BAA-AFRL-RQKP-2015-0002-Atch1.pdf

BAA-AFRL-RQKP-2015-0002

Attachment 1

Hybrid-Cycle Power and Thermal Management System (PTMS) Development Research for the Aerospace Systems Directorate

Air Force Research Laboratory Statement of Objectives

1.0 Background: Next generation fighter aircraft are likely to require an unprecedented level of advanced capabilities in order to ensure air superiority in contested environments. These capabilities, which include advanced electronic attack, high-power laser, and future low-observability features, are expected to require as much as 10x higher power levels than current tactical systems. While these power system demands are significant, thermal management of these advanced systems may present a larger concern as component efficiencies and waste heat qualities are low. Modern vehicle design factors including composite aircraft skins, higher efficiency engines, and highly embedded vehicle systems compound these challenges. Further, the duty cycles of these loads can be rather varied from continuous to less than 5% of mission duration requiring wide thermal management system (TMS) full-range to nominal operational levels. Conventional air cycle systems (ACS) offer the advantages of higher temperature lifts over comparable vapor cycle systems (VCS). However, VCS are generally 10x more efficient at moving heat, resulting in reduced heat rejection demands on vehicle thermal sinks. VCS also reduce prime power requirements, typically in the form of shaft power extraction which is more efficiently supported by the engine cycle than the bleed air driven ACS. Additionally, storage in the form of chilled fuel or other thermal energy storage mechanisms can also be used to reduce the system maximum performance requirement. As such, hybrid approaches which attempt to capitalize on the benefits of various thermal cycles while minimizing their detriments may offer significant promise for these challenging applications. Further, all potential thermal sinks including engine burn-fuel, fan bypass air, third stream air, ram-air or ACM-generated sinks may not be available over the full range of aircraft operation. The ability to selectively use available heat sinks in the most optimal way to ensure sufficient and efficient cooling over the entire vehicle flight regime is a desired capability.

2.0 Applicable Documents:

International Trafficking and Arms Regulations (Title 22, CTR parts 120-130) Export Control Administration Regulations (EAR) 15 CFR 710-774

3.0 Objectives: The objective of this solicitation is to evaluate, design, and develop key technologies and integrated systems for meeting the supplementary power and thermal system requirements of next generation aircraft. Specifically, aircraft-level accessory system architecture analysis, system and component design and development, and integrated system demonstrations will likely be required under this activity. The solicitation seeks full thermal and supplementary power system-level solutions. As such, component-specific solutions alone do not fulfill the scope of this activity. Successful offerors need to have the capability to design, model, build and test up to full-scale PTMS units and integrated subsystems. An outcome of this activity will include identifying technology risks to achieving up to TRL 6 demonstrations with complementary risk mitigation plans. During the course of this activity, ground tests which seek to address each of these risks will likely be required wherein key vehicle functions may be simulated or emulated through practical means. While on-engine testing, either through direct test with an adaptive-cycle turbine engine or surrogate, may be cost prohibitive, risks associated with dynamical engine responses may need to be identified and explored as practical through system emulation and/or modeling. In addition, an on-engine test plan, with associated risks delineated, may be requested.

During the course of this activity, successful offerors may be expected to design, develop and produce a near-full scale integrated power and thermal management system prototype which demonstrates key performance attributes. These performance attributes will be developed based upon collaboration with Air Force customer, Weapon System Contractor (WSC), and engine Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) input. Potential attributes include, but are not limited to: load profiles of pertinent components; states of engine air, bypass duct air, third stream air and fuel sink temperature and capacity profiles; aircraft and engine size constraints;

auxiliary/emergency and engine start power requirements; mission parameters and day type.

System demonstrations will seek to reduce identified tactical aircraft PTMS risks including demonstrating a path toward meeting compactness and efficiency objectives, elimination of mission-induced thermal restrictions, support for high-power, low-duty mission systems and real-time energy and health monitoring functionality. In addition, applicable thermal management technologies could potentially be applied to other platforms, although fighter aircraft technologies are the primary emphasis of this effort.

