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Very High Powered, Low Frequency Underwater Projectors
Navy SBIR 2016.1 - Topic N161-059 ONR - Ms. Lore-Anne Ponirakis - [email protected] Opens: January 11, 2016 - Closes: February 17, 2016 N161-059 TITLE: Very High Powered, Low Frequency Underwater Projectors TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Materials/Processes, Sensors ACQUISITION PROGRAM: PEO IWS 5A, Littoral Combat Ship Variable Depth Sonar Advanced Development The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the solicitation. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. OBJECTIVE: To develop, fabricate, and demonstrate a low frequency, very high-powered underwater transducer that exploits the enhanced properties of PMN-PT textured ceramic. DESCRIPTION: Traditionally low frequency underwater projectors are of the flextensional or flexural designation to permit low frequency operation in a small volume. These devices are normally excited by piezoelectric ceramic commonly identified as PZT. For these devices the power output is field limited as opposed to stress limited. The advent of PMN-PT textured ceramic promises a power output boost that permits at least 10 dB more source level over conventional PZT. This increase in field limit allows the transducer designer to better match the stress and field limits of the particular design. The intended end product use of these projectors is an array that needs to generate very high acoustic power in a compact device that exhibits broad bandwidth and high effective coupling. A notional design would be a transducer that is football sized that can achieve a source level of 207 dB with a useable bandwidth encompassing 600 to 1200 Hz. The ability of the mechanism to transmit in an omnidirectional mode and in a directional mode would be an advantage for operational use. Variations on the established classifications of flextensional transducer types would be preferred. PHASE I: Identify a device that can be developed to meet the notional need while being compact (a useful design target might be 25-30 cm in the longest dimension, less than 4.5 l volume and less than 40 kg in mass) and optimized to exploit the properties of PMN-PT textured piezoceramic. Undertake 2 or 3 notional paper design variations to assess the strength of the approach including a variation that can be excited in a directional mode. Select an omnidirectional and directional design to pursue in Phase II and analyze all aspects of the design and perform a cost analysis for production. PHASE II: Complete the Very High Powered, Low Frequency Underwater Projectors designs selected in Phase I and fabricate a prototype for each omnidirectional and directional design selected. Undertake a complete electroacoustic analysis of each prototype including high power in-water testing, continuous duty high power operation, and a design review package. Verify the computer model of the transducer design with measured data to assess the viability of the model and its ability to modify performance parameters maintaining tractability. If necessary make adjustments to the designs and fabricate revised prototypes and repeat the testing and model verification regime. Compare the final test and model results with the notional performance goals. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Continue to extensively test the prototype fabricated in Phase II and test for severe environmental conditions of depth, power output, and duty cycle. Fabricate, assemble and test a partial array to assess array performance. Working with the Navy POC match the achieved performance with current Navy needs and transition this technology for its intended purpose. The development of this technology will have application to the oceanographic community and oil exploration industry. REFERENCES: 1. J.F. Lindberg, "The Application of High Energy Density Transducer Materials to Smart Systems" Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. Vol. 459, 1997 Materials Research Society pp. 509-519 2. Charles H. Sherman and John L. Butler, Transducers and Arrays for Underwater Sound, Springer, 2007 3. S. Poterala, S. Trolier-McKinstry, R. Meyer and G. Messing; Processing, texture quality, and piezoelectric properties of <001>c textured (1-x)Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)TiO3 � xPbTiO3 ceramics, J. Appl. Phys. 110, 014105 (2011) KEYWORDS: Underwater sensors, underwater acoustic transmitters, underwater transducers and sensors, ASW, Textured Piezoceramic, sonar projectors, active piezoelectric materials TPOC-1: Michael Vaccaro Email: [email protected] TPOC-2: Meg Stout Email: [email protected] Questions may also be submitted through DoD SBIR/STTR SITIS website.
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