Cryogenic Fluid Transfer Components Using Single Crystal Piezoelectric Actuators, Phase I

Cryogenic fluid transfer components using single crystal piezoelectric actuators are proposed to enable low thermal mass, minimal heat leak, low power consumption and fast response for cryogenic fluid transfer and handling systems to support NASA Lunar Lander, Ground Operations, Ares, and Lunar Surface Systems programs. Single crystal piezoelectrics are attractive because they exhibit 3 to 5 times the strain as conventional piezoelectric ceramics, have very low strain hysteresis, and retain excellent piezoelectric performance at cryogenic temperatures. Low voltage, low profile, highly efficient single crystal piezoelectric actuators including stack actuators, unimorph/bimorph benders and flextensional actuators will be designed, fabricated and characterized at temperature of 20 K -300 K. A fluid valve incorporating single crystal actuators will be prototyped for flow control experiments.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

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