Army 17. 1 Small Business Innovation Research (sbir) Proposal Submission Instructions

• Analysis of packaging and power approaches of the remote systems to include the size weight and power factors for installing a remote systems in a single vehicle.

PHASE II:

• Develop and demonstrate a prototype solution for command post for PM Tactical Radio’s fielded VHF, UHF, and L band transceivers

• Phase Two deliverables will include:

o Prototype solution suitable for supporting a battalion operation center which has reached TRL 5

o Demonstration of the prototype with Army radio systems

o Test report detailing solution performance

o Product documentation detailing functions and operations of the prototype Monthly Progress reports. The reports will include all technical challenges, technical risk, and progress against the schedule.

o A baseline schedule for phase III.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: • Develop and demonstrate a prototype solution that builds on and matures the Phase II infrastructure development, and adds support for PM Tactical Radios HF and PM WIN-T’s C-band terrestrial radio emitters at the command post.

• Phase Three deliverables will include:

o Prototype solution suitable for supporting a battalion operation center which has reached TRL 6

o Demonstration of the prototype with Army command post radio systems

o Test report detailing solution performance

o Product documentation detailing functions and operations of the prototype

o Productization readiness report which presents any remaining design or implementation issues with respect to suitability to deploy within the command post

o Monthly Progress reports. The reports will include all technical challenges, technical risk, and progress against the schedule.

REFERENCES:

1. Army Techniques Publication (ATP) 6-02.53 TECHNIQUES FOR TACTICAL RADIO OPERATIONS JAN 2016, 224 pages, uploaded in SITIS on 1/12/17.

KEYWORDS: VHF Radio, UHF Radio, HF Radio, L-Band Radio, Antenna Combining, Signal combining, Free Space Optics, Fiber optic cable, Digital RF, Signal Processing, WIN-T, JTRS, WNW, SRW, HNW

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Electronics

OBJECTIVE: Optimize Army water management by developing a smart control algorithm system that uses water quality measurements to classify wastewater.

DESCRIPTION: This SBIR topic will deliver technology that the Army can integrate into its future base camp concept of operations. The Army is developing mobile wastewater treatment and gray water recycling systems to provide tactical base commanders more organic logistics support. The most efficient small base would recycle or repurpose as much waste water as possible to reduce the need for potable water and reduce the need for convoys to haul water out. The proposals should identify cutting edge research that allows for effective classification of wastewater on a single control platform such as a small circuit board. The smart control algorithm would make decisions such as: 1) water is already safe for non-potable purposes per Joint Regulations (see reference), 2) water is safe for discharge per EPA guidelines (see reference), 3) water is suitable for a microbial process, 3) water can be treated by a non-reverse osmosis filtration process 3) water requires reverse osmosis filtration 4) water would damage reverse osmosis filters. The smart control system concept would be a form factor that autonomous and modular to install on already fielded military equipment without modifying the equipment at depot. This topic can be solved by innovative mathematical combination of existing equipment (such as a standard pH electrode), resolving techniques previously rejected (i.e. Raman spectroscopy), innovative exploitation of sensors from other applications (i.e. blood analysis) or innovating new sensor measurements (i.e. magnetic resonance). These examples are not suggestions. The optimal solution would require none of the following three items: 1) reagents because the system must be supportable in all environmental extremes 2) specialty consumables because must be maintainable in remote locations 3) delicate optics or electronics because the system must survive worldwide transport over rough terrain. The waste water would come from individual plumbing exiting latrine units (toilets and hand washing), laundry (clothes washing machines), shower facilities and kitchen facilities.

PHASE I: Demonstrate feasibility of algorithm using basic laboratory data and a data set comprising either 1) collected wastewater from laundry, shower, kitchen, latrine or 2) a statistically robust number of samples from wastewater treatment facility. Verify measurement accuracy by comparing the results to analysis conducted using the appropriate reference method from the current edition of Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater (i.e. send samples out for individual analyses by commercial water test lab). The software does not need to be complete, but modeling indicates that an algorithm can perform process control based on sensor measurements.

PHASE II: Design and build a prototype software algorithm on integrated circuit board with required sensors. Delivered prototype must be suitable for testing at an Army facility by technical personnel. Clear operational manuals required but not in military format.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Final solution is a quick-connect autonomous inline system. The platform should be self calibrating with duration of at least one month before recalibration is needed. The most supportable design would utilize commonly available supplies and common communication protocols. The Army can integrate the technology developed under this SBIR into the mobile wastewater treatment, gray water recycling and water reuse systems being developed to answer Acquisition requirements. Additionally Army and Navy large ships can use this algorithm to optimize discharge within regulatory compliance. Industry could insert the technology developed under this SBIR in facilities to reduce water consumption and waste water discharge costs. Broader application may be for monitoring in accordance with discharge permits for industrial and municipal facilities.

