SBIR Phase I: Novel Electronic Methods to Prevent Aquatic Biofouling

这项小型企业创新研究（SBIR）项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力解决了船舶的生物污染（水生生物，如藤壶的不必要附着）。目前的防污方法不仅对环境有害，而且成本高昂。有毒油漆可能污染我们的海洋和水道。减轻生物污染的维护是劳动密集型的，昂贵的，而且有些危险。在船舶运行过程中，由于摩擦阻力，燃料成本的增加可能接近40%。该项目将开发一种创新的电子方法，通过开发针对码头低压操作优化的潜水式超声波换能器阵列来预防生物污染。近期的商业机会是与码头所有者和全国较大的码头运营商合作，长期的机会是商业和海军军事运输，总可寻址市场约为100亿美元。这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目将解决传感器阵列商业部署的挑战，以防止停靠在码头的船舶的生物污染，并将加强对使用压电换能器在水中产生声波的科学理解，以及利用冲击波防止生物物种附着在船体上的机会。该计划有四个科学目标：1)通过安装在水下30至50厘米处1至15米远的目标表面上的单个超声波换能器，确定最大无污垢区域和可能的距离。2)在潜水器外壳中使用新型低阻抗换能器，实现商业部署所需的低压操作。3)在防水外壳中开发超声波传感器，以创建全覆盖的相干阵列。4)开发一种原型电子操纵阵列，展示比固定传感器元件更大的无生物污垢区域，以便在大型船舶上使用，如商业和军事运输。波束导向解决方案将减少所需的换能器数量，以增加功能。该项目将在诸如声束转向、压电换能器的电子设计以及潜水器外壳的电子/机械设计等领域进行创新。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 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project addresses biofouling (unwanted attachment of aquatic organisms, e.g. barnacles) of ships . Current antifouling methods are both harmful to the environment and costly. Toxic paints may pollute our seas and waterways. Maintenance to mitigate biofouling is labor-intensive, expensive, and somewhat hazardous. Increases in fuel costs due to frictional drag during a vessel’s operation can approach 40%. This project will develop an innovative electronic approach to biofouling prevention by developing submersible ultrasonic transducer arrays optimized for low voltage operation in a marina. The near-term commercial opportunity is with both marina owners and larger marina nationwide operators, with long-term opportunities in commercial and naval military transport, a total addressable market of approximately $10 billion. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will address the challenges for commercial deployment of transducer arrays to prevent biofouling of ships docked in marinas, and will enhance the scientific understanding of acoustic wave generation in water using piezoelectric transducers and the opportunity to use shock waves to prevent the attachment of bio-species to hulls of ships. The program has four scientific objectives: 1) Define the maximum fouling-free area and distance possible with a single, ultrasonic transducer mounted 30 to 50 cm underwater, on target surfaces 1 to 15 meters distant. 2) Achieve low-voltage operation required for commercial deployment, using new transducers with low impedance in submersible housings. 3) Develop an ultrasound sensor in a waterproof housing to create a coherent array for full coverage. 4) Develop a prototype electronically steerable array demonstrating a significantly larger biofouling-free area than a fixed transducer element, to enable use on larger ships, such as commercial and military transport. A beam-steering solution will reduce the required number of transducers for increased functionality. The program will innovate in areas such as acoustic beam steering, electronic design of piezoelectric transducers, and electro/mechanical design for submersible housings.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.