SPECIAL NOTICE
A -- Innovative Flow Control Actuators for Aerodynamic Design, Analysis, and Testing - Request For Information (RFI)
- Notice Date
- 4/26/2018
- Notice Type
- Special Notice
- NAICS
- 541715
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology)
- Contracting Office
- Department of the Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command, AFRL/RQK - WPAFB, AFRL/RQK, 2130 Eighth Street, Building 45, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, 45433, United States
- ZIP Code
- 45433
- Solicitation Number
- RFI-AFRL-RQKP-2018-0001
- Archive Date
- 7/7/2018
- Point of Contact
- Ryan Plumley, Phone: 937-713-6673, Gail Parson, Phone: 937-713-9946
- E-Mail Address
-
ryan.plumley@us.af.mil, gail.parson.1@us.af.mil
(ryan.plumley@us.af.mil, gail.parson.1@us.af.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- Request For Information (RFI) The Aerospace Vehicles Division of the Aerospace Systems Directorate (AFRL/RQV) seeks to develop government/industry partnerships and industry/industry partnerships for the maturation and application of Active Flow Control (AFC) technologies. The intent of this RFI is to survey AFC devices, understand the state of the art, and to make pairings between devices and Air Force (AF) applications. AFRL/RQV is interested in the application of AFC technology and flow control actuator devices for use in upcoming government and contracted research efforts. Multiple potential applications of AFC are envisioned to enhance aircraft aerodynamics. Uses of the technology in aerodynamic design may include the delay of flow separation for wing or control surfaces, controlling propulsion inlet and exhaust flows, and applications specific to military aircraft. Based on the requirements and expected performance of these devices, modeling of AFC impacts (both beneficial and detrimental at a system level), and analysis of effectiveness can be completed. As design and analysis work progresses, experimental testing can be used to both validate models and mature the technology applications to progressively higher Technology Readiness Levels (TRL). Active flow control technology has a broad range of potential applications for USAF aircraft. Relevant vehicle improvements including, but not limited to: High-lift augmentation: AFC can allow aircraft to safely fly at lower speeds and higher angles of attack than would otherwise be possible by increasing the effective lift on the wing and delaying separation. Control/stability enhancement: AFC can increase the force effectively produced by a control surface or change the stability characteristics of a design. Potentially aircraft designed with AFC acting on control surfaces can be augmented in flight by delaying separation or augmenting circulation, increasing roll/pitch/yaw performance. Inlet flow shaping: The flow through an engine inlet varies with flight conditions and throttle setting, but there is typically an optimum set of desirable conditions for the flow entering the engine. Supersonic aircraft implement carefully designed inlets such that the shock profile remains favorable. Flow control devices housed in an inlet can be used to tailor flow characteristics on-demand. Nozzle vectoring: Several options exist for using flow control to vector thrust without a moving nozzle. Vectored thrust systems are often expensive to construct and mechanically complex, so a system with no moving parts could have far-reaching development impacts. Cavity flow control: Flow around an open bomb bay or other instrument cavity is difficult to control, especially in high-speed flight. In addition to affecting the performance and handling characteristics of the aircraft, a predictable flow field is conducive to reliable weapons separation or aero-optic performance. A specific AFC application relevant to AFRL investigations is an advanced aerial refueling boom. Every rigid refueling boom in USAF service has used two lifting surfaces in an H-tail or V-tail configuration for flight control. A rigid boom that instead uses AFC may be less mechanically complex than the contemporary hydraulic ruddervators. Such a boom could also potentially be stowed internally or externally in a manner that conforms to the tanker fuselage better than existing booms. Another potentially practical application is mitigating stability / pitch break challenges associated with low aspect ratio, delta-wing aircraft. These configurations are highly susceptible to sudden pitch up, limiting the range of angles of attack in which the aircraft can be safely flown. AFC can be applied in this situation to lower the risk of pitch break. This is a Request for Information (RFI) only, as defined in FAR 15.201(e), to obtain pricing, delivery, capabilities, and other market information for planning purposes. This RFI shall not be construed as a formal solicitation or an obligation on the part of the Government to acquire any product or service.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/USAF/AFMC/AFRLWRS/RFI-AFRL-RQKP-2018-0001/listing.html)
- Record
- SN04902374-W 20180428/180426231009-c159cfe731fb98a2e220c1bd8b047171 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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