Miniaturized Flow Cell for Electrochemical Detection of Heavy Metals--Eltron Research, Inc., 5660 Airport Boulevard, Boulder, CO 80301-2340;
(303) 440-8008
Dr. Michael T. Carter, Principal Investigator
Mrs. Eileen E. Sammells, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG03-97ER82365
Amount: $749,998

Heavy metal contamination in surface and subsurface waters represents a major problem for DOE facilities as well as for private sector mining operations. This project will develop a miniaturized hybrid electrochemical/microfluidic technology to enable rapid, affordable, reagent-free, in situ measurement of multiple trace heavy metals. Devices will be adaptable to hand-held surface monitoring or down-hole applications. Phase I identified successful strategies for fabricating miniaturized devices by photolithographic methods. Device performance for trace heavy metal detection was characterized under a variety of possible sample conditions and parts-per-billion detection levels were obtained with minimal interference. Phase II will refine and optimize the miniaturized sampling flow cell and electrochemical detection method for a broad scope of metals and possible sample conditions. These data will be used to fabricate a prototype system embodying preferred features. The device will identify and quantify up to six heavy metals without reagents or sample pretreatment.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The proposed sampling and monitoring system will be applicable to surface and subsurface water contamination problems relevant to DOE needs. Examples of potential private sector applications include monitoring emissions at metal plating facilities and on-site analysis of ground water quality.

A Selective and Cost Effective Oxidant for the Treatment of Radioactive Tank Waste--Lynntech, Inc., 7610 Eastmark Drive, Suite 202, College Station, TX 77840-4023;
(409) 693-0017
Dr. Adrian Denvir, Principal Investigator
Dr. Oliver J. Murphy, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG03-97ER82421
Amount: $750,000

DOE is faced with the formidable task of developing techniques for the safe and cost effective remediation of 100 million gallons of radioactive waste stored in more than 300 underground storage tanks (USTs) at many DOE facilities. Costs and treatment time can be substantially reduced by the use of a cost effective selective oxidation process for the removal of problematic constituents in the waste. This project will explore the effectiveness of ferrate for the pretreatment of UST nuclear waste. The process would allow the effective and selective oxidation of key UST waste components with a single, economical oxidant. Issues regarding secondary waste generation and compatibility with down stream processes are addressed. In Phase I, the electrochemical generation of ferrate was successfully achieved using a three-dimensional electrode in a flow-cell. The cell was able to produce dual oxidants. The effectiveness of the ferrate oxidation process was successfully tested in several systems relevant to DOE applications. In Phase II, the effectiveness of ferrate to oxidize and facilitate the removal of key constituents (e.g., non-pertechnetate species and chelated Sr and transuranics (TRUs) in supernant, and Cr(III) minerals in sludge) will be tested using UST simulant and actual waste. Also, a scaled-up breadboard system for the on-demand production of ferrate will be designed, fabricated and tested, so that it can be readily adapted to meet end-user needs.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee. Besides its application in the remediation of nuclear waste, this technology can be applied to the treatment of wastewater, such as from the dye, electroplating, and pharmaceutical industries and municipal sewage.

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A Novel Photosorbent for Removal of Mercury from Aqueous Waste Streams--ADA Technologies, Inc., 304 Inverness Way South, Suite 365, Englewood, CO 80112-5828;
(303) 792-5615
Ms. Robin M. Stewart, Principal Investigator
Mr. Richard Schlager, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG03-97ER82310
Amount: $749,347

The widespread use of mercury in DOE weapons-making facilities has created a broad range of mercury-contaminated wastes and wastewaters. Future waste-treatment activities, as well as decontamination/decommissioning efforts, are also expected to generate a significant volume of mercury-contaminated secondary wastes. This project will build and test a novel photosorption unit for removal and recovery of all mercury species, particularly those that are complexed and organically bound, from contaminated liquid wastes, both currently found and expected to be generated in the DOE complex. The Phase I program proved the feasibility of using noble-metal-impregnated semiconductor materials in a photoreactor for the removal of complexed mercury from water. These materials were regenerated thermally without any loss of sorption performance. In Phase II, a pilot-scale photosorption unit will be designed, built, and tested. This field unit will then be shipped to a DOE site for testing on actual wastewater.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the applicant. The mercury removal process should have application to a wide range of mercury-contaminated wastewaters in the DOE and in private industry. The process should remove all forms of mercury from the environment while producing minimal secondary wastes and allowing for mercury recycle.

Three Dimensional Cathode for the Electrolytic Removal of Heavy Metals from Aqueous Waste Streams--Eltron Research, Inc., 5660 Airport Boulevard, Boulder, CO 80301-2340; (303) 440-8008
Ms. Ella F. Spiegel, Principal Investigator
Ms. Eileen E. Sammells, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG03-97ER82363
Amount: $749,993

Heavy metals such as copper, lead, chromium, mercury and zinc are present in aqueous waste streams as a result of both spent nuclear fuel processing and acid mine drainage. This project will develop cost effective electrolytic hardware compatible for application at remediation sites where heavy metal mixtures are present. The metals will be efficiently removed electctrochemically using high surface area, spouted cathode, electrolytic technology. An electrolytic cell design will facilitate the removal for subsequent disposal without requiring cell disassembly. In Phase I, the spouted bed electrolytic hardware was designed and built, and process operating conditions were identified for achieving the efficient removal of both copper and lead in simulated waste streams. Phase II will identify process operating conditions to achieve the cost effective, simultaneous removal of trace heavy metals in contaminant mixtures. Advanced prototype electrolytic hardware will be designed and fabricated which is suitable for demonstration at a remediation site.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The technology should find application for the efficient removal of dissolved heavy metals in aqueous waste streams at DOE production facilities, at commercial remediation sites, and for acid mine drainage.

Efficient Metal Ion Removal from Waste Streams Using Chemically Surface Modified Gels (CSMG)--Industrial Science and Technology Network, Inc., 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, York, PA 17404-1754; (717) 843-0300
Dr. Arthur Yang, Principal Investigator
Dr. Arthur J. Yang, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-97ER82409
Amount: $746,050

The U.S. currently has many thousand industrial and military sites that require environmental cleanup. In particular, improved methods of heavy metal ion remediation are needed, specifically for wastewater treatment; however, currently available technologies to perform this cleanup are both expensive and inefficient. This project utilizes a nanopore material, such as chemically modified silica aerogel, to achieve this goal in a cost effective and efficient manner. Phase I proved the feasibility of attaching a mercapto-silane derivative to the surface of a silica gel. Characterization of the modified substrate showed that when it was introduced into simulated wastewater, heavy metals were selectively absorbed. Phase II will examine different modifying agents to determine which will offer the preferred efficiency and selectivity. In addition, the gel processing will be optimized to produce the most stable gels in a cost effective manner.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: In addition to providing for the needs of the DOE and other government agencies in their efforts to cleanup waste sites, CSMG could be used by industry both in waste remediation and precious metal recovery. Photographic film and battery manufacturers along with the electronic industries are just a few of the industries which should benefit from this technology.

