HyTEC Phase 2 RFI Final.pdf

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

HYBRID THERMALLY EFFICIENT CORE (HyTEC) PROJECT

PHASE 2 CORE DEMONSTRATION

THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. NO PROPOSALS ARE TO BE SUBMITTED IN

RESPONSE TO THIS NOTICE

This notice is issued by the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) to post Request for Information to solicit responses from interested parties. This document is for information and planning purposes and to allow industry the opportunity to verify reasonableness and feasibility of the requirement, as well as promote competition.

1. INTRODUCTION

As part of the NASA Advanced Air Vehicles Program (AAVP), the Hybrid Thermally Efficient Core (HyTEC) Project was established to accelerate the development of small turbofan engine core technologies, culminating in an advanced core ground demonstration in the 2026 timeframe. NASA intends to collaborate with industry in a cost sharing arrangement to accelerate key technologies that can strengthen the U.S. industry’s position on small cores for a future single-aisle aircraft. NASA has identified several key technology areas for this collaboration: High Pressure Compressor (HPC), High Pressure Turbine (HPT), Advanced Materials, Turbofan Power Extraction, and Combustor. The project is separated into two development phases. HyTEC’s first phase will focus on the development of these individual technologies through subsystem or component tests. These efforts will accelerate and mature the needed technologies to Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) of 4-5 by 2023. The second phase intends to integrate TRL 4-5 technologies into a full engine core to demonstrate a functional high power-density small core at TRL 6 no later than 2026. Also, Power Extraction technologies are intended to be demonstrated to some degree at TRL 6 at the same time as the core demonstration.

The focus of this RFI, the second phase of HyTEC will be a collaboration with industry on the small core demonstration. This process will begin in 2023. The goal of these collaborative contracts will be to to fully integrate advanced core technologies and culminate in a final turbofan engine or core demo or demos, meeting the NASA goals and metrics. NASA expects potential HyTEC partners to carry out the core demonstrations, and implement the advanced technologies developed. They should show that the technologies integrated into the core demo collectively met the NASA goals/metrics, more details on this approach are contained in Section 3.

NASA intends to further fund the technologies from Phase 1 that were successful in performance and TRL maturation, carrying them forward into Phase 2. However, additional technologies will be considered that were not part of Phase 1 NASA contracts, as long as industry developed those technologies successfully to a minimum of TRL 4. HyTEC anticipates to focus on cost sharing the technology maturation and integration alone in Phase 2, as part of the overall full engine core demonstrations. The core demonstration would take the technologies to TRL 6 for insertion onto new engine products. Similar to Phase 1, these technologies should carry more risk than any baseline planned (ie. without NASA investment) core demonstrations. The NASA investment is to help to offset the risks of integrating these more aggressive technologies thereby creating more robust commercial products. Technologies that show significant promise in terms of fuel burn reduction goals will be prioritized. The HyTEC contribution should show that the final engine products are more fuel efficient, durable, sustainable, and give the U.S. aircraft engine manufacturers a clear competitive advantage.

The Phase 2 cost share will have a different approach than in Phase 1. Rather than share the cost of an entire engine or core demonstration, HyTEC intends to only fund the technologies that will be integrated into the core tests. This means NASA will cost share the development, design, fabrication, and integration of only the advanced technologies in the Phase 2 portfolio. The Government plans to share the cost of impactful technologies, in an effort to reduce the risk to industry for successful integration into future products. This can include Phase 1 technologies under HyTEC, and additional TRL 4-5 small core technologies that will be considered. By doing this, NASA can focus the investment on technology development and integration, rather than cost sharing the full demo itself.

This approach is intended to make the Government funds go further, so that more technologies can be integrated into these cores for even stronger fuel burn benefits, and ultimately robust US aircraft engine manufacturer competitive advantage. NASA would welcome feedback on this approach, and information on how development could be divided between cost share elements and Contractor only funded elements. Currently, the total Government contribution to cost share for HyTEC Phase 2 is anticipated to be in the $80-100 Million range, dependent upon future NASA Aeronautics funding profiles.

