SPORIAN MICROSYSTEMS, INC — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: A16-073

Description

The Abrams turbine engine (AGT-1500) is currently suffering from an issue in which the compressor stalls, creating a surge event that causes significant damage to the fourth stage of the low pressure compressor There is a need for a viable system for measuring the early onset or precursors of rotating stall in real-time on an operational turbine engine, which can detect a surge event in order to take action through the control system to avoid damage, without impacting performance. Such a system should be able to operate in the harsh Abrams turbine engine environment which includes high temperatures, particulates, inertial shock, and vibration. The long-term objective of this project is to develop such a monitoring system module by heavily leveraging Sporians prior and ongoing DOD/NASA funded work on high temperature smart pressure sensors for aerospace turbine engine control and performance monitoring.This Phase I effort will include: working with the DOD and OEMs to define requirements; analyses; evaluation of potential modifications and development of new system designs, and proof of principle demonstration of the proposed concepts/components in laboratory scale tests.