A Fully Automated 384-Capillary Array DNA Sequencer--SpectruMedix Corporation, 2124 Old Gatesbury Road, State College, PA 16803-2200;
(814) 867-8600
Dr. Quingbo Li, Principal Investigator
Mr. Joseph K. Adlerstein, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-97ER82461
Amount: $750,000

Current commercial technology is no longer capable of the throughput required to meet the vast DNA sequencing demands of the Department of Energy's Human Genome Project. This project will develop a novel DNA sequencer capable of throughput speeds at least six times faster than current technology. The instrument also includes complete automation of all aspects of sample delivery, analysis, and instrument reconditioning. One operator may maintain several instruments at one time, vastly reducing overhead costs. In Phase I, a prototype instrument was developed to sequence 96 separate DNA samples simultaneously. All functions required to run multiple 96-sample trays of DNA were fully automated and are now computer controlled. Consumable products for the sequencing process, including liquid gel medium and capillary cartridges, were developed. Phase II will continue the development of the 96 capillary instrument into a true commercial unit. Data acquisition and data management software will be completed and instrument capacity will be increased from 96 capillaries to 384 capillaries, in order to address increasing sequence demands.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: Commercial applications include meeting the large DNA sequencing data needs of pharmaceutical, medical, and agricultural companies, as well as such high throughput applications as forensic analysis of human samples and clinical tests for genetic defects in patients. The sequencer also has great potential for projects involving the nonproliferation of biological weapons, through high-speed analysis of military-based genetic products.

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A Workflow-Based Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) for High-Throughput Sequencing, Genotyping, and Genetic Diagnostic Environments--Cimarron Software, Inc., 175 South West Temple, #530, Salt Lake City, UT 84101-1410; (801) 521-3210
Mr. Peter E. Cartwright, Principal Investigator
Mr. Andrew F. Marks, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG03-97ER82349
Amount: $750,000

The widespread application of new genetic and DNA-based technologies and techniques to important medical and biological problems has resulted in an explosion of data and information. Advanced information systems are needed to comprehensively collect, analyze, and manage these critically important data. This project will develop, market, and support a family of workflow-based software products that will address the specific challenges and needs of managing genetic and DNA-based information for the gene and drug discovery processes. In Phase I, an existing process model and a LIMS tool kit was augmented with a central, well-defined workflow modeling and management capability. The end result was used successfully in two customer systems within both academic and industry environments. Phase II will include the addition of advanced routing and queue management capabilities, a graphical workflow modeling application by which a domain expert can design a lab system, and other advanced information system capabilities. This tool kit will be marketed to customers within genome labs and production facilities.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: This project should result in a commercial tool for building workflow-based laboratory information management systems. A large market exists for such a tool within the domain of high-throughput facilities for sequencing, genotyping, and genetic diagnostics.

A Simulation Extension of a Workflow-Based LIMS--Cimarron Software, Inc., 175 South West Temple, #530, Salt Lake City, UT 84101-1410;
(801) 521-3210
Mr. Peter Cartwright, Principal Investigator
Mr. Andrew F. Marks, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG03-97ER82351
Amount: $750,000

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: This simulation facility should be a commercially valuable tool for effective laboratory management. The simulation/database combination should also be applicable to the broader workflow management market.

Piezoelectric Biosensors for Bacterial Detection and Speciation--BIODE, Inc., 20 Freedom Parkway, Hermon, ME 04401-5745; (207) 848-2083
Dr. Jeffrey C. Andle, Principal Investigator
Dr. Jeffrey C. Andle, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-97ER82335
Amount: $749,679

The detoxification of hazardous waste sites is a serious, widespread, and ongoing problem. Recent developments in genetically engineered bacteria have allowed new approaches to detecting, monitoring, and eliminating dangerous materials from our air and aquifers. Remediation efforts require the use of an instrument that can autonomously identify, observe, and analyze specific subspecies of bacteria. The device should have detection limits as low as tens of organisms per liter and should have detection times as short as several minutes. This project will develop instrumentation based on piezoelectric detectors that provide the requisite stability, sensitivity, and ruggedness for field-based bacterial detection and speciation. Phase I demonstrated suitable surface transverse wave sensor geometries, verified attachment chemistries for DNA probes, and demonstrated of a viable piezoelectric sensor for E. coli DNA. Phase II will address three essential steps: development of the piezoelectric sensing structure, development of the optimum attachment chemistry, and demonstration of sensor performance in real situations. The Phase II effort will ultimately integrate polymerase chain reaction amplification of deoxyribonucleic acid with the piezoelectric sensor. Temperature drift, aging, and other difficulties will be overcome by intelligent instrumentation. This approach will also minimize the time needed to obtain a measurement and will provide semiquantitative analysis. Phase II will result in a prototype of a complete system with detection limits of tens of organisms per liter.

Commercial Applications and other Benefits as described by the awardee. A low cost, simple, sensitive, and selective field-portable sensor should find application in environmental monitoring, food processing, clinical diagnostics, and medical research. The resultant device will be able to verify compliance with federal, state, and municipal mandates, as well as industrial (e.g., agriculture, food processing, and fisheries) requirements for bacterial detection and speciation.

Development of An Optical Sensor System for Widely Dispersed, Unattended Monitoring of the Air-Sea Exchange of Carbon Dioxide--Yellow Springs Optical Sensor Company, P.L.L., 1725 Brannum Lane, Yellow Springs, OH 45387-1107; (937) 767-7241
Dr. Ping Wu, Principal Investigator
Mr. Rick Omlor, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-97ER82512
Amount: $750,000

The capacity of the oceans to absorb CO₂ is not well understood. There are no long-duration, reliable sensors that can continuously monitor and measure the actual levels of dissolved CO₂ in the oceans or their absorption capacity. This project will develop an optical sensing system that is suitable for the precise, reliable, long-term monitoring of CO₂ in ocean waters. The sensors will be developed and field tested for long-term unattended monitoring in ocean waters. The system will interface with other environmental platforms to provide cost effective, widely dispersed monitoring of vital ocean parameters. Phase I concentrated on establishing the sensor design and secondary physical parameters that demonstrated performance in seawater at the sensitivity, resolution, and long-duration required for monitoring the CO₂ flux at the air-water interface. Phase II will build a field-deployable CO₂ measurement system based on a profile buoy design. This project will optimize the sensor performance characteristics, construct and deploy the buoy system for field testing, analyze data for air-sea, exchange characterization, develop accurate information on CO₂ flux, provide an estimate of total inorganic carbon in the oceans based on CO₂ concentration and pH measurements, and complete the design of a commercialized fiber optic sensor for CO₂.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The sensor should have commercial applications by combining it with a miniature fluorimeter and designing a deployable dissolved carbon dioxide sensor. This would create the ability to monitor dissolved carbon dioxide over prolonged periods of time, and would support the understanding of green house effects and as well as benefit commercial interests such as fisheries.

Advances in Shortwave Measurement Technology: An Isothermal Radiation Detector for High Accuracy Radiation Measurements--Yankee Environmental Systems, Inc., 101 Industrial Boulevard, Turners Falls, MA 01376-1608; (413) 863-0200
Dr. William Q. Jeffries, Principal Investigator
Mrs. Cythnia A. Cote, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-97ER82511
Amount: $750,000

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: This new radiation measuring technology can be applied to a range of improved instruments, such as pyranometers, pyrheliometers, and net radiometers, for improved atmospheric radiation measurement. The concept could also be applied to radiation measurements in energy intensive industries such as glass and steel making.