NASA is seeking input on the planning of the Phase 2 core demonstration portion of the project.

Information that would greatly benefit this process would include the technology integration roadmap, costs, schedule, and the alignment of technology development that meets HyTEC project goals. More details on this are contained later within this document.

2. BACKGROUND

The NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) has developed an integrated subsonic technology strategy to improve commercial transport market sustainability and U.S.

competitiveness by dramatically reducing aircraft fuel burn and associated emissions. The approach focuses on accelerating the development and demonstration of commercial subsonic transport aircraft technologies during the 2020’s to impact the next generation of commercial transports beginning in the early 2030’s. Prior research and development identified a suite of key technologies with significant potential benefits but is beyond the risk threshold of industry alone for next generation transports: ultra-efficient, high aspect ratio wings such as the transonic truss-braced wing; lightweight composite airframes enabled by high-rate manufacturing approaches; electrified aircraft propulsion;

and high-power density, small core gas turbine engines.

NASA ARMD plans to partner with U.S. industry and regulators to enable the highest likelihood of adoption and resulting fleet impact. NASA/industry partnerships will require data rights and intellectual property consideration that implements an appropriate balance between wide dissemination and protecting competitiveness. NASA ARMD intends to facilitate coordination and integration of this research and development strategy across technologies and organizations to address these needs and achieve the highest impact. NASA plans to use model-based systems analysis and engineering as a central integration hub among separate technology development and demonstration efforts addressing these key technologies. Each technology development and demonstration effort will encourage the use of model-based engineering approaches for execution efficiencies, data transfer, and technology validation.

The HyTEC Project is part of this overall subsonic transport technology strategy that focuses on the development and demonstration of high-power density, small core gas turbine engine technologies.

HyTEC’s focus on these small core technologies will provide direct benefits to the next single-aisle class aircraft in terms of thermal efficiency, as well as integrate with other technologies, through increased hybridization, as they mature to provide substantial continuous fuel burn reductions during the aircraft lifecycle. These advances will strengthen the US position in the commercial aviation engine market, and enable cost benefits in commercial aviation, while simultaneously reducing adverse environmental impacts to society.

3. HYTEC PROJECT GOALS AND TECHNICAL MEASUREMENTS

In order to contribute to the ARMD Strategic Goals, the HyTEC Project has an overarching goal to accelerate the development of the next generation small-core turbofan engine technologies with improvements in efficiency, durability, performance, hybridization, and sustainability in order to meet the next Entry into Service (EIS) single aisle aircraft expected in the 2030’s.

The HyTEC project will achieve that through the following objectives:

Demonstrate increased thermal efficiency with integrated high-power density-core engine technologies achieving a 5- to 10-percent fuel burn benefit, versus 2020 best in class, for early 2030s EIS single-aisle aircraft.

Achieve up to 20-percent power extraction at altitude from a modern commercial turbofan engine with the thrust, efficiency, operability, and durability to enable the benefits of electrified aircraft propulsion at a vehicle level.

Demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of high blend (>80%) SAF fuel in a EIS 2030s combustor with a particulate emission overall reduction of 70%, assess the SAF impact on the propulsion system performance, provide data to advance small core combustor design capabilities and validate models to quantify the benefits of investing in SAF [DRAFT]

A set of technical measurements were developed to provide insight into the progress of the definition and development of the technical solution, ongoing assessment of the associated risks and issues, and the likelihood of meeting the critical objectives of the stakeholder. These technical measures are comprised of: Measures of Effectiveness (MOEs), Key Performance Parameters (KPPs), Measures of Performance (MOPs), and Technical Performance Measures (TPMs). The HyTEC technical measures will be used to track progress of the TRL 4-5 technology development activities and the TRL 6 advanced core ground demonstration. The metrics described in the following table that align with the Phase 2 integrated core deomstration are in bold text.

