Low Cost/Low Noise Variable Pitch Ducted Fan, Phase I

ACI proposes a design for a Propulsor (Low Cost/Low Noise Variable Pitch Ducted Fan) that has wide application in all sectors of Aviation. Propulsor hardware of this low cost design can be integrated with a broad range of aircraft engines (e.g. existing piston engines, automotive derivative piston engines, new design turbine engines) for use in new design aircraft. The proposed Propulsor design will incorporate known acoustic design features that support low noise aircraft operation. These features include the use of duct acoustic liners, attenuating harmonic stator vane and rotor blade configurations, and duct designs that direct/condition the exhaust air stream to minimize noise heard by individuals on the ground during aircraft takeoff, landing, and fly-over. The proposed Propulsor design makes possible the fabrication of low cost and low weight variable pitch fan blades and rotors. The new composite blade/retention design avoids the need for heavy and expensive ball bearings and other complex hub pitch change mechanism components.

ACI's proposed Propulsor (Low Cost/Low Noise Variable Pitch Ducted Fan) design has wide application in Aviation beyond just General Aviation. In Military Aviation, the ACI design low cost Propulsors are particularly well suited for applcations such as in VSTOL vehicles (e.g. twin counter rotating ducted lift fans, UAV vehicles where low noise signature is critical to mission success, and helicopter tail rotors. In Commercial Aviation, the Propulsor low cost design can be used for fans in turbofan engines such as the ADP (Advanced Ducted, ACI's proposed Propulsor (Low Cost/Low Noise Variable Pitch Ducted Fan) design makes possible the manufacture of low noise and low cost aircraft propulsion systems. The Propulsor design implementation in personal air vehicles (PAV) will make possible compliance with growing low noise restrictions. Importantly, the low cost Propulsor design will help NASA meet its PAV cost targets. This will help pave the way for high volume PAV aircraft sales in the future and realization of the NASA PAV/GA vision.

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.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.