Production of Intermediate-Lived Radionuclides for Biomedical Applications Using Small Cyclotrons--Newton Scientific, Inc., 245 Bent Street, Cambridge, MA 02141-2001;
(617) 354-9469
Dr. Barbara J. Hughey, Principal Investigator
Dr. Ruth E. Shefer, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-97ER82442
Amount: $750,000

This project will develop instrumentation to make available a series of important, intermediate-lived radionuclides to biomedical researchers throughout the United States. The availability of these radionuclides will promote further research in radiopharmaceutical development, quantitative imaging, and radiotherapy. Specifically, cyclotron targets and automated processing systems will be developed for the high-yield production of ⁷⁶Br, ⁷⁷Br, ¹²⁴I, ⁸⁶Y, ^94mTc, and ⁶⁶Ga. All of these radionuclides can be produced in solid targets using 11-18 MeV proton beams from small biomedical cyclotrons. In Phase I, the feasibility of on-site production of these radionuclides in large quantities, and with high radioisotopic purity and specific activity, was demonstrated. Techniques for radionuclide separation, purification and recovery of the isotopically enriched target materials were also investigated. In Phase II, high power cyclotron targets will be developed and tested for intermediate-lived radionuclide production. Automated processing systems will be constructed to allow remote separation and purification of large batches of the radionuclides of interest.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The high yield targets and processing systems should allow these isotopes to be produced at major medical centers having on-site cyclotron facilities. Additionally, the relatively long half-lives of these isotopes make them suitable for distribution.

Fast-Timing Silicon Drift Photodetectors for PET--Photon Imaging, Inc., 19355 Business Center Drive, Suite #8, Northridge, CA 91324-3503;
(818) 709-2468
Dr. Bradley E. Patt, Principal Investigator
Dr. Jan S. Iwanczyk, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG03-97ER82451
Amount: $750,000

Novel semiconductor detector technologies are needed for higher performance, lower cost medical diagnostic equipment. This project will develop a low-cost, compact positron emission mammography (PEM) camera dedicated to breast cancer detection. Replacing the photomultiplier tubes currently used would allow the electronics to be integrated with the detector, leading to low cost, compact, sensitive, and specialized systems. Phase I designed, fabricated and evaluated preliminary detector structures including 8x8 arrays and met or exceeded the following objectives: less than 20 nanosecond response, quantum efficiency up to 70% at 560 nm, and very low noise. Phase II will further develop and test optimized detector units with specialized processing electronics, which will be built into a prototype 8 cm by 8 cm breast imager employing two imaging planes for tomography. The PEM camera will be optimized for use with specialized positron-emitting radiopharmaceuticals for detection of breast cancer. The completed system is expected to have significantly improved sensitivity (by a factor of twenty), count rate and spatial resolution, compared with existing commercial PET systems.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee. Potential markets include novel instrumentation for dedicated organs and diagnoses. In addition, improved performance could lead to breakthroughs in receptor-based molecular biology research, as well as lead to the replacement of photomultiplier tubes in many medical, scientific, and commercial applications.

Software Development for Real-Time Radiotractor Guidance of Breast Biopsy--PEM Technologies, Inc., 5611 Roosevelt Street, Bethesda, MD 20817-6739; (301) 564-0835
Dr. Irving Weinberg, Principal Investigator
Dr. Irving Weinberg, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-97ER82449
Amount: $749,895

Better methods are needed to detect and treat early breast cancer. Although radiolabeled compounds can provide valuable information, the cameras typically employed for breast cancer detection are poorly suited for imaging early breast cancers. This project concerns the integration of a previously-developed radiotracer camera with a conventional mammography unit to visualize small breast cancers. The minimally invasive procedures would be improved, increasing detection rates of early cancers, and facilitating comparison with x-rays. Phase I developed a software kit to interface the radiotracer camera with a commonly used x-ray mammography unit. The kit performed rapid superposition of functional radiotracer images onto anatomic maps provided by x-ray mammograms. It was verified that the radiotracer cameras could accurately localize lesions in three dimensions, as required for breast biopsy guidance. Phase II will perform pilot clinical trials with small-field-of-view radiotracer cameras. The tests will show whether minimally-invasive breast cancer removal procedures can be improved and will suggest whether full-breast radiotracer cameras would be at least as sensitive as x-ray mammography in detecting small cancers. Full-breast cameras will be designed for use in Phase III.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The demonstrated ability to reliably map out breast cancer margins in real-time would be attractive to surgeons, who could then perform minimally invasive procedures at reduced costs. This device could act as an accurate surveillance method to detect and treat breast cancer in younger women who have been identified as carrying a breast cancer gene.

Rapid GC Analysis of Samples Desorbed from Personal Monitors for Occupational Exposure Assessment--Chromatofast, Inc., 912 North Main Street, Suite 14, Ann Arbor, MI 48104-1035; (734) 662-3410
Dr. Mark A. Klemp, Principal Investigator
Mr. Robin F. Risser, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-97ER82348
Amount: $750,000

Of the estimated 40 million U.S. workers that work in areas that require monitoring for VOC (volatile organic compound) exposure, only 1 in 5 are monitored once per year. Although passive or diffusive monitors have reduced the cost of collecting samples, analysis costs have prevented routine monitoring for these workers. This project will develop a high-speed gas chromatograph (GC) system that can be retrofitted to existing GC platforms and optimized for the analysis of personal monitors. This system will be capable of analyzing 15 samples in the time that one sample is currently analyzed on a conventional GC, making possible the routine monitoring of workers. Phase I resulted in the reduction of the analysis time to two minutes for the analysis of 24 common VOCs from personal monitors. This was accomplished by developing an innovative high-speed inlet and a unique tuned column ensemble. Phase II will develop a high-speed GC system which is compatible with major GC platforms. An alternative trap cooling system will be developed to eliminate the need for liquid nitrogen. This system and the method used will be evaluated and validated by independent accredited laboratories.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The high-speed GC inlet and tuned column will be sold to commercial laboratories for the analysis of personal monitor samples. This same system can be used for environmental and industrial laboratory applications.

Analysis System to Determine Fluid Properties and Porosity Using Elastic-Wave Velocities--GeoMechanics International, 2250 Park Boulevard, Palo Alto, CA 94306-1532; (650) 322-6506
Dr. Daniel Moos, Principal Investigator
Dr. Colleen Barton, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG03-97ER82385
Amount: $750,000

In the continental United States, almost 50% of the original oil in mature fields remains in the ground. In order to exploit this resource, it is necessary to detect and quantify the remaining reserves. This is best accomplished using seismic data acquired in existing cased holes. This project will develop computational tools (software) which utilize newly-developed relationships between compressional/shear wave velocities and properties of interest (namely, porosity, and hydrocarbon saturation). These new relationships have an advantage over existing relationships in which fluid saturation/velocities were used to predict the parameters of interest; these relationships did not work in complex lithologies. Phase I demonstrated that new rock physics models could improve the determination of porosity and fluid saturation and that the pressure dependence of rock properties is also important. The analysis highlighted the importance of obtaining accurate primary data from acoustic waveforms recorded in boreholes. Phase II will develop platform-independent, interactive software to apply these new models to field data. The software will allow the user to perform quality control of full waveform data, carry out velocity analyses, and interpret the resulting velocity logs to quantify fluid saturations and porosity. At the end of Phase II, a beta version of the software will be available for field use by interested partners.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The availability of this software should lead to increased use of acoustic detection technologies, resulting in enhanced production in existing oil fields.

Rapid Tools for Joint Inversion and Imaging--Subterranean Research, Inc., P.O. Box 1121, Burlington, VT 05402-1121; (802) 658-8878
Dr. Donna M. Rizzo, Principal Investigator
Dr. David E. Dougherty, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-97ER82485
Amount: $505,883

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: Derived benefits from this project include improve performance monitoring of active and passive environmental cleanup systems, interpretation of geophysical data collected for contaminant identification, and improved design of groundwater resource protection and exploitation systems.