3.1. Measures of Effectiveness (MOE)

The HyTEC MOEs in Table 1 are used to establish the HyTEC stakeholder’s expectations and HyTEC’s goals.

Table 1. HyTEC Measures of Effectiveness MOE # Measure of Effectiveness (MOE)

MOE -1 Define a viable path that identifies key high power density core technologies needed to accelerate U.S. Industry product that is enhanced by Government participation.

MOE-2 Establish a turbofan engine with a high power density core that addresses the next generation single-aisle for EIS in the 2035 timeframe.

MOE-3 Demonstrate increased power extraction at altitude from a modern commercial turbofan engine with the thrust, efficiency, operability, and durability to enable the benefits of electrified aircraft propulsion at a vehicle level.

MOE-4

[DRAFT]

Advance small core combustor design capabilities for effective and efficient operability using high-blend SAF [DRAFT]

3.2. Measures of Performance (MOP)

The MOPs in Table 2 define the objectives HyTEC seeks to achieve through the technology development and hybrid thermally efficient core ground demonstration. The bold MOPs are applicable to the core demonstration.

Table 2. HyTEC Measures of Performance

MOP # Measure of Performance (MOP)

MOP-1 Execute dual spool power extraction on a turbofan engine via ground and altitude testing

MOP-2 Develop and demonstrate via ground test an advanced high power density core engine

MOP-3 Raise the TRL level of high power density core technologies to TRL 4-5 through component testing by 2023

MOP-4 Raise the TRL level of high power density core technologies to TRL 6 through ground testing by 2026

MOP-5 Raise TRL of turbofan power extraction and insertion to TRL 5 through altitude ground testing by 2024

MOP-6 Raise the TRL of a small core combustor design to TRL 4-5 that provides reliable ignition and lean blowout performance when burning > 80% blend (by volume) SAF by 2024 [DRAFT]

MOP-7

[DRAFT]

Raise TRL of turbofan power extraction and insertion to TRL 6 through integration into a core demonstration by 2026 [DRAFT]

MOP-8

[DRAFT]

Integrate a small core combustor design at TRL 6 that provides reliable ignition and lean blowout performance when burning > 80% blend (by volume) SAF by

2026 [DRAFT]

3.3. Key Performance Parameter (KPP)

The KPPs in Table 3 define the success criteria of the HyTEC technology development and core ground demonstration. It is important for the HyTEC project, through the core demonstrations, that each KPP in bold is met. This will be assessed through an independent systems assessment, described in Section 3.5.

Table 3. Key Performance Parameters supporting HyTEC Goal 1

Key Performance Parameter

(KPP)#

Key Performance Parameter (KPP) Full Success Single Aisle

~2035 EIS

Minimum Success

Single Aisle

~2035 EIS

KPP-1

Fuel burn reduction attributed to the high power density core of the original equipment manufacturer’s (OEM) vision turbofan engine

10% 5%

KPP-2 Engine Bypass Ratio > 15 > 12

KPP-3

Engine Overall Pressure Ratio (Defined at top of climb)

>50 >45

KPP-4

Durability, measured in operating hours between major refurbishment

Exceed SOA by 5%

Meet SOA of baseline

KPP-5

Degree of hybridization measured by level of power extraction from the turbofan engine at altitude

20% 10%

KPP-6 HPC Exit Corrected Flow < 3 lbm/s < 3.5 lbm/s

KPP-7

[DRAFT]

Combustor operability using SAF is comparable to its performance using Jet-A/A- 1fuel, as measured by lean blowout and ignition performance. [DRAFT]

Combustor operability demonstrated with 100% SAF

Combustor operability demonstrated with >80% SAF

KPP-8

[DRAFT]

Degree of hybridization measured by level of power extraction/insertion from the turbofan engine [DRAFT]

15% 5%

3.4. Technical Performance Measures (TPM)

Technical Performance Measures (TPMs) are a set of performance measures that will monitor progress and identify deficiencies that may jeopardize meeting the MOPs. Offerors will be expected to define the TPM’s for each technology proposed as part of a response to a potential future solicitation.