REFERENCES:

1. Environmental Protection Agency’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit Writer’s Manual, available on their website HTTP://.EPA.gov/NPDES/writermanual.cfm

2. U.S. Army Public Health Command’s TB MEDD 577 SANITARY CONTROL AND SURVEILLANCE OF FIELD WATER SUPPLIES HTTP://phc.amedd.army.mil

3. Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, a joint publication of the American Public Health Association (APHA), the American Water Works Association (AWWA), and the Water Environment Federation (WEF). http://www.standardmethods.org/

KEYWORDS: wastewater, water recycling, water reuse, sensor, control system, gray water, black water

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Materials/Processes

OBJECTIVE: Under this topic, the Government invites proposals for the development and demonstration of an advanced pretreatment for greywater (shower & laundry), prior to reverse osmosis, in an expeditionary greywater reuse system.

DESCRIPTION: The Army needs improved capability to enable sustainment independence / self-sufficiency and reduce sustainment demands at expeditionary bases. The current and future demands of highly mobile, resource-limited, Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) require advancements in technologies for wastewater treatment. The Army must continue to improve and optimize its water management to meet mission requirements. Potable water and greywater (wastewater that does not contain body or food wastes, i.e. from showers and laundries) account for a substantial percentage of the logistics support convoys in current (FOBs). Therefore, reducing water demand, by treating greywater and reclaiming potable water, is needed to reduce the number of convoys necessary to deliver potable water and remove greywater from the field. The Army would like to develop a tricon based greywater reuse system (GWRS) to meet this need. The flowrate of the system will be ~5000 GPD utilizing reverse osmosis. The system will have a recover rate of at least 80%.

Proposals should identify cutting edge, simple and robust advanced pretreatment methods that can be utilized in the system described above. The pretreatment shall produce water with a 15-minute silt density index value (ASTM D4189-07) of less than 3.0 and a turbidity value less than 1.0 NTU. The proposed pretreatment shall be able to operate continuously with in process cleanings (e.g. backwashing) totaling less than 1 hour in a 24 hour operation. The pretreatment shall be able to operate for at least 1000 hours before an in depth cleaning (e.g. chemical cleaning) is required. The water produced by the GWRS (with reverse osmosis) shall meet Tri-Service Field Water Quality Standards for recycled greywater. Tri-Service Field Water Quality Standards are developed for the military by the Army, Navy (Marines) and the Air Force. These standards are included in Technical Bulletin - Medical (TB-MED) 577, Section 9.4. The water produced by the GWRS shall also meet the standards for recycling shower and laundry greywater to shower facilities in Army Force Provider transportable base camp systems. These standards are described and implemented in USACHPPM IP 31-027, Criteria for Recycle of Greywater for Shower Use. They represent guidance for any field laundry and shower recycle operations.

PHASE I: Demonstrate feasibility of the proposed technology in a laboratory setting. Verify the technology can meet the requirements while showing a pathway to meet the full scale integration into a tricon sized GWRS while producing treated water that has a 15 minute silt density index value (ASTM D4189-07) of less than 3.0 and a turbidity value of less than 1.0 NTU. Complete a conceptual design for a full scale pretreatment system prototype that, when combined with an appropriately sized RO system meets the production rate, operating times, and size.

PHASE II: Based on the design parameters elucidated in Phase I, design, fabricate and demonstrate a full scale prototype high pressure pump/energy recovery system which can be used by various military and other defense and support organizations for military, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief operations when integrated with a RO skid. The delivered prototype should be suitable for laboratory and field demonstration but the design does not need to be ready for manufacture, nor is military standard durability required. The prototype shall, in conjunction with an appropriate sized RO system, operate at a reverse osmosis product flow rate of 30 GPH while meeting the weight, and energy metrics of a combined system.