A Novel Reactive Joining Compound for High Temperature Applications--Sienna Technologies, Inc., 19501 144th Avenue NE, Suite F-500, Woodinville, WA 98072-6463;
(425) 485-7272
Dr. Cetin Toy, Principal Investigator
Dr. Ender Savrun, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG03-97ER82474
Amount: $548,661

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The joining compounds developed should provide an enabling technology to allow SiC-based materials to be used in heat exchangers and gas turbines thus increasing their efficiency.

Shaft Weld Replacement with a Ceramic Locking Assembly Joint--Goss Engineers, Inc., 3525 South Tamarac Drive, Suite 325, Denver, CO 80237-1419; (303) 721-8783
Mr. John L. Goss, Principal Investigator
Ms. Gabrielle M. Goss, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG03-97ER82388
Amount: $689,156

Joining is a critical, enabling technology in many industrial sectors that impact overall energy use. In the process industry, where it is common to mount a shaft to a mill head by welding, the weld itself is oftentimes a common cause of shaft failure. This project will develop an innovative ceramic locking assembly joint that would replace current welding methods, maintain the structural integrity of the mill head and the shaft, and provide improved insulating characteristics. In Phase I, analytical models for the mill head, ceramic shaft, and ceramic locking assembly were developed and used to design a method for joining the shaft to the mill head. The resulting ceramic locking assembly was further analyzed with thermal and stress models to improve thermal insulation capabilities. The models were further used to predict joint behavior, reliability, and lifetime. In Phase II, a ceramic locking assembly will be developed, and a prototype will be made and tested.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: Ceramic locking assemblies could be used in high temperature, high stress rotating equipment in the commercial aerospace market, power industry, automotive market, mining market, electrical equipment market, rubber product equipment market, food processing equipment market, turbine blades, heat equipment, cooling equipment, and the production equipment market.

Development of Novel Boron-Based Multilayer Thin-Film--Front Edge Technology, Inc., 13455 Brooks Drive Suite A, Baldwin Park, CA 91706-2299; (818) 856-8979
Dr. Simon Nieh, Principal Investigator
Dr. Simon Nieh, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG03-97ER82404
Amount: $750,000

Millions of parts, tools, and components need wear-resistant coatings to extend their wear lives. The extremely hard boron-based coatings could be a promising solution if associated problems, such as brittleness, poor adhesion, and fairly high coefficient of friction, can be addressed. This project will use a laminated and compositional graded multilayer approach to develop a boron-based coating that is very adherent and is extremely tough and wear resistant. A manufacturing process will also be developed with the throughput needed for commercial applications. Phase I developed two types of multilayer coatings, which show 5 to 25 times lower wear rate compared with the state-of-the-art TiN coated samples. The feasibility of mass production of these coatings was also demonstrated. Phase II consists of two main elements: refining and applying the boron-based coatings to specific commercial products, and setting up a pilot line for low cost commercial production.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: These new coating materials are needed in many industries, such as automotive, metal and plastic forming, electronics, and textiles. Initial market focus will be on micro-drilling tools and high precision bearings.

Advanced Plasma Surface Modification System--ISM Technologies, Inc., A Division of Cutting Edge Products, Inc., 13100 Kirkham Way, Suite 211, Poway, CA 92064-7113;
(619) 513-1190
Dr. James R. Treglio, Principal Investigator
Dr. Richard A. Dean, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG03-97ER82412
Amount: $750,000

There is a need in industry for a plasma surface modification system that can harden all classes of materials--polymers, metals, ceramics, glasses--that combines surface cleaning, ion implantation, and plasma-based thin film deposition in a single unit, and that processes ion energies from a few tens of eV to 100 keV. This project is developing a system that will consist of multiple metal ion sources that produce high current ion beams in the 100 keV range for surface cleaning, ion implantation to assist coating, and cathodic arc deposition sources that produce metal ion plasmas with energies in the few tens of eV for coating. Phase I demonstrated that a small metal ion source and cathodic arc source will operate simultaneously in the same chamber for reactive deposition of TiN on stainless steel and alumina. The deposited coating equals or exceeds the quality of coatings deposited by more conventional processes. In Phase II, an ion source will be operated simultaneously with multiple cathodic arc sources to demonstrate deposition at very high rates. The system will be tested by depositing coatings of both governmental and industrial interest.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described the awardee: Potential applications could include coating two-cycle engine pistons, to eliminate chrome plating (and possibly the oil required to be mix in the gasoline); polycarbonate to prevent scratching; architectural glass, to reduce IR and UV transmission; and hand tools, to eliminate chrome plating.

Novel Characterization Techniques for Dynamic Tribological Properties of Thin Films--Fast Forward Devices, LLC, 11020 Solway School Road, Suite 113, Knoxville, TN 37931; (423) 927-3000
Dr. Barry N. Lucas, Principal Investigator
Dr. Barry N. Lucas, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-97ER82436
Amount: $750,000

There currently exists a broad range of applications for which the ability to produce an adherent, tribological (hard, wear-resistant) thin coating plays a critical role. These hardened surfaces can mitigate the effects of corrosion, a major source of energy losses in general. The capacity to mechanically characterize the dynamic tribological properties of these coatings at the nanometer level is often paramount in evaluating their potential performance. This project will design and develop a dynamic tribological system capable of performing instrumented wear tests on the sub-micrometer to nanometer scale. Both co-planar and perpendicular systems (both with one-dimensional, simple harmonic load-controlled features) will precisely control both normal and lateral forces on the surface of a sample in a dynamic fashion. Phase I examined the feasibility of performing dynamic tribological experiments on the nanometer scale with existing nano-indenter lateral-force measurement technology. It also laid the groundwork for performing true dynamic nanometer scale tribological experiments by focusing on a technique capable of continuously monitoring the stiffness of a contact during a scratch experiment. Phase II will carry out the final design and construction of a dynamic, two-dimensional tribological testing system.

Commercial applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The instrument and techniques should be applicable to microelectronics, magnetic storage media, optical materials, biomedical materials, automotive materials, and any other industry which relies upon protective coatings. Product life increases should result from reductions in friction, wear, and corrosion.

High-Flux, Low Energy, Ion Source for High Rate Ion-Assisted Deposition of Hard Coatings--PlasmaQuest, Inc., 12024 Forestgate Drive, Dallas, TX 75243-5411;
(972) 680-1811
Dr. Chris Doughty, Principal Investigator
Dr. John E. Spencer, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG03-97ER82459
Amount: $750,000

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: A production technology for the deposition of thin carbon overcoats should enable the manufacture of these systems for the worldwide disk drive market. Other applications include tribological coatings for micromechanical systems, wear coatings for machine tools, low dielectric constant diamond-like coatings (DLC) and fluorinated DLC films for integrated circuit interconnect isolation.

Development of Economical Procedures for Producing and Processing Fine Grained Semisolid Metal Feedstock via Mechanical Stirring--Formcast, Inc., 100 S. Pecos Street, Denver, CO 80223-1741; (303) 778-6566
Mr. Kenneth P. Young, Principal Investigator
Mr. Kenneth P. Young, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG03-97ER82377
Amount: $718,280

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: A more economical, commercial means for producing fine grained, small diameter feedstock for semisolid metal forming should also provide a more cost effective route to the production of larger diameter, microstructurally uniform feedstock than currently available.