3.5. HyTEC Technology Assessment

At the end of Phase 2, the HyTEC project will assess the progress made on technical metrics described above. A vehicle-level systems assessment will be conducted to determine the integrated technology benefits. NASA will require the potential partners to show an integrated benefit of the funded advanced technologies that were implemented into the core demonstration. This means that the combined benefit of the advanced technologies should meet the applicable KPPs when the assessment is performed for an EIS 2030’s future engine compared to the 2020 baseline. Potential partners will perform this assessment, and NASA will perform independent assessments in parallel.

Therefore, the necessary data and models will be delivered to NASA so that the internal HyTEC assessment can be completed. It will be required to show each advanced technology’s independent contribution to the KPPs. Additionally, NASA is especially interested in maturing technologies with significant market potential and will expect potential parters to reveal whether these HyTEC technologies will be incorporated into any future products.

4. HyTEC TECHNICAL CONTENT

This section briefly outlines the technology areas that NASA awarded (some pending award as noted) and is currently working as part of the HyTEC Phase 1 activities. These technologies will serve as the baseline for the Phase 2 core demonstration, and assuming successful TRL 4-5 demonstration, are intended to be integrated into Phase 2. It should be noted that a Phase 1 award would not be required to carry forward these technology areas in Phase 2.

4.1. Advanced high-pressure compressor

4.1.1. Develop casing treatments and advanced designs with smaller parts and tighter clearances to enable small core compressors that maintain operability while optimizing performance and efficiency.

4.2. Advanced high-pressure turbine aerodynamics

4.2.1. Enable more efficient turbine operation by developing advanced blade and cooling designs and aerodynamic features.

4.3. Enhanced combustor materials

4.3.1. Develop ceramic matrix composite (CMC) liners for combustors to increase performance and durability.

4.4. High-temperature turbine materials

4.4.1. Develop CMCs and environmental barrier coatings (EBCs) for turbine blades and vanes to increase temperatures and efficiency of turbines.

4.4.2. Develop advanced metallics for turbine blades that enable increased temperatures and turbine efficiency.

4.5. Turbofan Power Extraction

4.5.1. Develop a configuration to achieve significant power extraction at relevant operating conditions from commercial turbofan engines with similar thrust, weight, efficiency, operability, and durability to enable the benefits of electrified aircraft propulsion at a vehicle level.

4.6. Combustion Technologies (not yet awarded)

4.6.1. Ensure compatibility of near drop-in sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) without blending with Jet-A/A-1 in small core combustor designs.

5. REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

To help in the planning of HyTEC’s Phase 2, the project team is specifically requesting responses to the following areas:

5.1. Technology Plan

5.1.1. Identify the technology areas listed in Section 4 that would be of interest to collaborate in and benefit from a NASA collaboration. Explain how NASA’s role in the collaboration would either accelerate or enhance the technology development and small core demonstration. It is recommended to identify any key priority technology areas.

5.1.2. If there are technologies not listed in section 4 that could be accelerated to a small core demonstration with help from NASA, please identify and explain the need and benefit of collaboration. Technologies eligible for Phase 2 must have already been demonstrated to TRL 4-5, and have clear links to the HyTEC Project technical measurements contained within Section 3.

5.1.3. The linkage between Power Extraction and the integration of hybrid electric technologies into the small core demonstration is a very important area that NASA wishes our potential partners to illustrate. NASA would like to integrate this technology into core demonstrations and would like details of how this would be accomplished.

5.1.4. Small core combustor operability and compatibility with high blend sustainable aviation fuels is a new area to the HyTEC project. NASA would like to understand the feasibility and interest of testing SAF in the Core demonstration.

5.1.5. Identify key Industry risks to the core demonstration test program.

5.1.6. Feedback is requested on draft Project goals and technical measures in Section 3. NASA would like additional information as to whether these new draft items are reasonable, and if there are any suggested changes to them, with a justification and explanation.