The delivered pretreatment prototype should be suitable for laboratory and field demonstration but the design does not need to be ready for manufacturing, nor is military standard durability required. The pretreatment prototype, before requiring chemical cleaning, shall be able to operate for 1000 hours at a flowrate around 4.3 GPM (5000 GPD @ 80 recovery for reverse osmosis) on a combined greywater source (1:1 ratio of shower to laundry water) to 15-minute silt density index values (ASTM D4189-07) of less than 3.0 and turbidity values less than 1.0 NTU while meeting the production rate, operating times and size metrics of a system based on the phase I conceptual design.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Commercialization – Technology developed under this SBIR could have an impact on military water purification with the intended transition path being into the planned Greywater Reuse System (GWRS) development effort. The development of this technology may also find application in the commercial water treatment industry and possibly in municipal water treatment applications.

REFERENCES:

1. http://www.epa.gov/safewater/contaminants/index.html

2. http://www.astm.org/Standards/D4189.htm

3. http://www.foresight.org/challenges/water001.html

KEYWORDS: Grey water reuse, Greywater recycling, Gray water reuse, advanced pretreatment, water treatment, reverse osmosis, sustainability

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Materials/Processes

OBJECTIVE: Under this topic, the Government invites proposals for the development and demonstration of a light weight low flow rate energy recovery module for enabling technology for the development of a small, man portable, sea water reverse osmosis water purification system.

DESCRIPTION: The Army currently lacks the capability to purify water at the small scale of contingency bases (<200 Soldiers), small units level (Company level and below), but still greater than individual Solider level. The smallest current Army water purification system consists of multiple pieces which weigh over 1500 pounds and requires a High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) sized vehicle to transport. Current commercial off the shelf (COTS) systems which treat sea water do not produce enough water, require high power demands, and due to their high complexity require too much skilled maintenance. The Army would like to develop a small, man portable, energy efficient reverse osmosis (RO) system, but high energy requirements and low energy efficiencies are a current technological gap. In order to accomplish this goal, an energy recovery device which capture the energy lost due to the high pressure and high flow rate waste brine stream is required. Commercially available energy recovery devices do not exist in the flow ranges and low weights required. Hence, new technology is needed to develop or adapt a system to recover energy from the waste brine stream generated from high pressure RO membranes. Such devices recovery energy via mechanical, electrical, or hydraulic means for example.

Proposals should identify cutting edge energy recovery technologies that can be used to recover lost energy in the brine waste stream generated from reverse osmosis elements. Proposals should address energy recovery systems or devices that are able to operate using concentrated seawater (up to 55,000 ppm salt (Sodium Chloride)), if the device has contact with the RO product water be made from NSF-61 compatible materials, can operate using feed pressures up to 1200 psig, variable feed flow rates in the range of 75 GPH to 125 GPH, with a recovery of at least 70% of the energy from the waste brine stream.

PHASE I: Demonstrate feasibility of the core energy recovery technology in a laboratory setting. Verify the high pressure energy recovery technology can be integrated in a system with a high-pressure RO pump to reduce the system energy requirement while showing a pathway to meet the full scale integrated system weight (< 80 lbs) and energy metrics (15-20 watt-hr/gallon or less). Objectives also include completion of a conceptual design for a full scale energy recovery prototype that when combined with appropriately sized RO equipment, meets the production rate, weight (RO elements + pump+ energy recovery device =<80lbs), and energy requirements listed in the description above and is suitable for use by military units across the range of small unit operations.

PHASE II: Based on the design parameters elucidated in Phase I, design, fabricate and demonstrate a full scale prototype high pressure energy recovery system which can be used by various military and other defense and support organizations for military, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief operations when integrated with a RO skid. The delivered prototype should be suitable for laboratory and field demonstration but the design does not need to be ready for manufacture, nor is military standard durability required. The prototype shall, in conjunction with an appropriately sized RO system, operate at the minimum energy recovery rate of 70%, at or below the 15-20 watt-hr/gallon energy metric and the reverse osmosis product flow rate of 10-15 GPH.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Commercialization – Technology developed under this SBIR could have an impact on military water purification with the intended transition path being into the planned Man Portable Water Purification System development effort. The development of this technology may also find application in the commercial water treatment industry, municipal water treatment applications and potentially in the residential arena.

REFERENCES:

1. von Gotberg, A. Pang, and J.L. Talavera. “Optimizing Water Recovery and Energy Consumption for Seawater RO Systems”, GE Power and Water, Water & Process Technologies, TP1021EN, 2012.

2. Liberman, “The Future of Desalination in Texas”, Vol 2, Report 363, Chapter 2, “The importance of energy recovery devices in reserve osmosis desalination”, 2004.

