 Foster-Miller is working to increase Army ground vehicle engine performance, decrease fuel usage, and increase stealth of these vehicles through the development of a smart, baffleless exhaust system. The Foster-Miller Smart Exhaust System uses smart piezoelectric fibers to convert acoustic energy ("noise") into electrical energy ("heat").
By converting acoustic energy, two additional benefits are achieved: 1) fuel efficiency from reduced engine backpressure, and 2) greater vehicle exhaust durability. The photograph shows a treatment for the system that activates the piezoelectric fibers used in the energy conversion process of the exhaust system. The specially treated fibers will be placed inside the exhaust pipe. Work on the program includes designing, building, and testing a prototype that will be integrated into an advanced technology demonstrator and field-tested. This dual-use technology could have application in vibration suppression and structural control in land vehicles, aircraft and ships, and will advance the state of the art in smart structural forming and generic smart structures technology.
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