Semi-Solid Thermal Transformation to Produce Semi-Solid Formable Alloys--Hot Metal Molding, Inc., 35 McClellan Blvd., Arkadelphia, AR 71923-8809; (541) 298-0814
Dr. J. R. Sarazin, Principal Investigator
Mr. B. Wilcox, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-97ER82391
Amount: $750,000

The relatively high cost of producing formed parts from semi-solid metal (SSM) aluminum alloys is due largely to the high cost of the ingot. Currently, semi-solid forming requires electromagnetic (EM) or mechanical stirring of the ingot during solidification to produce a spherical micro-structure. This project will develop a novel method to produce a similar structure by controlled heating to transform a dendritic structure to spherical structure at ingot temperatures in the semi-solid regime. This skips the expensive electromagnetic stirring step. In Phase I, ingots of alloy 356 and 357 with a dendritic structure were heated by induction to form a spherical structure and then formed into various parts. The properties of these parts were comparable or superior to those produced from EM ingots. Phase II will produce SSM parts using SSTT (semi-solid thermal transformation) on a production basis employing diagnostics for process control. New alloys designed especially for SSM/SSTT will be developed.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The technology should lead to near-net shaped parts for automotive applications with improved properties and lower costs compared to conventional casting.

Stabilization of Nitride Magnet Material via Sol-Gel Route--Chemat Technology, Inc., 19365 Business Center Drive, Suite 8, Northridge, CA 91324-3526; (818) 727-9786
Dr. Yuhong Huang, Principal Investigator
Ms. Jenny Sajoto, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG03-97ER82347
Amount: $750,000

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The successful development and commercialization of this technology should benefit permanent magnetic manufacturers and other industries. With this technology, devices could be more compact and perform at elevated temperatures. 

A Novel Technique for the Enhancement of Coercivity in High Energy Permanent Magnets--Advanced Materials Corporation, 700 Technology Drive, P.O. Box 2950, Pittsburgh, PA 15219-3124; (412) 268-5649
Dr. S.G. Sankar, Principal Investigator
Dr. S.G. Sankar, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-97ER82314
Amount: $750,000

Improvements in the properties of permanent magnets are important to enable the design and construction of energy-efficient devices such as motors, actuators, magnetic bearings and magnetic separators. This project is focused on to developing a manufacturing process to fabricate NdFeB permanent magnets with very high energy product. Permanent magnets with energy products close to 50 MGOe will be fabricated by carefully controlling chemical composition, reducing oxygen content, improving grain alignment, and modifying the nature and extent of the grain boundary phase. In Phase I, NdFeB magnets were fabricated by a proprietary process in which the Nd₂Fe₁₄B grains were coated with a secondary phase. Results indicate that the coercivity of the magnets improve through the careful control of the secondary phase while the remanence does not decrease significantly. Phase II will optimize the fabrication process, and examine issues such as scale-up and cost control.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: Very high energy permanent magnets are useful in the manufacturing of (1) actuators and spindle drives for computer disk drives, (2) energy-efficient brushless motors for electric vehicles and industrial drives and (3) consumer electronics (cellular phones, pagers and cameras).

A Simple Process to Manufacture Grain Aligned Permanent Magnets--Advanced Materials Corporation, 700 Technology Drive, P.O. Box 2950, Pittsburgh, PA 15219-3124;
(412) 268-5649
Mr. Vijay K. Chandhok, Principal Investigator
Dr. S.G. Sankar, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-97ER82313
Amount: $750,000

High performance permanent magnets with large energy products are needed for the design and construction of energy efficient motors. However the use of such magnets in a variety of large scale motor applications will be realized only if these magnets are manufactured inexpensively. This project will employ hot extrusion techniques to fabricate inexpensive, high performance permanent magnets. In Phase I, experiments were conducted, and the use of extrusion as a viable technique to fabricate permanent magnets was demostrated. With this technique, rectangular magnets with a favorable texture and a moderate degree of grain alignment were constructed. Phase II will optimize the extrusion process to obtain high energy magnets and to lay the ground work for manufacturing such magnets.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: Permanent magnet- based electromechanical devices such as motors, actuators, and bearings may be built inexpensively using this process.

A Combinatorial Approach to the Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Anode Materials for Direct Methanol Fuel Cells--Symyx Technologies, 420 Oakmead Parkway, Sunnyvale, CA
94086-4708; (408) 764-2004
Dr. W. H. Weinberg, Principal Investigator
Mr. Isy Goldwasser, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG03-97ER82492
Amount: $750,000

The direct methal fuel cell (DMFC) could generate electrical power with high efficiency and low emissions for an automobile power plant. A low-cost, high activity methanol electro-oxidation catalyst would improve DFMC performance and enhance its economic viability. In this project, a combinatorial approach will be employed to discover DMFC catalysts that are better than current materials. The combinatorial approach consists of developing synthetic methods to rapidly prepare 64 miniature electrodes on a 3 inch silicon wafer, followed by parallel, automated evaluation of all samples on the wafer. The system offers at least a 100x increase over current techniques and provides a tool to rationally search for complex catalysts. Phase I demonstrated that DMFC electrocatalysts prepared in this manner behaved similarly to those prepared by traditional methods, and that the combinatorial methods provide a far superior and more efficient means of searching for new materials. In Phase II, a fully automated DMFC anode deposition and testing system will be constructed. Up to 25,000 new ternary and quaternary catalysts will be evaluated, and carbon monoxide poisoning studies will be performed. The best catalysts will be further evaluated in an actual DMFC environment.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: Anode materials discovered in this project could provide the breakthroughs that enable highly efficient, environmentally benign fuel cells to replace lower efficiency and higher polluting energy sources. Applications include power sources for the transportation sector, commercial power plants, military applications, space exploration, cell phones and portable computers.

Non-Thermal Plasma Assisted Catalyst Technology for Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) and Particulate Removal from Heavy Vehicle Exhaust--Noxtech, Inc., 1939 Deere Avenue, Irvine, CA 92606-4818; (714) 253-6079
Mr. Ralph Slone, Principal Investigator
Mr. Ralph J. Slone, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG03-97ER82444
Amount: $750,000

The U.S. economy is linked to efficient heavy vehicle (diesel) transportation. There is an urgent need for a cost effective technology that would help reduce pollutants such as NO_x and particulates from the exhaust of diesel engines. This project will develop a plasma-assisted catalyst in which a non-thermal plasma, generated across a catalytic-packed bed, provides an active surface and a synergistic effect and offers the potential for selective NO_x and particulate removal. In Phase I, the technical feasibility of this concept was demonstrated using novel catalytic materials. Lab tests on diesel exhausts containing in excess of 10% O₂ have demonstrated more than 70% removal of NO_x and 80% removal of particulates, using less than 7% of engine brake horse power (bhp). Phase II will further develop this plasma-assisted catalyst technology. Efforts will be focused on further optimization of the catalytic materials for NOx and particulate removal, scale-up of the system to an integrated plasma muffler on a representative size engine, and continuous operation at exhaust temperature.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: This technology should lead to a 90% reduction in NO_x and particulates and a 10% improvement in fuel efficiency on engine reoptimization. Other potential benefits include pollution reduction from diesel engines, lean burn gasoline engines, natural gas engines, boilers and other combustion equipment.

