NASA SBIR 2007 Solicitation

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
ATA Engineering, Inc.
11995 El Camino Real
San Diego, CA 92130 - 2566
(858) 481-2015

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Parthiv Shah
parthiv.shah@ata-e.com
11995 El Camino Real, Suite 200
San Diego, CA 92130 - 2566
(858) 480-2101

Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 4 to 5

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (Limit 2000 characters, approximately 200 words)
A novel quiet engine air-brake (EAB) is proposed in response to NASA's solicitation for active and passive noise control concepts for conventional and advanced aircraft. The EAB concept is applicable to 1) next-generation, conventional tube and wing aircraft (current generation +1) and 2) advanced integrated airframe/propulsion system configurations (current generation +2, +3). Potential retrofit opportunities are also envisioned. Phase 1 analysis on NASA's Source Diagnostic Test (SDT) fan stage suggests that an EAB could realize three to four decibels overall noise reduction under the approach flight path by generating a swirling exhaust with drag equivalent to one to two turbofan-sized bluff bodies per powerplant. Such drag generation could enable slower and/or steeper and/or aero-acoustically cleaner approach trajectories. A Phase II development program is proposed to 1) perform aerodynamic designs of dual-stream, swirling bypass flow nozzles and experimentally assess their performance and noise, 2) develop conceptual aero-designs that address current engine architecture issues such as pylon duct bifurcations, and 3) develop a prototype design of an EAB for validation in a model-scale rig. The final deliverable to NASA will be a written report presenting design, analysis and experimental results from blown nozzle testing, plus a prototype EAB design.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words)
The proposed technology can assist NASA in the development of next generation quiet aircraft, including tube and wing (current generation +1) and integrated airframe propulsion system configuration (current generation +2). These aircraft are likely to have noise sources from the engine and airframe that have comparable levels. A quiet air-brake device will allow noise reduction by creating drag without the associated unsteady flow structures of devices such as flaps, slats, and undercarriage. In addition, these devices will enable steep approaches, thereby locating the noise source further from the affected communities. An additional application for swirling exhaust flows is in the area of wake vortex avoidance and induced drag management. For example, swirling outflow devices placed on wing tips could be used to counter- or co-swirl relative to the bound vortex that is shed by a finite wing, resulting in potential induced drag reduction or increase (possibly of value in a quiet drag sense).

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words)
The commercial potential for this system extends beyond NASA's development programs related to next-generation quiet aircraft. The larger, shorter-term market potential relates to the retrofitting of existing engines so that they can meet future noise standards and/or allow steeper glideslopes without increased noise. The midterm opportunity relates to engines which are currently being developed for commercial deployment in the next seven to ten years by the large engine manufacturers where there is potentially still an opportunity to incorporate features of this concept into the final design. ATA will explore both of these opportunities with Rolls Royce, Pratt and Whitney, and other engine manufacturers more stringently as part of Phase II.

NASA's technology taxonomy has been developed by the SBIR-STTR program to disseminate awareness of proposed and awarded R/R&D in the agency. It is a listing of over 100 technologies, sorted into broad categories, of interest to NASA.

TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING

Aerobrake Aircraft Engines Kinematic-Deployable