Free Piston Linear Motor Whole Air Compressor for Treaty Monitoring

The Air Force Technical Application’s Center (AFTAC) monitors for nuclear explosions through high altitude whole-air gas sampling using compressors to inject air into a high-flow air stream or store in a high-pressure vessel. The existing compressors have proven reliability issues with exhaustive maintenance requirements. A highly reliable compressor with near zero maintenance that can be manufactured readily and operate at high pressure will serve a critical pain point in the AFTAC’s mission to monitor for nuclear explosions banned by several international treaties and moratoria. Koo and Associates International (KAI), The University of Texas at Austin Center for Electromechanics (UT-CEM), and Gas Technology Institute (GTI) propose development of a Free Piston Linear Motor Compressor (FPLMC). The FPLMC concept includes a symmetric four stage dual-acting free piston driven by a linear motor. The FPLMC uses multiple stages in which compression in a lower stage on one side feeds the inlet of the next higher stage on the opposite side. This approach uniquely combines the functions of the compressor and motor into one device with a single moving part, thus eliminating inefficiencies inherent in converting rotary motion into linear motion. The design results in fewer parts and wearing components, thus reducing parasitic friction and increasing durability and reliability. The design also promises to ease manufacturing and reduce initial investment, as well as maintenance needs and cost. In Phase I, the project team will develop a FPLMC system that satisfies the performance requires of the Ground-based Nuclear Detonation Research and Development (GNDD R&D) Program and can be a drop-in replacement for existing compressor systems. In Phase II and III, the team will build and demonstrate the FPLMC and develop commercialization strategies which could benefit other markets, such as compressed natural gas or hydrogen vehicles, medium and high pressure air for other defense applications, or compressors for oceanic seismic exploration.