PFI-TT: Using nanotechnology to create a proof-of-concept prototype for noise-canceling in building ventilation systems.

这个PFI项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是增加美国在碳纳米管热电管市场的经济竞争力，特别是在主动噪声控制领域击败其他国家。医院的通风噪音不利于病人康复，学校的通风噪音不利于学生的学习成果，社区的通风噪音不利于安宁的睡眠，导致压力增加。该项目开发了一种噪音控制产品概念，以显着改善这些地区美国人民的福利。除了建筑通风的滩头阵地市场，这项技术还应用于汽车和重型设备行业，以及军事隐形应用，可能会保护美国作战人员的生命。这个项目将加强学术界和工业界之间的伙伴关系，有可能启动一个新的初创企业。这个PFI-TT项目将让一名研究生和一名研究生积极创业，同时支持妇女参与科学、工程和创业。该项目将开发一个使用碳纳米管（CNT）热敏管的通风管道同轴有源降噪装置的原型。该技术提供了一种主动消声器解决方案，允许乘客实时定制声音，这是一种独特的市场特征，与目前的被动消声器技术相比，它的尺寸和重量减少了80%，同时提高了空气处理器的效率。同轴扬声器技术是通过碳纳米技术实现的，可以创造出没有活动部件的紧凑型扬声器。该产品是现有管道系统的直接替代品，可以在线安装。空气处理机产生的过多噪音对学校、剧院、医院和工业设施附近的社区都是有害的。这项技术旨在以经济和安全的方式减轻这些噪音负担。根据该计划开发的原型机将用于向工业设施管理人员、增值经销商和建筑工程师证明该技术，这些人历来不愿采用新技术。特别是，证明该技术可以扩展到大型管道（直径6英寸或更大），该设备不会增加系统背压，并且在有限的维护下具有显着的使用寿命，将是这项工作的关键成果。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this PFI project is to increase the economic competitiveness of the United States in the carbon nanotube thermophone market, specifically beating other countries to market in the active noise control arena. Ventilation noise in hospitals is detrimental to patient recovery, in schools is detrimental to student learning outcomes, and in communities is detrimental to restful sleep leading to increased stress. This project develops a noise control product concept to significantly improve the welfare of the American people in these areas. In addition to the beachhead market of building ventilation, the technology has applications in the automotive and heavy equipment industries, and in military stealth applications, potentially protecting the lives of the American warfighter. This project will enhance a partnership between academia and industry, potentially launching a new start-up. This PFI-TT project will engage one graduate student and one post-graduate student in active entrepreneurship while supporting participation of women in science, engineering, and entrepreneurship. The proposed project will develop a prototype for a coaxial active noise cancelation device in ventilation ducts using carbon nanotube (CNT) thermophones. The technology provides an active silencer solution that allows the occupant to customize sound in real time, a unique market feature, with as much as an 80% size and weight reduction while improving air handler efficiency over current passive silencer technologies. The coaxial loudspeaker technology is enabled through carbon nanotechnology to create a compact speaker with no moving parts. The product is a drop-in replacement to existing duct systems and can be installed in line. Excessive noise from air handlers is detrimental in schools, theaters, hospitals, and in communities near industrial facilities. This technology aims to alleviate these noise burdens in an economical and safe way. The prototype developed under this program will be used to prove the technology to industry facility managers, value-added-resellers, and building engineers, who are historically risk-averse in adopting new technology. In particular, showing that the technology can be scaled to large ducts (6" in diameter or more), that the device does not increase system backpressure, and that it has significant lifespan with limited maintenance will be key outcomes from this work.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.