TASK NNC10TA24T ENTITLED SINGLE STIRLING CONVERTER WITH PASSIVE BALANCER - UNDER THE EXISTING TASK ORDER NN…

Public award description

TASK NNC10TA24T ENTITLED SINGLE STIRLING CONVERTER WITH PASSIVE BALANCER - UNDER THE EXISTING TASK ORDER NNC08TB04T UNDER OUTLINE AGREEMENT NNC05BA20B, THE CONTRACTOR IS PRODUCING AND DELIVERING TWO HERMETICALLY SEALED FREE-PISTON STIRLING CONVERTORS FOR TESTING AT GRC. UNDER THIS NEW TASK ORDER NNC10TA24T, THE CONTRACTOR SHALL ASSEMBLE, TEST, AND DELIVER A THIRD STIRLING CONVERTOR UTILIZING SOME EXISTING HIGH VALUE, LONG LEAD COMPONENTS (SUCH AS THE HEATER HEAD ASSEMBLY AND TRANSITION ASSEMBLY) THAT ARE SPARES FOR THE BUILD OF THE OTHER TWO CONVERTORS. UTILIZING SOME OF THE EXISTING SPARE COMPONENTS, THIS SINGLE STIRLING CONVERTOR IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED AT A SIGNIFICANT COST SAVINGS TO THE GOVERNMENT. THIS THIRD DEVELOPMENTAL CONVERTOR SHALL BE OF THE SAME DESIGN AND SHALL BE BUILT TO THE SAME SPECIFICATIONS AS THE OTHER TWO CONVERTORS BEING BUILT UNDER NNC08TB04T WITH THE EXCEPTION OF INCORPORATING A PASSIVE BALANCER AND POTENTIALLY USING HIGHER TEMPERATURE MAGNETS. THE PASSIVE BALANCER CONCEPT WAS STUDIED IN TASK 5 NNC09TA29T UNDER OUTLINE AGREEMENT NNC05BA20B THE RESULT OF WHICH INDICATED SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN MECHANICAL VIBRATION WITH THE USE OF A PASSIVE BALANCER WITH OPEN-LOOP TEMPERATURE COMPENSATION. THE PASSIVE BALANCER SHALL MINIMIZE VIBRATION OF THE CONVERTOR OVER THE FULL RANGE OF REFERENCE OPERATING CONDITIONS. THE PURPOSE OF THIS TASK IS TO EXTEND THE CURRENT TECHNICAL CAPABILITIES OF THE STIRLING CONVERTOR TECHNOLOGY AND EVALUATE SINGLE-CONVERTOR OPERATION FOR POTENTIAL LOWER POWER MISSIONS THAT DO NOT REQUIRE HIGHER POWER SELF-VIBRATION CANCELING DUAL CONVERTOR CONFIGURATIONS. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTRACTOR PERFORMED A HIGH TEMPERATURE LINEAR ALTERNATOR EVALUATION AS PART OF NNC09TA29T. THIS NEW TASK ADDS THE REQUIREMENT THAT THE CONTRACTOR SHALL EXPAND ON THE EVALUATION BY CONDUCTING ADDITIONAL HIGH TEMPERATURE ALTERNATOR TEST RIG (HATR) TESTING TO CHARACTERIZE HIGHER TEMPERATURE NEODYMIUM IRON BORON MAGNETS. PENDING CONFIRMATION OF PERFORMANCE OF THESE MAGNETS IN THE HATR TEST AND APPROVAL BY NASA GRC, THESE HIGHER TEMPERATURE MAGNETS MAY BE INCLUDED AS A PIN-FOR-PIN MATERIAL SUBSTITUTION IN THE CONVERTOR TO BE BUILT UNDER THIS TASK. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTRACTOR SHALL PROVIDE ENGINEERING AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO PROVIDE CONSULTATION, AND ANALYSIS RELATED TO THE INSTALLATION AND TESTING OF THE THREE CONVERTORS IDENTIFIED, SUPPORTING GRC IN-HOUSE STIRLING TESTING AND DEVELOPMENT. THIS LAST TASK IS SIMILAR IN NATURE TO THE NOW COMPLETED TASK ORDER NNC07TA23T, UNDER THIS OUTLINE AGREEMENT.