UDRI awarded Air Force contract for R&D in propulsion technologies

The University of Dayton Research Institute has been awarded a new five-year Air Force contract to perform research and development in propulsion technologies for the Air Force Research Laboratory, Aerospace Systems Directorate, at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The award ceiling for the indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract is $100 million. The contract comes with an initial task order of $300,000 for scientific, engineering and technical research in the structural dynamics and mechanics of gas turbine engine components.

The overall contract provides for research and development in three core propulsion-technology areas for the Aerospace Systems Directorate: aircraft turbine engines; energy, aerospace power and thermal management; and advanced propulsion. Work within these research areas will include R&D in engine components and mechanical systems, lubricants, fuels, improved materials, power and thermal management, energy distribution and storage and advanced high-speed propulsion, as well as a wide range of other technical areas.

In their first order, UDRI researchers will provide experimental measurement, modeling and analytical prediction of engine component characteristics including performance, response, enhancements and durability. This effort builds upon past support for the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Turbine Engine Fatigue Facility to continue improving the design, function, and life of aircraft turbine engine components. UDRI researchers lend support to optimize test setups, obtain accurate measurements, and furnish custom test specimens for experiments carried out at the Air Force Research Laboratory.

Each year, sponsored research programs at the University of Dayton provide real-world research opportunities to nearly 300 undergraduate and graduate students working with more than 500 professional and faculty researchers from the Research Institute, the School of Engineering and the College of Arts and Sciences.

June 30, 2014