Low Cost Deposition of Buffer Layers for Manufacturable Yttrium Barium Copper Oxygen (YBCO) High Temperature Superconductors (HTS)--American Superconductor Corporation, Two Technology Drive, Westborough, MA 01581-1727; (508) 836-4200
Dr. Martin W. Rupich, Principal Investigator
Mr. Alexis P. Malozemoff, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-97ER82324
Amount: $750,000

The successful commercialization of the YBCO-based, HTS (High Temperature Superconductor) coated conductors requires the development of low cost manufacturing techniques to produce long, continuous lengths of conductor with high critical current densities. This project will develop a low cost, scaleable deposition process for a high quality buffer layer between the YBCO layer and the substrate. Phase I demonstrated a solution-based process for depositing oxide buffer layers and identified a number of potential oxide candidates that can be deposited by the solution techniques. In Phase II, specific candidate oxides will be selected, and the deposition process will be optimized on select metal substrates. In addition, Phase II will develop industrial process equipment required for the low cost manufacture of the oxide buffer layers on continuous lengths of textured metal substrates.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The low cost process for the deposition of epitaxial oxide buffer layers on textured metal substrates should allow the next generation of HTS conductors to be produced at manufacturing costs below the $10/kA-m benchmark for the viable commercialization of HTS conductors. The superior high field performance of the YBCO conductors would allow their use in many commercial and military applications including motors, generators, transformers, and power transmission cables at temperatures in the 77K range.

Buffer Layers on Textured Nickel Using Commercially Viable CCVD Processing--CCVD, Inc., dba MicroCoating Technologies, 3901 Green Industrial Way, Chamblee, GA 30341-1913; (770) 457-8400
Dr. Shara Shoup, Principal Investigator
Mr. Jerome Schmitt, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-97ER82345
Amount: $750,000

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: Low cost superconductor wire enable via the CCVD manufacturing process should permit the transmission of electrical power losses due to with no resistance. This should enable substantial improvement in the efficiency of electric motors, generators, transformers, and power transmission cables. This efficiency should reduce energy costs worldwide and thus reduce fossil emissions.

Fast, Grid-Free Software for the Calculation of Energy-Related Turbulent Flows--Krispin Technologies, Inc., 1370 Piccard Drive, Suite 210, Rockville, MD 20850-4304;
(301) 947-9600
Dr. Jacob Krispin, Principal Investigator
Dr. Jacob Krispin, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-97ER82413
Amount: $750,000

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The technology and software should have flow field applications from automobiles to general aviation, surface ships, and underwater vehicles. Even a small improvement in the design of such systems could lead to enormous savings in operational costs and substantial increase in performance.

A Geometry-Based Parallel, Adaptive Finite Element Analysis Framework--Simmetrix, Inc., 1223 Peoples Avenue, Troy, NY 12180-3511; (518) 276-2729
Mr. Mark W. Beall, Principal Investigator
Mr. Mark W. Beall, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-97ER82476
Amount: $740,265

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: Numerical simulations are used in many industries to help design products and processes that are more efficient, less costly, and safer. This technology should allow more efficient and reliable implementation of current simulation capabilities as well as the easy development of new simulation capabilities.

Single-Chip CMOS Color Segmenter--Physical Optics Corporation, 20600 Gramercy Place, Suite 103, Torrance, CA 90501-1821; (310) 320-3088
Dr. Emile Fiesler, Principal Investigator
Mr. Gordon Drew, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG03-97ER82452
Amount: $749,987

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The mini-sensors should be applicable to vital monitoring activities related to industrial spills, food production, nuclear waste, medical diagnostics, energy conservation, recycling, and chemical contamination.

On-Line Chemical Sensors for Use in Aggressive Process Streams--T/J Technologies, Inc., P.O. Box 2150, 3850 Research Park Drive, Suite A, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-2150; (734) 213-1637
Dr. Pei-Lin Chen, Principal Investigator
Mr. Leslie H. Alexander, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-97ER82495
Amount: $750,000

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: Potential commercial applications are widespread, including industrial processes such as coke ovens, chemical/petroleum refining, furnaces and kilns used in glass and metal processing, and numerous boilers and stationary heavy duty diesel engines. There should also be a large market in the transportation and electric utility industries.

Energy Saving Intelligent Controls for Commercial/Industrial Refrigeration--ADA Technologies, Inc., 304 Inverness Way South, Suite 365, Englewood, CO 80112-5828;
(303) 792-5615
Mr. Patrick D. French, Principal Investigator
Dr. Richard Schlager, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG03-97ER82309
Amount: $749,980

Refrigeration consumes 4% of the electric power generated in the U.S. Current defrosting technology results in 7-12% of that power being wasted due to excessive defrosting of refrigeration coils. A demand-defrost controller that is rugged and simple, with universal (retro-fit) application, has been conceived that will substantially reduce the defrost energy consumed by refrigeration equipment. The hardware is compatible with common refrigeration equipment and features a control module capable of several levels of operating sophistication. The ability of two sensor designs to detect frost formation was successfully demonstrated in Phase I on two types of refrigeration coils. The preferred design showed consistent operation over a wide range of environmental conditions. A functional specification for a commercial system was prepared, and preliminary cost estimates indicated the return-on-investment would be less than one year. In Phase II, prototype demand-defrost controllers will be built and then lab- and field-tested. Field tests will be designed to demonstrate both single-controller operation (in a convenience store) and multiple-controller use (at a large-scale industrial site, such as a food processor). The commercial prototype will be capable of stand-alone or networked operation.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: A low-cost, efficient demand-defrost controller can save substantial energy in thousands of the nation's (and the world's) refrigeration systems--thereby saving money and reducing greenhouse-gas production. A major Phase III commitment has been secured from an established manufacturer/distributor for commercialization.

Daylighting systems seek to reduce building electrical demand while improving occupant comfort by substituting natural sunlight for electric light. Windows and skylights can be used with rooms adjacent to roofs or exterior walls, but they are not an option for rooms far from the building shell. Moreover, they can add to building heating and cooling loads and pose leakage and security risks. Unconventional daylighting systems using light pipes or glass fiber optics to channel light captured with sun-tracking mirrors or lenses circumvent these problems, but they have proven expensive. This project will develop daylighting systems that use passive (non-tracking) collectors to concentrate sunlight into inexpensive plastic optical fibers. These plastic optical fibers are comparable in size to conventional plumbing and electrical lines and can be routed through conventional walls or through nontraditional building components such as structural insulated panels. In Phase I, the effectiveness and likely costs of passive fiber-optic daylighting systems was determined, several approaches to non-tracking concentrators were explored, and proof-of-concept was established. Phase II will employ fiber optics and light fixtures (luminaries) being developed by the industry for remote-source electrical lighting. A concentrator that pumps daylight into these distribution systems will be refined and tested. Practical prototypes will be developed that can be installed and monitored at several test sites.

