bedded Teflon Fibers.  This method of anti foul 

UNO  COE  continues  to  sponsor  remote  source

ing  along  with  several  others  shows  promise.

lighting  development  as  an  alternate  lighting

UNO COE is studying whether this epoxy can

source  for  ships  and  commercial  use.    Remote

be used in place of  copper on ships to prevent

source lighting uses high energy fiber bundles to

the damage these ships have on its surround 

illuminate areas where electrical lighting systems

ing environment.  UNO COE, at the request of

pose  a  safety  threat,  require  cool  lighting,  and

Russia, is studying the use of scandium, which

color sequencing.

acts as a natural corrosion inhibitor for alumi 

Fiber  optic  sensing  and  illumination  technol 

num.   This  would  mean  aluminum scandium

ogy  go  beyond  Navy  ships.    Homeland  security

based  alloys  generally  will  not  need  paint  or

can benefit through optical spectroscopy of chemi 

chemical film to resist corrosion.   The alloy is

cal and biological dangers.  Condition based main 

strong, light, and corrosion resistant and ideal

tenance  of  enterprise  operations  can  be  greatly

for applications such as aerospace.

improved through employment of fiber optic sen 

sor and systems technology.  Commercial manu 

facturers can also benefit from this research.

Fiber Optic Technology

The University of New Orleans, College of Engi 

Life Cycle Costing and Assessment

neering developed a strong and cooperative part 

nership with the private sector whose function was

The University of New Orleans, College of Engi 

to  demonstrate,  refine,  prototype,  and  implement

neering  developed  a  computer  model  for  life  cycle

fiber optic components and systems in Navy ships

costing  and  assessment  of  shipyard  blasting  and

and other government and industry operations.

painting.  The model will reduce total life cycle costs

and increase environmental compliance.

Most  application  of  fiber  optics  research  sup 

ported by the University of New Orleans, College

The  University  of  New  Orleans,  College  of

of Engineering (UNO COE) is handled by a small

Engineering s  (UNO  COE s)  Gulf  Coast  Region

business  contractor.    Funds  awarded  through

Maritime  Technology  Center  (GCRMTC)  devel 

small business technology transfer research and

oped a computer model for life cycle costing and

small  business  innovation  research  programs

assessment  of  shipyard  blasting  and  painting.

have  been  instrumental  in  starting  the  process

The model will result in minimizing wastes and

of transferring sensing and illumination technol 

natural resource utilization, reducing production

ogy to the Navy.

and societal costs, and increasing compliance with

UNO COE and the contractor demonstrated ca 

the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and

pabilities in packaging a variety of complex sens 

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

ing components and illumination systems for pro 

(OSHA).

totype application on Navy ships.  Extensive work

The computer model has a graphical interface

in temperature, flame, and level sensing devices

that  allows  the  user  to  select  costs  and  parts  of

were designed into damage control prototype sys 

equipment, and entry of materials and process pa 

tems  installed  on  the  USS  Ross  DDG 71.   This

rameters.  Total life cycle costs (e.g., direct, indi 

installation  demonstrated  its  effectiveness  and

rect,  and  societal)  for  all  levels  of  painting  and

value over competitive devices and systems.  UNO

blasting operations will be calculated based on the

COE  developed  a  fiber  optics  based  torque  and

user s input.  By changing process parameters (e.g.,

thrust measurement device for propulsion moni 

nozzle, pressure, abrasive type, paint application

toring.  UNO COE also sponsored Bragg tempera 

equipment, type of paint, etc.), new models can be

ture sensor development whereby the physics of

generated for comparison to optimize the process

a  single  fiber  demonstrated  the  capacity  to  de 

for both cost and environmental compliance.

tect stresses and translate these into a simple and

Alternate  blasting  materials  and  paint  ap 

inexpensive  temperature  detector.    Application

plication methods will be identified that mini 

possibilities are present in sensing and monitor 

mize  costs  to  the  shipyard  and  society.   The

ing  critical  processing  parameters  required  for

computer  model  can  be  used  with  about  80%

high  quality  composite  material  fabrication.

of the shipbuilding industry.

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