Modeling acoustic fields using Open FOAM to determine fish deterrence | W81EWF 22 SOI 0030

Opportunity Information: Apply for W81EWF 22 SOI 0030

This grant opportunity from the Department of Defense, through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), is focused on improving how non-physical fish deterrent barriers are designed and evaluated in U.S. waterways. The underlying problem is the spread of invasive aquatic species, which agencies are trying to slow or prevent using deterrence methods that do not rely on physical screens or structures. Instead, these systems try to trigger a behavioral response in fish using stimuli such as sound (acoustics) or electricity. Many of the locations where deterrence is needed are complex, real-world aquatic environments that sit right next to major infrastructure like locks and dams, where flow conditions, geometry, and operational constraints can make barrier performance hard to predict.

A major theme of the opportunity is that practitioners already use OpenFOAM, an open-source multi-physics computational fluid dynamics (CFD) framework, to model free-surface hydraulics at these sites. In practice, they can simulate water movement and surface behavior and then try to infer how fish might respond. The gap ERDC is trying to close is that standard OpenFOAM workflows in this application area do not adequately support modeling the acoustic fields (and potentially electric fields) that actually drive deterrence. In other words, the tools can describe the water flow, but not the sound or electric environment fish would experience, which limits the ability to design, compare, and validate deterrent systems in a rigorous way.

The anticipated work is a research and development effort carried out as a cooperative agreement, with close collaboration between the selected performer and USACE. The core technical deliverable is to add capability within the OpenFOAM framework to simulate acoustic fields in the same environment where hydraulic variables are being computed, and possibly to extend that work to electric fields as well. The intent is an integrated modeling approach where the hydrodynamics, the sound field, and (if pursued) the electrical field can be generated together for a given site. The outcome would be a richer dataset and modeling workflow that can support more realistic analysis of deterrent performance, including how sound propagates and varies spatially in flowing, free-surface environments and near complex structures.

USACE will provide a field site along with supporting geometry and measured sound data to ground the modeling in real conditions. The selected awardee will be responsible not only for implementing and integrating the modeling capability, but also for processing acoustic data as needed, which implies work on handling field measurements, aligning them with model geometry and boundary conditions, and preparing them for calibration and validation of the simulated sound fields. Overall, the opportunity is aimed at producing practical, usable modeling enhancements that help engineers and biologists better understand and predict fish deterrence in operational waterways.

Administratively, the opportunity is identified as Funding Opportunity Number W81EWF 22 SOI 0030, categorized as discretionary funding in the science and technology / research and development area (CFDA 12.630). It anticipated a single award with an award ceiling of $140,000. The original posting date was June 22, 2022, with an original closing date of August 22, 2022. Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others," with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement.

• The Department of Defense, Engineer Research and Development Center in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Modeling acoustic fields using Open FOAM to determine fish deterrence" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.630.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jun 22, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 22, 2022. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $140,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for W81EWF 22 SOI 0030

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