Development of Efficient and Practical Passive Solar Building Systems with High-Recycled-
Content Concrete--DPD, Inc., 2000 Turner Street, Lansing, MI 48906-4053; (517) 349-5653
Mr. Ken Ostowari, Principal Investigator
Ms. Faragnis Jamzadeh, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-97ER82359
Amount: $750,000

As a predominant material of building construction, concrete contributes thermal mass and levels temperature extremes, thereby benefiting the energy-efficiency of buildings. Balancing the specific heat, density, and thermal conductivity of concrete could greatly enhance heat storage capacity, thermal accessibility, and resistance to heat loss of concrete materials and systems. Some abundant waste products are available that offer attractive combinations of specific heat, density and thermal conductivity. Through simple size reduction processes, these wastes could be converted to aggregates which would help optimize the thermal attributes of concrete for particular building applications. Phase I developed recycled aggregate concrete materials (using plastic, wood, metal, and concrete wastes) with desirable structural attributes which covered broad ranges of thermal characteristics. Energy analyses were performed which confirmed that adjustment in the thermal attributes of recycled aggregate concrete could improve the energy-efficiency and life-cycle cost of buildings. In Phase II, waste evaluation criteria and concrete mix design principles will be developed for the production of these recycled aggregate concrete materials. Integrated analytical/experimental investigations will be conducted in both the laboratory and field to establish the energy, environmental, and cost advantages of the approach.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: Recycled aggregate concrete materials and building elements should enhance the energy-efficiency of buildings, acting as effective components of both passive solar and structural systems. In addition, substantial volumes of market-limited wastes from landfills could be diverted and the life-cycle (and initial) cost of building construction could be reduced. 

Development of an Inexpensive Mini-Optical Light Shelf (MOLS) Daylighting System--Architectural Energy Corporation, 2540 Frontier Avenue, Suite 201, Boulder, CO 80301-2400;
(303) 444-4149
Mr. Neall Digert, MIES, Principal Investigator
Mr. Michael Holtz, AIA, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG03-97ER82331
Amount: $740,033

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The Mini-Optical Light Shelf daylighting system should find application as conventional internal mini-blinds for both new and retrofit construction in non-residential buildings. This lighting technology should significantly reduce the $24 billion spent each year to light non-residential buildings while also enhancing the quality of the commercial visual environment. 

LNG Vehicle High-Pressure Fuel System--The Research Partnership, 561 Thian Way, Palo Alto, CA 94306-3921; (415) 424-0426
Mr. Charles Powars, Principal Investigator
Mr. T. Craig Derbidge, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG03-97ER82468
Amount: $749,973

The use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in heavy vehicles would provide important air quality and energy security benefits. This project will develop a high-pressure fuel system for high-efficiency natural gas engines using direct injection. The LNG will be stored in a conventional vacuum-jacketed tank, and a low-speed reciprocating pump will process vapor/liquid mixtures. The pump will be driven by heat transfer from the engine coolant to the warming fuel, and no engine power will be consumed. In Phase I, preliminary tests demonstrated the pump vapor/liquid processing capability. Drive system analyses established a near-optimum design and demonstrated performance suitability. In addition, system integration options were identified. In Phase II, alternative pump designs and thermodynamic drives will be fabricated and tested. A prototype integrated fuel system will be assembled, tested, and demonstrated in a vehicle.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: This LNG fuel system solves the fuel supply problem presented by high-efficiency direct-injection natural gas engines. Heavy vehicles with these engines are economically viable, and a market for this fuel system should develop.

 A Low Cost Acoustic Property Sensor for Measuring Natural Gas Composition in Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) Powered Vehicles--Commercial Electronics, Inc., 801 North 15th Street, Broken Arrow, OK 74012-2838; (918) 251-0925
Mr. Scott Phillips, Principal Investigator
Mr. Michael A. Phillips, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG03-97ER82353
Amount: $750,000

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: An acoustic natural gas composition sensor could transmit natural gas composition data to an engine controller, allowing heavy-duty vehicles to utilize LNG fuels of varying mixtures. Its development should lead to reduced emissions, better performance, and lower fuel consumption.

Improved Electric Motors for Hybrid Vehicle Transportation--Visual Computing Systems Corporation, 9540 Highway 150, P.O. Box 250, Greenville, IN 47124-9683; (812) 923-7474
Dr. Patrick Kelecy, Principal Investigator
Robert Westerkamp, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-97ER82507
Amount: $750,000

A need exists for improved performance and lower cost of traction motors for emerging consumer hybrid electric vehicles. Existing motor technology will be adapted to the design and volume production of a new, axial gap machine, capable of meeting the cost and performance goals established by the Department of Energy. From a detailed examination of the application requirements, three motor options were identified in Phase I. A detailed design study compared the performance, cost, cooling, and manufacturing needs of these options, and one candidate was selected for Phase II development. In Phase II, commercial applications will be identified, and a product development effort will be undertaken. A prototype machine will be constructed and tested to validate the design and manufacturing process.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefit as described by the awardee: The results from this effort should benefit the electric and hybrid electric vehicles for the automotive, mining construction, and trucking industries, are should also find application to military vehicles, electric scooters, mobile robots, electric wheel chairs, electric locomotive, elevator drives, and general traction drives.

Corrosion Resistant Bipolar Plates for PEM Fuel Cells--Physical Sciences, Inc., 20 New England Business Center, Andover, MA 01810-1077; (508) 689-0003
Dr. Michael C. Kimble, Principal Investigator
Mr. George E. Caledonia, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-97ER82454
Amount: $744,815

Fuel cells could possibly replace the internal combustion engine in vehicles because they are clean, energy efficient, and can use more than one type of fuel. Traditionally, graphite bipolar plates are used to separate the cells in a fuel cell stack. This project will develop a bipolar plate with improved corrosion resistance for use in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell. The bipolar plate consists of an aluminum substrate that has various electrodeposited layers of metal to impart both corrosion resistance and high electrical conductivity. Pulse electrodeposition is used to plate metal layers on the aluminum substrate while maintaining uniform coefficients of thermal expansion between the substrate and the coatings. In Phase I, electrolytic multi-layered coatings were applied to aluminum and found to be adherent to the substrate, electrochemically resistant, mechanically and micro-structurally sound, and electrically conductive. In addition, they performed as well as graphite bipolar plates in a fuel cell. Phase II will identify lower cost coatings and optimize both the electroplating bath and the periodic reverse current waveform in order to achieve a bipolar plate cost of $5/kW.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The technology should substantially improve the performance and cost effectiveness of fuel cells for transportation applications. The process for fabricating bipolar plates uses inexpensive materials and established, inexpensive electrodeposition technology, and also has high-volume manufacturability capability with low-cost capital equipment.

Heterogeneous Hydroformylation of Alkenes with Syngas--TDA Research, Inc., 12345 West 52nd Avenue, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033-1916; (303) 940-2300
Dr. Girish Srinivas, Principal Investigator
Mr. John D. Wright, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG03-97ER82497
Amount: $750,000

Coal is an abundant, low cost source of carbon for producing fuels and chemicals. Coal can be converted through gasification into a mixture of CO, H₂ and CO₂ known as syngas. By reacting syngas with unsaturated hydrocarbons (alkenes), in a process known as hydroformylation and also referred to as the Oxo process, aldehydes can be produced. Aldehydes are important because they are subsequently used to make plasticizers, detergents, and solvents. However current commercial Oxo processes use a dissolved rhodium catalyst in a liquid phase reactor, a process that is complex, power intensive, and can lead to losses of the expensive rhodium catalyst. This project addresses these problems by developing a catalytic process whereby the hydroformylation reaction is done in the vapor phase, eliminating the stirred tank reactor used in the liquid phase process. The new process uses a previously developed, heterogeneous hydroformylation catalyst that is stable against deactivation and has the same activity, aldehyde selectivity, and normal/iso aldehyde ratio as the best currently available homogeneous catalyst. In Phase I, the feasibility of a fixed bed hydroformylation process based on this catalytic technology was demonstrated. Phase II will optimize the catalyst composition and the process conditions. The process will be scaled up to 3 lb/day and a detailed economic and engineering analysis of the process will be performed.