3.1 PTMS Design: Design a relevant-scale tactical aircraft PTMS to optimally transport heat from mission-variant heat loads to mission-variant aircraft sinks during the course of pertinent missions while accomplishing necessary vehicle functions.

3.2 Hardware Development and Test: Develop hardware and conduct appropriate system and component-level testing in order to demonstrate sufficient mitigation of identified risks and to enable integrated testing, model validation and assessments.

3.3 Prototype Development and Test: Conduct integrated modeling, testing and/or assessments of the up to TRL 6 prototypes wherein critical vehicle functions (loads, fuel thermal management system (FTMS), engine, etc.) could be included or functionally emulated as necessary to demonstrate the required performance characteristics.

3.4 Risk Management: Identify technology risks. For higher risk items, present a mitigation strategy which includes follow-on system or component development tasks, significant tests (e.g. on-engine, altitude, etc.) or significant control or software development activities. TRL/MRL assessments of the components and system could also be presented with supporting justification.

3.5 Control Strategies: Identify and describe suitable control strategies to achieve the required ‘adaptive’ performance capabilities. Control processes to achieve critical statepoints or transition modes would be demonstrated through validated computational models, to the extent necessary.

3.6 Energy Management: Model, design and demonstrate an energy management scheme which governs integrated thermal management system performance.

3.7 Adaptive Features: Model, design and demonstrate a suite of adaptive TMS technologies and control methods, with thermal inertia, to permit efficient operation over wide operation ranges (10% to 100% capacity), mission sets, and environment day types.

Demonstrate the performance benefit of adaptive system features which may include (but are not limited to) multi-pass heat exchangers, on-demand ACS, high turn-down VCS, and/or thermal energy storage methods.

3.8 Architecture Analysis: Conduct architecture analysis related to Hybrid-Cycle PTMS aircraft/engine integration, systems, subsystems, and/or components.

3.9 Other Aerospace Applications: Apply appropriate tactical fighter thermal management technologies to other types of platforms, if applicable.

3.10 Technical Tasks: The contractor shall provide R&D not readily available in-house or under existing contracts. The contractor shall provide appropriate technical expertise at the current State of the Art (SOA) level to perform technical Task Orders (TOs), conduct specialized R&D technical analyses/assessments to include safety considerations and technology transfer activities, and provide appropriate technical contributions to the areas described in sections 3.1-3.8.

3.11 Program Management: The contractor shall exercise administrative and financial management functions during the course of the executing task orders such as: scheduling of activities and milestones; describing status; outlining contractor activity and progress towards the accomplishment of objectives; program planning; describing in detail the overall results of the effort; and documenting any new technological breakthroughs. The contractor shall track and detail all subcontractor expenditures of man-hours and funds.

4.0 Data/Deliverables

4.1 Data Items: The contractor shall provide deliverables in compliance with the Contract Data Requirements List (CDRL), DD Form 1423-1, as established on an individual TO basis as attached herein.

4.2 Software Deliverables: The contractor shall meet specific software deliverable requirements as established on an individual TO basis.

4.3 Hardware Deliverables: The contractor shall identify any specific hardware deliverable requirements as established on an individual TO basis.

5.0 Program Security

5.1 Program Security Classification: Secret. The contractor may require access to classified data up to and including SECRET in support of this work effort. Offerors planning to propose classified efforts are required to possess the necessary personnel and facilities to support the applicable level of security classification. The contractor shall train personnel in, and follow, appropriate Operations Security (OPSEC) measures during the performance of this program.

5.2 OPSEC Requirements: OPSEC requirements shall be established on an individual TO basis.

5.3 International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and PL 98-94 (Export Control). The contractor shall comply with International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR) 22 CFR 120-131 and Export Control Administration Regulations (EAR) 15 CFR 710-774.