across a broad spectrum of applications. The objective of this project is to fully simulate the assembly of passive thin cerium-aluminum decking combined with carbon foam fill that can be bolted to the surface of the JBD on combat ships in order to reduce temperatures to threshold requirements and protect from injury.

Benefit:
We believe that the implementation of carbon foam and cerium-aluminum alloy has applications that extend far beyond JBD. For the Navy, cooling of the ship decks has long been an objective, and demonstration of this unique passive cooling on the JBD will allow this engineered product to be considered for critical ship surface areas where cooling of the deck is required or desired. Across all Armed Services, development of this composite decking with high strength, light weight, and high thermal conduction capabilities will inform the next generation of surfaces for ships, tanks, and many other military applications. The new JBD design also has unique commercial and industrial applications for heat exchangers, which are vital in the maintenance of safety and efficacy of various processes in diverse industries such as chemical, food, waste recovery, oil & gas, and others where rapid and controlled cooling is required. The global market for heat exchangers is projected to exceed US $22 billion by 2023.

Keywords:
heat, heat, carbon foam, Thermal, Cooling, JBD, flight deck, exchange

In Phase I, the project team of American Maglev Technology of Florida (AMT) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) studied the feasibility of novel high-strength, high-conductivity, and lighter-weight Aluminum-Cerium (Al-Ce) decking combined structurally and thermally with a highly conductive graphite foam used in conjunction with phase-change material (PCM) to create a passive cooling solution to thermally protect the aircraft carrier flight deck. The new decking solution would be integrated with the jet blast deflector (JBD) system to eliminate the need for active cooling systems and realize a significant reduction in maintenance requirements. A much lighter-weight structure on the aircraft carrier itself will enable fuel savings and increased payload. At the end of the Phase II base period and two subsequent Option periods, AMT will have developed a prototype, passive JBD system for delivery and evaluation to determine its capability in meeting the requirements specified by the Navy. During the base period, the project team will utilize and apply restricted data to its preliminary models developed during Phase I. This will allow AMT and ORNL to update and validate the model, thereby increasing its fidelity. The JBD front and back surfaces will be evaluated, and the further effects of this heat sink structure on the back of the JBD will be considered. Magnesium content in the Al-Ce alloy will be analyzed, with a focus on heat treatment of lower-Mg content alloys. Thermal flow testing of additional Al-Ce infused graphite foam coupons will be executed using in-situ optical analysis of sub-scale PCM composite material constructed from layered Al-Ce alloy and PCM foam. This effort will enable rapid analysis of heat flow for different composite geometries, interface materials, and support structures and will allow the team to finalize PCM selection. At the end of the base period, the team will present a critical design review and manufacturing drawings to the Navy, along with detailed cost estimates for a full-scale JBD and JBD section to be fabricated during Option 1. In Option 1, AMT will coordinate the assembly of a section of JBD with Eck Industries, CFOAM, and HTS International, with testing and consulting from ORNL. At the conclusion of Option 1, the Navy will evaluate the subscale section of the JBD and testing results. If the Navy wishes to exercise Option 2, AMT and its partners will manufacture a second, beta prototype section of the JBD and install it in the field to perform a more robust testing program in coordination with the Navy for further validation of the novel, passive, deck-cooling concept. It is expected that the work completed by the project team during the 36-month Phase II period would provide the Navy and DoD with an effective, ready-to-implement solution that can be widely actualized during a Phase III program.

Benefit:
Managing heat and ancillary effects of jet blasts is not a problem unique to the Navy. The installation of JBDs at some U.S. airports began in the 1950s, and many are still used today, especially to test jet engines that have been overhauled or recently undergone part replacement. A lower-cost, longer-lifecycle thermal management solution to retrofit or replace non-government JBDs would likely be attractive across the aviation industry. We further believe that the implementation of carbon foam and cerium-aluminum alloy has applications that extend far beyond JBDs. For the Navy, cooling of the ship decks has long been an objective, and demonstration of this unique passive cooling on the JBD will allow this engineered product to be considered for critical ship surface areas where cooling of the deck is required or desired. Across all Armed Services, development of this composite decking with high strength, light weight, and high thermal conduction capabilities will inform the next generation of surfaces for ships, tanks, and many other military applications. Beyond the U.S. Navy, the global market that currently demands novel thermal management solutions for carrier decks and related applications would include the naval groups of U.S. allies. There are approximately six countries that could be customers for this novel technology, and each country currently has two carriers. With the need to outfit approx. four JBDs per carrier, the initial military market landscape (not including spare units) for this novel, passive cooling technology is estimated at 96 units.

Keywords:
jet blast deflector, JBD, aluminum cerium, Thermal Management, graphite foam, PCM