NASA Fluid Structure Coupling Technology

NASA Marshall Space Flight Center's Fluid Structure Coupling (FSC) technology is a highly efficient and passive method to control the way fluids and structures communicate and then utilize this control authority to dictate the behavior of a system. Developed to solve a difficult structural dynamics issue of a national asset, the innovation has the demonstrated potential to mitigate a multitude of different types of vibration problems and can be applied anywhere in which internal or external fluids interact with physical structures.

FSC can be used in a wide variety of fields. The technology has:
Structural applications: Multistory buildings, stacks, towers, bridges, pools for spent nuclear fuels
Oil and gas applications: Offshore oil rigs, above-ground storage tanks
Municipal applications: Water tanks/towers
Aviation applications: Control of vibration transmission from wet wings and fuel sloshing
Marine applications: Multi-directional stabilization of vessels or platforms
Within the last year, MSFC has granted multiple research licenses for the FSC technology and has entered into several Space Act Agreements. These research licenses are enabling different companies the opportunity to test and further evaluate the innovation before entering into a royalty-bearing license agreement. The Space Act Agreements are allowing NASA to help licensing companies implement the technology for their application or helping academia further develop aspects of the technology.