System for Measuring and Reporting Aircraft Ullage Oxygen

ABSTRACT:Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI), in collaboration with F-35 Prime Contractor Lockheed Martin Aerospace Corp. (LM Aero), proposes to build, develop, test, and evaluate a sensor system for measuring and reporting in real-time the oxygen concentration in the fuel tank ullage of advanced tactical aircraft such as the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Previously, PSI developed, and advanced to TRL 5, an ullage O2 sensor designed for use in transport aircraft. Based on that design, in Phase I, PSI, with LM Aero and Air Force guidance, developed requirements, a system architecture, and a design concept for adapting the sensor to deployment in tactical aircraft. Because the size, weight and configuration requirements for tactical aircraft installation are significantly more stringent than for transport aircraft, novel advances in key components of the sensor are required. These components are now at TRL3. They are supported by other commercial industrial components (TRL 9 for their industrial applications). In the proposed Phase II project, PSI intends to advance the O2 sensor system technology to TRL 6 for tactical aircraft applications by fabricating a sensor system and subjecting it to intensive performance and validation testing at the LM Aero F35 Fuel System Simulator Test Facility.BENEFIT:The real-time O2 sensor resulting from the proposed R&D will: a) improve aircraft safety by providing continual pilot awareness of fuel tank inerting status; b) enable closed-loop feedback control of NEA thereby enhancing efficient use of engine bleed air for cooling aircraft systems, c) increase the mission readiness rate and reduce flight preparation costs by informing ground crews when inerting service is needed or not; and d) provide early indications of maintenance requirements or OBIGGS system malfunction. An oxygen sensor system meeting Air Force and Prime Contractor specifications will be the first product resulting from this project. A similar product will also serve: a) the civilian aviation market, where inerting systems are now required to be installed in several new construction civilian aircraft, ranging from jumbo to regional jets, and retrofitted to much of the existing airliner fleet; and b) non-aviation markets where oxygen is monitored to preclude explosion of fuel and other hydrocarbon storage tanks. Within military aviation, it is estimated that at least 2000 sensor units will be needed. Markets of similar size are likely for non-aviation applications.