Invention Overview:

Aircraft engines use acoustic liners to dampen engine noise. They are applied to the internal walls of the engine and are typically made of metallic and thermoplastic materials. LEW-TOPS-61 is a ceramic composite (CMC) acoustic liner that is much lighter than typical acoustic liners. The CMC liner uses a new design of alternate channel shapes in its design that offers increased engine noise reduction in a smaller and lighter package. Additionally, the composite’s materials are able to withstand extreme temperatures, providing a thermal barrier to the engine

Stage:

Component/subsystem validation in laboratory environment. Standalone prototyping implementation and test. Integration of technology elements. Experiments with full-scale problems or data sets.

Application(s):

Primary applications are in commercial airliners and other sub-sonic jet engines

Differentiators:

• Reduces broadband noise over a range of 400 - 3000 Hertz (Hz) or 2-3 octaves, reducing noise frequency 25%

• Provides a light weight alternative to metallic liners, decreasing the average density of liners from 8.4 g/cc to 2.8g/cc

• Ceramic composite material allows the liner to perform at temperatures up to 1000 degrees Celsius, providing higher strength and additional oxidation resistance

Invention Disadvantages and Possible Mitigation:

Primary application is within the airline market. LEW-TOPS-61 must penetrate this market to be of any value