5.2. Schedule

5.2.1. NASA requests a schedule and roadmap of proposed collaborative technology investments showing the progression from the subsystem development to the core demonstration. This schedule would indicate key milestones for TRL 4-5 technology tests as well as the demonstration. NASA would also request a roadmap that shows TRL progression and the linkage between Phase 1 TRL individual technology demonstrations and the full core test.

5.3. Cost

5.3.1. The core demonstration cost will be the largest HyTEC investment for both NASA and industry. NASA requests a cost estimate for the small core demonstration. These cost estimates are not binding for any future contractual agreement. For each technology area of interest listed in Section 4 (and other potential technologies), NASA requests detailed cost estimates developed separately for each area to integrate them into a core demonstration. This would include hardware needed to demonstrate the technologies in an integrated core demonstration, design efforts, and any other development activities that would be required to achieve TRL 6. As stated previously, NASA intends to only cost share development and integration of advanced technologies. Industry is encouraged to not only identify these costs, but also the portion to be funded solely by industry such as facility hardware, test costs, and existing technology elements (such as but not limited to hardware required for core operation and test support hardware).

5.4. Cost Share

5.4.1. For each cost estimate provided, NASA requests a proposed cost share with the government. This cost share should include a breakdown of the investment splits between industry and NASA for hardware, facilities, and any staffing that can be identified at this time. This proposed cost share is not binding for any future contractual agreement, however, NASA does ask for a best effort estimation of the cost share so that the HyTEC team can adequately prioritize and develop budget for the focal technical areas of interest.

Again, this applies to only cost shared advanced technology development activites.

5.5. NASA Resources

5.5.1. For each technology area of interest listed in Section 4, NASA requests to identify the NASA resources that would be proposed to be used for developing and integrating the technologies. For instance, if NASA expertise will be requested under a collaborative contract for certain research areas; please identify those specific competencies needed. This will allow NASA to estimate the research staff resources to adequately staff HyTEC to meet needs in collaborative technology development arrangements.

5.6. Facilities

5.6.1. For the core demonstration, NASA requests that any facilities that would be proposed for testing be identified. NASA facility usage is not a metric of interest or a discriminator, and the use of industry or outside facilities that are suited for a core demonstration are acceptable.

If there are existing NASA facilities that our potential partners would feel are best suited to demonstrate a full core, identifying the facility and estimated duration of use will allow NASA to develop the cost estimate for including those facility costs into Phase 2. Also, if any modifications to any of the NASA facilities are required for small core technologies, please identify those as well which will help in gathering estimates for future capability planning.

5.7. Data Rights

5.7.1. Discuss the Intellectual Property (IP) data rights approach to the core demonstration. Describe the type of data that would be provided to NASA with limited and unlimited rights. This will allow NASA to understand the data that can be used for the project system assessment and any restrictions to be aware of.

6. RESPONSE INSTRUCTION

This RFI is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government, nor will the Government pay for the information submitted in response. The Government may not respond to questions/concerns submitted. The Government will use the information to finalize the solicitation as necessary.

All questions shall be submitted electronically via email to grc-dl_hytec@mail.nasa.gov, no later than 3:00PM ET March 4, 2022. All applicable answers to submitted questions will be posted on SAM.GOV. All final responses to this request shall be submitted to grc-dl_hytec@mail.nasa.gov by 3:00 PM ET, April 15, 2022. When responding reference 80GRC022RFI0003.

NASA Clause 1852.215-84, Ombudsman, is applicable. The Center Ombudsman for this acquisition can be found at http://prod.nais.nasa.gov/pub/pub_library/Omb.html .

If a solicitation or announcement is released, then it and any additional documents will be available on www.Sam.gov. It is the offeror's responsibility to monitor this website for the release of the solicitation and amendments (if any). Potential offerors will be responsible for downloading their own copy of the solicitation and amendments, if any.

[END OF RFI]