N132-108 TITLE: Automated Method for Developing Concept Level Cooling Distribution Systems

TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Information Systems

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: NAVSEA 05T, NAVSEA Energy Office, Energy Efficiency Program.

OBJECTIVE: This topic seeks innovation to develop an automated ship-system synthesis software tool for creating preliminary ship design models of auxiliary cooling distribution systems.

DESCRIPTION: Integrated Electrical Power Systems and high-energy defense and combat weapon systems that are planned for future Navy Surface Ship platforms will require unprecedented thermal management solutions.

Typical auxiliary cooling distribution systems currently in-service have undersized performance capacities when compared to the projected need expected from future platform configurations (Ref 1). The current technology available in the Advanced Ship and Submarine Evaluation Tool (ASSET) and Leading Edge Architecture for Prototyping Systems (LEAPS) is limited in scope. These tools estimate auxiliary cooling distribution systems using algorithms and empirical data that are derived from dated ship information. These tools lack a predicted distribution system by way of a physical representation, which would be useful for initially understanding ship impact and integration requirements.

An Automated Distribution System Development Tool (ADSDT) to automate methods for developing and assessing concept level cooling distribution systems to address these concerns is needed for conducting systems engineering analysis, trade, and feasibility studies during the concept evaluation stage of future ship design. Leveraging such a method early in the acquisition lifecycle is the most efficient course to take to properly scope, qualify, quantify, and design such distribution systems as a thermal management solution. An automated tool with this capability will increase the efficiency of developing such systems for evaluation purposes, will have the potential to identify a comprehensive design space of system configurations that are feasible for optional consideration, and will allow optimized solutions to be realized for future ship design models due to the increased fidelity provided. This technology has the potential to reduce the cost associated with preliminary and detail design as well as the impending cost associated with operation of the ship when applied during the Material Solution Analysis Phase of the acquisition lifecycle. Ultimately, the optimized solutions derived during this phase from the application of the synthesis tool in systems engineering trade and feasibility studies should directly represent the most energy efficient configurations available for ship operation due to the robust range of engineering metrics offered by the tool.

Next Generation Surface Combatant ship design requires an automated ship system construction software tool that is able to develop comprehensive and well defined design models of auxiliary cooling distribution systems for Navy use. This competency as a resource (Ref 2) is necessary for integration with commercial and other Navy developed software toolsets to improve the overall fidelity of future ship design models.

The central requirement of the new software synthesis package is to address the gaps identified by having the ability to technically model cooling distribution systems that are feasible (Ref 3) and that are derived from a comprehensive state-of-the-art database of machinery and components. In addition to this basic operational requirement, the software tool must be designed to have a versatile environment, allowing characteristic properties, parameters, and criteria to be varied, and change to rules, regulations, and specifications to be easily accommodated. The auxiliary distribution system should optimize survivability, electrical load, heat transfer, size, weight, and cost system performance requirements. Model visualization that provides a dynamic three-dimensional representation must be a performance feature of the new software package. Finally, the new synthesis software tool must have an open architecture.

PHASE I: The company will develop a concept for a ship construction software tool to design auxiliary cooling distribution systems that meet the requirements outlined above and that can be feasibly developed into a useful product for the Navy. The concepts for construction of an ADSDT shall be demonstrated by way of modeling and simulation, performing a feasibility analysis. The company will develop a Phase II development plan that addresses technical risk reduction and provides performance goals and a schedule of key technical milestones.

PHASE II: The small business will develop, demonstrate, and verify an ADSDT prototype for evaluation through analytical modeling and simulation over a required range of parameters including numerous system configurations and scenarios. The prototype will be assessed and evaluated to determine its compatibility with ASSET and LEAPS and its capability in meeting performance goals defined in the Phase II development plan. Evaluation of results will be used to refine the prototype package into an initial design that will include a beta version of the software package that demonstrates an open architecture. The company will provide validation and verification of the software and a Phase III development plan to transition the technology to Navy use.

PHASE III: The company will be expected to support the Navy in transitioning the ADSDT technology for Navy use in future ship system studies. The company will develop an ADSDT for evaluation to determine its effectiveness in an operationally relevant environment. The company will support the Navy for test and validation to certify and qualify the system for Navy use.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: A software synthesis tool that is automated, dynamic, and versatile in its capability to construct auxiliary cooling distribution system models for use in system engineering trade studies, and for use in preliminary and detail design, offers benefit in the acquisition lifecycle for both commercial and naval shipboard applications. Similarly, the product has potential, as well, in the civil engineering domain with regard to the preliminary design of land-based facilities. Overall, the basic technology would be appropriate for all types of distributed systems, such as electrical, air, hydraulic, and others, due to the inherent flexibility of the software.

REFERENCES:
1. Frank, M., Helmick, D., "21st Century HVAC System for Future Naval Surface Combatants � Concept Development Report", Naval Surface Warfare Center � Carderock Division, Ship Systems Engineering Station, Philadelphia, NSWCCD-98-TR-2007/06, 06-Sept-2007. http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA473662

2. Kassel, B., Cooper, S., Mackenna, A., "Rebuilding the NAVSEA Early Stage Ship Design Environment", American Society of Naval Engineers, 2010. https://www.navalengineers.org/SiteCollectionDocuments/2010%20Proceedings%20Documents/ASNE%20Day%202010%20Proceedings/AD2010_Paper_Kassel_Cooper_MacKenna.pdf

3. Gunaratnam, M., Alva-Argaez, A., Kokossis, A., Kim, J.K., Smith, R., "Automated Design of Total Water Systems", American Chemical Society, Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research, Vol. 44 (3), 2005: pp. 588-599. http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/ie040092r

KEYWORDS: Automated ship system synthesis software tool; auxiliary cooling distribution systems; concept level ship design models; thermal management; engineering optimization of cooling distribution systems, HVAC system for ships

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