United States - TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER OPPORTUNITY: Fluid Flow Metering and Mixing Technologies (MFS-TOPS-51)

Description

Added: Aug 28, 2019 2:12 pm

NASA's Technology Transfer Program solicits inquiries from companies interested in obtaining license rights to commercialize, manufacture and market the following technology.  License rights may be issued on an exclusive or nonexclusive basis and may include specific fields of use.  NASA provides no funding in conjunction with these potential licenses.

THE TECHNOLOGY:

Innovators at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center have developed a suite of prototype fluid plug technologies with an array of capabilities for fluid flow metering, mixing, and conditioning.  Each innovation within this suite is based upon a core technology that has no moving parts, is simple to manufacture, and provides high reliability and efficiency.  Also,the base fluid plug technology can be modified with very few or no hardware changes to achieve the desired effect or combination of mixing, metering, and conditioning capabilities depending on the application.

The innovations included in this technology suite are variations of the same base innovation, which typically consists of a fluid plate or plug of varying thickness.  The device is simple to install and can be mounted between two flanges in a fluid-flow conduit, or it can be threaded or welded into the conduit.  In some curved-pipe applications, the device can be integrated into a pipe fitting, bend, elbow, or tee. 

The face of the plug features several ports through which fluid flows.  The orientation and position of these ports vary, depending on the needs of a specific application. The design balances fluid flow and kinetic energy across the plug face to create the desired flow effect.  The device can smooth the fluid flow for superior conditioning, decrease turbulence for highly accurate metering, or increase turbulence to enhance fluid mixing. For example, discrete openings parallel to the fluid flow will decrease turbulence for accurate metering and conditioning.  Other shapes of fluid openings can be introduced to change flow velocity or energy.  The openings can also contain tapers and/or be directed along an unparallel path to the flow conduit to induce fluid mixing.  In addition, the open flow area of the plug can be more heavily weighted on one side to amplify or offset the fluid effects around bends.

To express interest in this opportunity, please submit a license application through NASA's Automated Technology Licensing Application System (ATLAS) by visiting https://technology.nasa.gov/patent/MFS-TOPS-51

If you have any questions, please contact Cory Efird, Marshall Space Flight Center at cory.efird@nasa.gov with the title of this Technology Transfer Opportunity as listed in this FBO notice and your preferred contact information.  For more information about licensing other NASA-developed technologies, please visit the NASA Technology Transfer Portal at https://technology.nasa.gov/

These responses are provided to members of NASA's Technology Transfer Program for the purpose of promoting public awareness of NASA-developed technology products, and conducting preliminary market research to determine public interest in and potential for future licensing opportunities.  No follow-on procurement is expected to result from responses to this Notice.

Opportunity closing date

23 August 2020

Value of contract

to be confirmed