SBIR/STTR Research Award
A ROBUST & MANUFACTURABLE ALTERNATOR & SUSPENSION FOR FREE PISTON STIRLING ENGINES
Award amount
$479,684Program and phase
SBIR · Phase IIAward year
1992Award details
- Awarding agency
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Branch
- Not reported
- Recipient company
- CLEVER FELLOWS INNOVATION CONSORTIUM
- Proposal award date
- Not reported
- Contract end date
- Not reported
- UEI
- Not reported
- Solicitation number
- Not reported
- Topic code
- Not reported
Research abstract
THIS PROJECT INVESTIGATES A COMPOUND, FLEXURE SUSPENSION ANDSPIN-PROHIBITED ALTERNATOR GEOMETRY FOR FREE-PISTON, STIRLING-ENGINE POWER CONVERSION. THE SYSTEM APPEARS TO OFFER MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS IN RELIABILITY, MASS AND SIZE, AND MANUFACTURING COST. THE PROJECT WILL PROVIDE A DESIGN AND LIFE TEST FOR THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM AND A COMPLETE CONCEPTUAL-PRELIMINARY DESIGN OF THE ASSOCIATED ALTERNATOR. CURRENTLY, BEARINGS ARE THE MOST UNRELIABLE COMPONENTS AND ALTERNATORS THE MOST MASSIVE IN A FREE-PISTON MACHINE. IMPROVEMENTS IN BOTH RELIABILITY AND POWER-TO-MASS ARE REQUIRED TO SUCCEED WITH STIRLING SPACEPOWER UNITS. COST AND RELIABILITY IMPROVEMENTS ARE REQUIRED FOR TERRESTRIAL COMMERCIALIZATION. THIS PROJECT INVESTIGATES A COMPOUND, FLEXURE SUSPENSION ANDSPIN-PROHIBITED ALTERNATOR GEOMETRY FOR FREE-PISTON, STIRLING-ENGINE POWER CONVERSION. THE SYSTEM APPEARS TO OFFER MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS IN RELIABILITY, MASS AND SIZE, AND MANUFACTURING COST. THE PROJECT WILL PROVIDE A DESIGN AND LIFE TEST FOR THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM AND A COMPLETE CONCEPTUAL-PRELIMINARY DESIGN OF THE ASSOCIATED ALTERNATOR. CURRENTLY, BEARINGS ARE THE MOST UNRELIABLE COMPONENTS AND ALTERNATORS THE MOST MASSIVE IN A FREE-PISTON MACHINE. IMPROVEMENTS IN BOTH RELIABILITY AND POWER-TO-MASS ARE REQUIRED TO SUCCEED WITH STIRLING SPACEPOWER UNITS. COST AND RELIABILITY IMPROVEMENTS ARE REQUIRED FOR TERRESTRIAL COMMERCIALIZATION.
Technology keywords
Not reported