Commercial Application and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The heterogeneous hydroformylation process has the potential to decrease capital and operating costs, reduce power requirements, and substantially reduce catalytic metal losses, compared to the current homogeneous process. This technology would be especially attractive when adding new hydroformylation capacity.

Tubular Solid Oxide Fuel Cell with Deposited Nano-Scale YSZ Electrolyte--NexTech Materials, Ltd., 720-I Lakeview Plaza Boulevard, Worthington, OH 43085-4733; (614) 766-4895
Dr. Scott L. Swartz, Principal Investigator
Mr. William J. Dawson, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-97ER82443
Amount: $749,943

The development of large-scale power generation systems based on solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) requires a less expensive materials approach in the fabrication of SOFC systems. The current process, called electrochemical vapor deposition, represents a major roadblock to full-scale commercialization of the technology due to its high cost. In this project, an alternative materials approach will be developed based on the economical production of highly active ceramic powder dispersions. Processes will be developed for producing crack-free, dense ceramic films on substrate tubes. Phase I demonstrated the ability to produce dispersions of single crystal YSZ particles at a scale as low as 6 nanometers. A number of preliminary coating approaches were investigated which show that a Manganese-free, dense, adherent film can be produced at low temperatures. Phase II will optimize the synthesis process to simplify and reduce steps in producing the dispersion, optimize the coating process to produce films free of macropores, scale-up the synthesis and coating processes, and demonstrate the process in 66-cm tubes.

Commercial Application and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: Power systems using this technology could operate on abundant or renewable fuels including natural gas, hydrogen, and biomass-derived fuels. Other uses for the technology include industrial gas generation systems and clean reactors for production of industrial hydrocarbons.

47

Novel Coatings as Corrosion Barriers for Carbonate Fuel Cell Components--Energy Research Corporation, 3 Great Pasture Road, , Danbury, CT 06810-8153; (203) 792-1460
Dr. Chao M. Huang, Principal Investigator
Dr. Hans C. Maru, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-97ER82402
Amount: $750,000

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: Carbonate fuel cell life should be extended by at least a factor of two, benefiting fuel cell commercialization. A generic low-cost corrosion oxidation protection coating could be developed for other high temperature applications such as solid oxide fuel cells, gasifiers, and turbines.

Crosswell Seismic in Three Dimensions--TomoSeis, Inc., 1650 West Sam Houston Parkway North, Houston, TX 77043-3115; (713) 461-7360
Dr. John K. Washbourne, Principal Investigator
Mr. Bruce P. Marion, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG03-97ER82502
Amount: $749,940

Recent advances in data acquisition from oil and for fields have dramatically decreased survey costs, opening up the potential for multiwell, 3-D surveys over large areas of existing reservoirs. Until recently, most crosswell surveys have been performed on a single vertical well pair creating a very limited 2-D cross section between the wells. Most of the imaging algorithms currently in use were developed under the assumption of near-vertical well trajectories with minimal out-of-plane dip. In real-world reservoir geometries, 3-D effects must be incorporated, and this will require performing multiwell surveys. This project will extend crosswell imaging to handle the three dimensional nature of wells and earth models. The extension from a single vertical well pair to 3-D well and survey geometry has revealed imaging issues that were not addressed in the initial development of crosswell technology. A common earth model framework was developed in Phase I using a Chebychev polynomial representation for performing crosswell imaging. Visualization approaches to 3-D well and survey geometries were also developed. Phase II will develop and test 3-D traveltime inversions, 3-D reflection mapping, and 3-D migration. The effort will result in a series of algorithms and software capable of performing crosswell imaging and visualization in real-world, 3-D, multi-profile crosswell data.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: Practical 3-D crosswell imaging should take crosswell technology from a limited market to widespread use by geoscientists and reservoir engineers. The use of the technology should greatly improve production of oil and gas from domestic reservoirs, increasing reserves, enhancing recovery, and lowering development and production costs.

Natural Gas Liquids Recovery in Carbon Dioxide Oil-Field Flood Operations--Membrane Technology and Research, Inc., 1360 Willow Road, Suite 103, Menlo Park, CA 94025-1516; (650) 328-2228
Dr. Hans Wijmans, Principal Investigator
Ms. E. G. Weiss, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG03-97ER82429
Amount: $750,000

Carbon dioxide flooding is one of the most promising of the enhanced oil recovery technologies. To make this process economically viable, however, the gas that accompanies the recovered oil must be treated to recover the associated natural gas liquids and pipeline gas from the carbon dioxide for the latter's re-injection. This project will develop a cost-effective, efficient membrane process to remove propane, butane, and higher hydrocarbons from the carbon dioxide-rich gas. In Phase I, membranes with appropriate selectivity were prepared, a technical analysis was performed which showed that the membrane process would be technically and economically attractive, and industry interest in the process was established. In Phase II, bench-scale modules will be prepared, and tested in the laboratory, industrial-scale membrane modules will be prepared, and these industrial-scale modules will be evaluated at a field site.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The process should significantly simplify gas treatment in carbon dioxide oil field flood operations. The technology could also be applied more widely to natural gas liquids recovery in the natural gas industry.

Control of Mercury Emissions from Fossil Fuel-Fired Power Plant--Physical Sciences Inc., 20 New England Business Center, Andover, MA 01810-1077; (978) 689-0003
Mr. Joseph R. Morency, Principal Investigator
Mr. George E. Caledonia, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-97ER82456
Amount: $726,257

The toxicity of mercury and the expected implementation of EPA regulations have prompted the need for more efficient processes to control mercury emissions in fossil fuel power plants. Currently, no technology exists that can reliably remove all forms of vapor phase mercury in these facilities. Phase I was concerned with the technical feasibility of using a zeolite sorbent for mercury control and with performance improvement when the zeolite was treated with a proprietary additive. Laboratory experiments showed a 35% decrease in flue gas mercury using an untreated zeolite. The application of the low cost additive reduced the mercury concentration in the flue gas to 48% of the baseline value. In addition, testing of the material, using EPA methods, showed that the sorbent could be safely disposed in a landfill. A preliminary cost study showed that further development could result in a mercury control technology that is cheaper and more effective than current processes. Phase II will select a zeolite material for its optimal mercury sorption properties and low cost, and treat the sorbent with the proprietary additive at a level to be determined in laboratory testing. This material will then be tested for mercury removal efficiency at the pilot-scale level in a utility power plant.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: Achievement of high capture efficiencies for all mercury species using the treated zeolite sorbent would allow the utilization of this material in all types of power plant pollution control systems with a minimum addition of plant equipment and without affecting the commercial value of the ash. This material could be used in any facility where the emissions of vapor phase mercury species may be a problem such as solid waste incinerators, hazardous waste incinerators, and cement kilns.

Low-Cost, High Performance Beta"-Alumina Tubes with Integrated Cermet Electrodes--TDA Research, Inc., 12345 West 52nd Avenue, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033-1916;
(303) 940-2300
Dr. Ronald L. Cook, Principal Investigator
Mr. John D. Wright, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG03-97ER82496
Amount: $750,000

Alkali metal thermoelectric converters (AMTEC) offer low noise, low pollution electric power generation with high conversion efficiencies (20% or higher) and a wide range of fuels. Unfortunately, the costs of many AMTEC cell components are high, preventing widespread commercialization. This project will develop a new low-cost production technique for the primary components of AMTEC cells. A precursor will be identified and a new processing route for the production of beta"-alumina electrolytes with integrated cermet electrodes will be esta