3. http://www.epa.gov/safewater/contaminants/index.html

4. “Membrane Desalination Power Usage Put in Perspective”, American Membrane Technology Association, FS-7, April, 2016

5. “Seawater Desalination Power Consumption”, Watereuse Association, November 2011.

KEYWORDS: Water Treatment, Energy Recovery, Reverse Osmosis (RO), Light Weight

A17-090

TITLE: Portable, Fieldable Method to Repair and Join Currently Non-Weldable Aluminum Alloys

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Materials/Processes

The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals, their country of origin, and what tasks each would accomplish in the statement of work in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement.

OBJECTIVE: To develop and demonstrate an innovative in-field repair and joining method for non-weldable aluminum alloys.

DESCRIPTION: Army vehicles have become increasingly heavier as additional survivability measures have been added to combat the ever increasing threats being used by our adversaries. At the same time, there are increasing priorities being placed on fuel efficiency of Army vehicles. Additionally, next generation vehicles are being asked to reduce weight by as much as 40%, while improving other attributes such as payload capacity and survivability. To meet these new goals, the Army is looking to utilize aluminum alloys to deliver improved ballistic protection performance without sacrificing additional weight. Materials of interest include several 2000 & 7000 Series aluminum alloys that belong to a small group of alloys that are generally considered as being unweldable by fusion based welding processes. This processes include, but not limited to; GTAW, GMAW, laser welding and electron beam welding. These desirable aluminum alloys are susceptible to stress corrosion cracking and premature failure if joined using fusion based welding processes. Development of new welding filler / wire for GMAW may overcome these shortcomings, but it will only be suitable for that precise aluminum alloy composition. Due to this limitation, Program Offices have not adopted these materials because no joining / repair technology exists that can easily repair them in the field.

The ultimately goal of this effort is to demonstrate a portable / fieldable Solid State process that is expected to join and repair a wide range of Aluminum alloys. Currently, only Friction Stir Welding (FSW), a Solid State joining process, is capable to joining non-wieldable aluminums. However, the major difficulty with FSW technology is that the stationary equipment must be large in size and tonnage to join thick gauge (1”+) plates. The USN demonstrated that a portable FSW system is possible, but it was only able to join plates no thicker than (1/4”) and was very cumbersome to use. This technology is expected to join and repair an aluminum plate with a minimum thickness of 1”. Therefore, the Army is not interested in a portable FSW system for this effort.

The Army has an urgent need to develop an in-field process and procedure to repair and join non-weldable aluminum alloy components. The new welding technology / method should permit repair of cracks, holes and fractures in these aluminum alloy components. Material prep, such as grinding or cleaning of the area is allowed, if the processes requires it. These must be done either by hand or as part of the joining / repair process. It is essential that the alloy be maintained in and around the repaired region of the part. The method must also result in material bonding between the filler and base metals with material properties equivalent to the original alloy. The new technology / method are also required for joining two non-weldable aluminum alloy components to each other. The new technology / method for welding the non-weldable aluminum alloys will ultimately have to be qualified. While qualification of the process is beyond the scope if this SBIR project, the project should be structured to identify a strategy for qualification, and should provide demonstrations that show that processing parameters can be controlled to achieve qualification. The main deliverable of this effort is a prototype manufacturing process capable of repairing and joining non-weldable aluminum alloys.

PHASE I: In this phase, the small business assess the viability of the proposed technical approach. These studies should include discussions with TARDEC to identify specific requirements for the joining / repair process, such as the type of aluminum alloy, joints, and damages requiring repair. TARDEC shall provide example of damaged plates. Work should begin with a detailed requirements analysis and system design specification relevant to a chosen application. The design should clearly demonstrate portability, as the system is expected to be used at Forward Operating Bases (FOB). Demonstrate feasibility of the developed approach by performing limited testing and characterization of the repair and joint interface at the coupon level. Material thickness no thicker than (1/2”). Deliverables shall be process development documentation in conjunction with materials property data on as repaired / joined material.

PHASE II: In Phase II, the small business will build a robust prototype of the new joining / repair technology and explore the method for the chosen alloy(s) and intended applications.

Work should begin with a detailed requirements analysis and system design specification relevant to a chosen application. The project should then proceed to acquire or build the necessary components and build the prototype new system in line with the design. Method development and weld quality should be verified through materials analysis of test coupons that confirm and improve the theoretical basis for the method. Materials tests that are appropriate for the target application should be developed and used to validate the technology. TARDEC to identify specific requirements for the joining / repair process, such as the type of aluminum alloy, joints, and damages requiring repair. Test examples will include the following: