SBIR Phase I: Novel Electronic Methods to Prevent Aquatic Biofouling

这一小型企业创新研究(SBIR)项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力涉及船舶的生物污损(水生生物的有害附着，例如藤壶)。目前的防污方法不仅对环境有害，而且成本高昂。有毒油漆可能会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，费用昂贵，而且有一定的危险性。在船舶运行期间，由于摩擦阻力，燃料成本可能会增加近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进行优化的潜水式超声波换能器阵列来防止生物污垢。近期的商业机会是码头所有者和全国范围内较大的码头运营商，在商业和海军军事运输方面拥有长期机会，总潜在市场约为100亿美元。这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目将解决换能器阵列的商业部署所面临的挑战，以防止停靠在码头的船舶出现生物污垢，并将加强对使用压电换能器在水中产生声波的科学了解，以及利用冲击波防止生物物种附着到船体的机会。该计划有四个科学目标：1)定义单个超声波换能器在水下安装30至50厘米，在1至15米远的目标表面上可能达到的最大无污垢区域和距离。2)在潜水外壳中使用新型低阻抗传感器，实现商业部署所需的低电压运行。3)在防水外壳中开发超声波传感器，以创建完整覆盖的相干阵列。4)开发一种电子可控阵列的原型，展示了比固定传感器元件大得多的无生物污垢区域，以便能够在更大的船舶上使用，如商业和军事运输。波束控制解决方案将减少增加功能所需的换能器数量。该计划将在声波束控制、压电换能器的电子设计和潜水器的机电设计等领域进行创新。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势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.